What happened to Burbank

 

Growing up in the Osage all the schools played basketball.  One of the highlights each year was the Burbank tournament.  Compared to Grainola it seemed like a large town and a long way from Grainola.  Of course the tournaments were for grade school as there was no high school when I was at Grainola.  In 1969 the Burbank high school closed and merged with Shidler.  At one time Burbank had over 3000 people due to the oil boom.

Burbank School

Now that was a winning deal for Shidler as they brought some great girls basketball players and they were all good looking Lu Ann Christian, Linda Harding,Shirley Simmons, Joanna Lothus, Carrie Christensen and Sandy Suggs (thanks to Jeri Rash I got a complete list - between her and Sue McConaghy they are my editors).

Rick Cottle

I am not sure how the Shidler girls took to it but the boys did not mind, especially Rick Cottle who was probably the smartest guy in our class.  Rick married Linda Harding.  As a side note Rick was our quarterback and an excellent one except that when we played a pre-season game against Garber he cracked a couple of vertebrae and that ended his career in football.  He was also a great basketball player but again he was out for the season.  Another side note that I loved about Rick is he could jump with his back to the goal and turn, shoot, and make a long shot.  In fact when we were in the 8th grade we had coach Smith (also the drivers ed teacher) who thought Rick was too cocky with his shot and said if you can make three in a row you can do that in a game.  Rick succeeded and Coach Smith was not happy.  I thought he was courageous.  Great going Rick.

Anyway, back to Burbank.  It was a thriving town and named after a cockle bur covered area on Salt Creek.  As a sideline the Shidler guys had a contest that was not really a contest to see who would go swimming in Salt Creek earliest each year.  As I recall it was Rick Cottle or Hugh Allen Jones who were the earliest and I believe it was January!  Rick was crazy at times but Hugh Allen was over the top.  Even in grade school Hugh Allen was all GUTS.  (that is the next story).  Did I tell Hugh Allen Jones became a Marine!  What does that tell you?  He made me proud and thankful.

Well what can you learn from this:

• things change and we have to change with it
• change can bring great blessings especially for Rick
• thank the folks who serve in the military and protect our freedom

Thanks for you time,
gary@thepioneerman.com

Books to pick up about the Osage:  just click on the title

The Osage Indian Murders: The True Story of a 21-Murder Plot to Inherit the Headrights of Wealthy Osage Tribe Members

Bloodland: A Family Story of Oil, Greed and Murder on the Osage Reservation

The Deaths of Sybil Bolton: An American History