Grandson's basketball tournament to steal die-hard fan from Bedlam
BY JOHN D. FERGUSON World Correspondent
Friday, November 23, 2012
11/23/12 at 5:04 AM
For more Bedlam stories.Original Print Headline: Die-hard to skip Bedlam
SAPULPA - Dwight Maulding has not missed too many University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University Bedlam football games over the past 64 years. However, he will be a rare no-show as the die-hard Sooner supporter will watch his budding star grandson play in an Orlando, Fla., basketball tournament.
The 90-year-old Maulding also has a nice streak going in another OU series. He has attended every OU-Texas clash for the past 64 years.
Besides this Saturday in Norman, the only other times he has missed an OU-OSU game were the 1985 Ice Bowl in Stillwater and last year's game in Stillwater.
"We've gone to the OU-OSU game for 32 years when the game was played in Norman," Maulding said. "We've gone to most of them in Stillwater."
The former Sapulpa bank president never attended OU, but you could say he is a Big Red fan by marriage. His wife, Mary Lou, was a 1942 OU graduate.
Maulding's home is a shrine to Sooner football with memorabilia everywhere. Inside and out, it is easy to tell which team he follows.
Maulding spent 33 years as president of Security National Bank in Sapulpa, but his yearly planner always had one October Saturday in Dallas marked.
"I enjoy it," said the spry Maulding, wearing a crimson-colored OU polo shirt. "I'll keep going as long as I can."
Maulding has seen the teams of Bud Wilkinson through Bob Stoops. He met coaches Wilkinson, Barry Switzer and Stoops. He has many favorite plays and players, and remains in contact with 1969 Heisman Trophy winner Steve Owens.
Maulding has seen other big Sooner football battles with other conference foes, but the OU-Texas streak continues to this day.
"We (Maulding and his late wife, Mary Lou) started going in 1949," Maulding explained.
Maulding added that the 64-year OU-Texas streak was nearly broken. One year, the Mauldings could not get tickets. A friend knew someone with a Texas connection who might help. When the Mauldings got their tickets, they came in an envelope from Darrell Royal's office. The Mauldings did little cheering that year, because their seats were right in the middle of the Longhorn fan section.
There are many donors needed at every college or university. Maulding was on the original board that started a foundation for the Sooner Schooner in 1977. Yes, the Sooner Schooner needed funds to take care of the horses and other needs for the symbolic covered wagon.
Ironically, Maulding had plans to attend Oklahoma State University after graduating from Wyandotte High School in northeast Oklahoma. He played football and basketball, but always wanted to pursue an aeronautical engineering degree in Stillwater.
As fate would have it, Maulding's life would be forever changed when a Northeastern A&M entertainment group performed at Wyandotte. The master of ceremonies was NEO sophomore Mary Lou Carselowey. The romance began that day.
Carselowey would later go to OU and Maulding would have odd jobs at NEO and as an errand boy for a banker.
Maulding went into the Air Force in 1943 during World War II and came back to civilian life in 1946.
"I never went to OU, except to see her," Maulding said with a smile.
Maulding's banking career was growing. He landed a job in Collinsville and later took over at Sapulpa after he and Mary Lou married.
Still, the trips to Dallas, Stillwater and Norman continue, adding other family members and grandchildren. Despite the many schedules to coordinate, the Mauldings have been there.
Associated Images:
OU fan Dwight Maulding of Sapulpa will miss just his third Bedlam game in the past 64 years Saturday. Courtesy
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