Mathias Edward "Scooter" Fries
MATHIAS EDWARD “SCOOTER” FRIES - “Scooter” Fries is not only one of the most titled cowboys in Bandera, he is one of the best known and recognized. Scooter was a true child prodigy in the world of rodeo calf roping. From the tender age of five, under the tutelage of his Uncle Bennie Adamietz on whose U Bar Ranch he was born, Scooter was roping and catching calves. By the time he was eight years old he was giving roping demonstrations not only at home at Mansfield Park in Bandera, but in San Antonio and other South Texas cities.
In 1948, Governor Coke Stevenson presented 15 year old Scooter Fries with his first state championship as a youth roper. That title was followed by three others, a national championship and reserve championship and even a championship in steer wrestling. He gives credit to Felix Billings for “helping me a lot” and says, “Uncle Ed Mansfield, he let us use the rodeo arena at Mansfield Park every day for practice.” Continuing his list of “thank yous”, he says, “Frank Anderwald is the one who got the money together for the monument and he doesn’t get enough credit for that.” “The monument” stands in front of the Bandera County Courthouse inscribed with the words, “Honoring All Cowboys, Dedicated To The Cowboy Champions From Bandera County, Texas.” That monument was dedicated on May 19, 1982, and among those honored were Scooter Fries and Toots Mansfield. “I really admired Toots,” Scooter says, “He was one of the greatest and he really inspired me.” Of his induction into the Frontier Times Museum’s Texas Hall of Heroes on the National Day of the American Cowboy, Scooter Fries say, “You know, the town really didn’t take all that much notice of us way back then, but it sure is nice to be recognized now. |
2014 INDUCTEES
JEHU D. "JUD" ASHMORE JOHN DOUGLAS "BUD" FITZPATRICK TODD WHITEWOOD 2013 INDUCTEES DAVID K. LANGFORD ROBERT L. MANSFIELD LARRY NOLEN GARY P. NUNN MARGARET "PEGGY" TOBIN 2012 INDUCTEES CRAIG CAMERON H. JOAQUIN JACKSON ARKEY BLUE BUDDY GROFF 2011 INDUCTEES COY HERMAN "TOOTS" MANSFIELD RICHARD S. "KINKY" FRIEDMAN LOUIS PEARCE WYMAN MEINZER MATHIAS EDWARD "SCOOTER" FRIES 2010 INDUCTEES BILL PICKETT JOSE POLICARPIO "POLLY" RODRIGUEZ RED STEAGALL BUCK TAYLOR RUDY ROBBINS DON & JUDY HICKS 2009 INDUCTEES J. MARVIN HUNTER J. FRANK DOBIE MAUDEEN MARKS "CAPTAIN" JOE BOWMAN RAY WHARTON CLEO HEARN KEVIN FITZPATRICK "EMPRESARIO" TERRY BOOTHE DR. RAUL GAONA, SR. |
