focus
The Battalion, Thursday, October 11, 1979
Convict cowboys have nothing to lose
By BETH CALHOUN
Focus Editor
It’s been said that inmates ride
broncs and bulls with a reckless
ness born of desperation: they
don’t have anything to lose. But
they still run when an angry bull or
bucking bronc tries to stomp on
them.
Being in prison is still better
than being dead.
Many of the cowboys are long
term inmates who’ve been in the
rodeo before. They’re the ones
that usually walk away. It’s the
rookies that get hurt.
But there’s more to the Texas
Prison Rodeo than a bunch of
cons messing around with live
stock.
Just stepping into the Walls Unit
in Hunstville gives you an eerie
feeling. You can walk out if you
want to — but the faces in the
windows can’t.
Security is tight. Prison guards
in grey uniforms are everywhere.
They check visitors’ purses and
camera bags to make sure they
“don’t have a gun or anything.”
Once inside, even though a
whole grandstand is full of inmates
in white uniforms, it doesn’t feel as
intimidating.
The Prison Band, in the middle
of the arena, is playing C&W tunes
and a special brand of prison song
— “That’s Allright, I Will Soon Be
Free.”
Please turn to page 4.