Editor's Note - March 2022

Joni Hoffman

We agree with the Great Bambino that baseball is the best game. In Houston, we are lucky to count Rice University among our teams. This month, we have several Rice stories, including a full-circle one that highlights players who fell in love with the game at local Little Leagues. Little did they imagine they would one day play for Houston baseball royalty, José Cruz Jr., who played at Bellaire High School, Rice, and, after a career in the MLB has returned as Owls head coach. In another story, Cindy Gabriel tells us about Joyce Pounds Hardy, known as “The Bubble Gum Lady” for giving gum to Rice players. Turns out she was also a force for women athletes there. It’s rodeo season, and we spotlight Madison Outhier and her rodeo-going family, including grandfather (and Rice alum) Lou Waters. Madison is competing in the new women’s breakaway roping event. All this rodeo talk inevitably brings up Yellowstone, and we just had to talk with Buzz-area ranchers to get their take on the TV drama with Texas connections. It’s March, y’all. [email protected]