Texas, but Texas wants you anyway.” There does not seem to be another state in the US that has as much pride as Texas. An abundance of things make Texas unique, including its rich history, iconic cities, and Whataburger, but something a little more obscure comes to my mind when I reflect on what makes Texas great.
42 is a strategy game played with a standard set of dominoes, similar to the card game “Spades,” and is often referred to as “the national game of Texas.”
42 invented by two teenage boys in the obscure town of Trappe Spring, Texas (now Garner). The two boys loved to play cards, but the Baptists of the town saw card-playing as sinful. 42 was the boy’s creation of a loophole: a card game played with dominoes. The boys taught their families, friends, and neighbors until the entire town was playing. Eventually, the game spread to other cities, and 42 became a statewide game. At one point in time, …show more content…
My father’s book was turned down by several publishing companies, including the University of Texas Press (my dad’s alma mater), who claimed that there was no market for a book on this “old timer’s game.” After four publishers turned him down, my dad turned to the Texas Tech University Press, his last hope of becoming published. The woman with the responsibility of reading the book was named Judith Keeling. When he realized this woman was not a native Texan, my dad thought his book was done for. He thought someone from another state would not be able to appreciate a local game like 42. However, when Keeling brought the book up to her husband, he immediately became enthusiastic about the subject. Her husband came from a 42 family just like mine, and he began to tell her stories about playing when he was younger. She decided that the book must be published, and twenty years later it has sold over 10,00 copies. Also, the book won the San Antonio Conservation Society award for preserving Texas