Earlier this week, the Oklahoma Heritage Association announced its 2013 Oklahoma Hall of Fame Class. It was highlighted by several rich businessmen, a cool judge and one severe weather deity:
Seven outstanding Oklahomans have been selected for induction into the 86th class of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. These accomplished Oklahomans will join the cast of 655 individuals who have been inducted into the Hall since 1928. The honorees officially were announced at a luncheon today at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum. New inductees were presented to a roomful of past Oklahoma Hall of Fame honorees.
The 2013 Oklahoma Hall of Fame inductees are: Michael D. Case, Tulsa, Gary A. England, Seiling, John D. Groendyke, Enid, Timothy C. Headington, Oklahoma City, Vicki Miles-LaGrange, Oklahoma City, Russell M. Perry, Oklahoma City and Reggie N. Whitten, Seminole.
Click here for more information about each of the class members.
The honorees will be formally inducted to the Hall on Nov. 7 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. Also in November, their portraits will be added to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame Gallery at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum. Their biographies, photos and fun facts will be accessed through touch screen computers in the same gallery.
Let me get this straight. Gary England wasn't already in the Oklahoma Hall of Fame!? How's that possible? I know he was caught up on the dew point temperature betting scandal in the mid-1970s, but that was such a long time ago. Since then, he's saved 1.8-million lives and once fended off a maxi-wedge multi-vortex grinder with nothing but a magic barometer and Doppler radar shield.
To celebrate this long over due announcement, here's a new piece of art by local artist Trent Lawson. If I have my way, it will soon be hanging over the fireplace in Ogle Manor. It features Gary England, armed with a rifle and chainsaw, protecting Linda Cavanaugh from an evil army of deranged skeletons:
Well, that's pretty fucking amazing. According to Trent, the little guys with the forks "are David Payne, Rick Mitchell, and Mike Morgan." He didn't explain who or what the skeleton army was doing, or if it was led by Ronnie Kaye.
Trent Lawson is one of my favorite Oklahoma artists. We've featured his stuff on the site before. He's the guy who made the Gary England Drinking Game painting:
The Chuck Norris Facts:
And one of my favorites, Rumble scaling the Devon Tower and being attacked by planes:
-
To view more of Trent's art, visit his webpage. I still think we need to collaborate with him on something. Maybe get him to paint a dark gothic portrait of Mike Morgan wearing a cape and his signature bedazzled severe weather tie, or perhaps something with more action in it like Cardboard Jim refereeing a mud wrestling match between Emily Sutton and Joleen Chaney. But you know, set it in a field of wildflowers and marigolds and stuff. It would need to be tastefully done.
