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I
would like to
address Martha's remarks regarding the "Texas Giants" at the
following URL: http://www.sideshowworld.com/tgodTexasGiants.html
According to
Martha, the giant's were 'not just under 8' tall'. It is
this I wish to dispute.
My name
is Eric Hondo Burney, son of Pamela Jane Henderson (Burney):
daughter of J.W. Henderson & Ruby Juanita Gay (Shields):
daughter of Opal Turner (Shields).
While I am
admittedly proud of my Texas heritage, including "Uncle"
Jack, Gus, Frank and Shade (Shay as he was known to us
decades later); I recall the vivid arguments against
imaginary foes carried out by "Aunt Stella" and "Ruby
Shields". And to a more mediating degree: 'Opal'.
Uncle Weldon
remains a master lawn mower in my heart. He is a man who I
reflect on in silence; a man who shapes me without the
respect of the greatest man I know: Lieutenant Colonel J. W.
Henderson. Weldon is me. I love him with an intensity that
is ineffable.
I can cite
dozens of stories of the Texas Giants, including the
descriptions by my maternal grandfather and his relatives.
My grandfather's name was J.W. Henderson, and while he bore
a particular dislike for Uncle Weldon (the origin of this
remains a mystery), his memory of "Uncle Shay" remained
lucid and simple.
Shay wasn't a
man, he was a giant. ......No?..He was
......bigger.....bigger than.....bigger than... A Man. I
remember the stories of Shay, bent and old, wizened and
weakened by the diminution that took all old a "Circus Men".
I remember also the hushed description of enormity by those
with no investment in their stature.
These memories
remain fragments of a hologram rose, but the genetics of
"us" remain orthogonal. I have a nephew and a niece who
exhibit such vastness of mind/body that their pediatricians
bless their luck at having the honor of introducing the
world to True Giants: children of such genetic
character, both doctor's feel the need to exalt their
careers on simple basis of having identified persons who
suffer not the pains of Gigantism, but who will dwarf any
NBA star, including the genetic equivalent of Charlemagne:
Shaquille O'Neal.
Information added - March 05, 2008
As the
great-grandson of Frank Shields I wanted to let you know I
find you site a joy and appreciate the preservation of the
memories.
I am
grateful for mention of my father, Marcus Freiberger, and
his accomplishment winning a Gold Medal in the 1952 Helsinki
Olympic Games. In the context of PT Barnum performers minor
details may only obscure the show, but for the record I
wanted to confirm the following to you….
Marcus
Ross Freiberger height – 6’10” (however, some basketball
programs exaggerated at 6’11”). He was born November 28,
1928 and died June 29, 2005, as Martha accurately states.
Therefore his age at time of death was 76, not 79.
Sincerely,
Jim
Freiberger
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