MY PARENTS MADE A LIVING BARNSTORMING CROSS COUNTRY

Florence Cleo Holder -Hovland      center    front row

                                                 Florence Cleo Holder-Hovland

                                              Florence Cleo Holder- Hovland  left side

                                               Dempsey Hovland  athlete, owner, coach ,manager .agent of  7  barnstorm
                                                sports teams    My Dad.

                                           Florence  (Holder) Hovland on left -my mom


                                    YOU THINK THE HELMETS ARE FUNNY SOON AFTER A CHIMPANZEE    CHASED   FLORENCE FROM THE LOCKER ROOM  GOOD HEAVENS FOR  THE PLAYFUL HEADGEAR.

                                            Florence and Leona working off steam before  a basketball game  

My mom Florence on the bench on left . A little time to catch up on mail from home, recent news clippings of the team and travel itineraries

                                           My  aunt Francis  Holder Homan
                                           My mom Florence Holder-Hovland
                                           My moms childhood friend and HS basketball rivalry Leona Evans
                                          All from  rural Arkansas  Winthrop, Ashdown, Gilham

                                             My dad Dempsey Hovland cooking for his athletes.

                                             My mom Florence  on far right (just a baby) on the road in hotel room.

            

                                             My aunt Francis in front seat  darn it another mountain road wipeout

                                              My aunt Frances far left  my mom Florence 4th from left

                                              My mom Florence on rear of the wreck , a schedule was instituted
                                               one loaded personal luggage one player loaded and inventoried equipment
                                               into   the custom advertising rack. In the summers my dad filled it with
                                               sand  for us Hovland kids to play in, in our backyard.

                                            
        Packing a basketball team of women into a station wagon with my dad and my oldest brother (just a
        baby)  traveling every sate in the US and Canada.

                                          Cherokee Gerry traveled with the basketball team for a few years
                                          As a singing guitar playing cowgirl entertaining at halftime. Mr and Mrs
                                          Hank Williams joined her for a few halftime shows, during the games.
                                          ( Lynda Kay this is your role. )

                                            My mom Florence in her Levi jeans provided exclusively to the team, Acme
                                            Boots another team  off court  outfit sponsor.

My mom Florence  leaves rural  Arkansas to travel  the world as professional athlete straight out of high school..   it is easy to understand  how my dad fell in love with her and proposed . If she would have chose to attend college on her athletic scholarship vs going pro on my dad's team myself and my siblings would not have been.

   My mom Florence, Marla and Betty Lou  in off court Texas Cowgirl gear for NY Times photo shoot
    Before they play opening game at he Garden  Knicks vs Celtics Game.


                      Texas Cowgirls  with Lakers  before  game  my mom Florence on the far right

                                              Joe Lapchick  with the Texas Cowgirls when he invited them to play
                                               opening   game  for the NBA