November 2010

Yesterday was an interesting day for this old gunslinger. I have a long list of honey do's, plus one invite I just had to attend. Of course, I got the call from Sue Taylor about a Boyscout Troop wanting a down and dirty tour of downtown. So at 9:00 I was at the Museum, scraping off the "good" stuff to make it suitable for 12 year olds. That said I did have fun with the gentlemen from Troop 164. They asked good questions and seemed to have a good time.

The big event was a reception held for a dear friend down at 5 Points. November 6th marked the 80th birthday of author, historian and story teller, Leon Metz. Leon has had quite a career. Born and raised in West Virginia, as with most of us, he was brought to the Pass of the North by the military. In Leon's case it was the Air Force. After his hitch in the Air Force, Leon worked at Chevron, later working for Mayor Tom Westphall. The Leon became the first archivist at the University of Texas, El Paso. He had the privilege of working with such literary/ history greats as Haldden Braddy, Dr. Timmons, John O. West, Doc Sonnichsen, Chris Fox, and Carl Herztog. Along the way, Leon began writing himself, and the rest is history.

I have most of Leon's books on my selves here at"Gun Fight Central". Most folks remember Dark Angel of Texas, Dallas Stoudenmire, John Selman, and of course El Paso Chronicles. Two that are often over looked are Desert Army: the story of Ft Bliss, and Border. By and far, I find that Border is the best of Leon's work, followed by Dark Angel of Texas. For those of you that didn't know, or don't remember, Deen Underwood wrote a biography on Leon back in 1995. Contact her or her husband Ham for information about getting a copy. And before I forget about it, I want to thank Ham Under wood for the use of his photos for this issue of Gunfight Central.

One of the things Cheryl wanted us to do was to write a quick note on a 3x5 card, with any special memories we have of Leon that we'd like to share. I got to thinking about it, and Cheryl wouldn't let me use 4 or 5 packets of the darned things. As I think about it, I wasn't the only one. I do have some very special memories. Through Leon I met Chuck Parson, and my membership into the Wild West Hertiage Association. Plus learned not to let Leon drive.

I can mark the first time I met Leon Metz almost to the hour. It was just after 7:00, August 19^th, 1995. We were in attendance at the Centennial celebration for the Demise of John Wesley Hardin at the Hacienda restaurant. At the time I had not transitioned to Old West stuff yet. I was still very active in the Horse Cavalry Association’s Memorial Troop, specializing in the Mexican Revolution and the Punitive Expedition. Leon was waiting for Dark Angel of Texas to be released. I had been listening to Leon’s radio show every Thursday since I can remember, and was a frequent caller. I was usually pointing out anniversaries of various events during Pershing’s operations in Mexico. What really struck me upon introducing myself was that Leon treated me like a long lost friend right from the start. We chatted about this and that, about history in general, and the event. It was a pleasant evening. That is how Leon Metz is, everyone is a long lost friend, you just did not know it.

Two years later, I decided to actually sit down and write a real book. There were quite a number of volumes on the shelves concerning the Civil War and Indian War period Cavalry. There are not any reference volumes dealing with what the everyday “Joe” faced in Mexico during the Punitive Expedition of 1916. I decided to write that missing book. Of course to explain the why and how of the expedition, one has to cover the revolution and events leading up to Pancho Villa’s raid on Columbus.

I roughed out my outline, and actually got three chapters written. Then I asked Leon to go over it and tell me what he thought. I would be lying if I did not admit I was more than a little miffed when he returned my manuscript. Poor Leon, after using up one red pen with in the first 25 pages, he gave up and wrote a 3 page letter listing the changes and edits. That is when I received the second best piece of advice I ever received from Leon. When someone edits your work, you have three choices to make; 1: Follow the edit to the letter 2: ignore the edit or 3: Maybe the edit suggests a better way all around than you thought of in the first place. I have come to appreciate this advice over the years, and follow it religiously.

Now it is 15 years later, and we have traded places. I am concentrating on the Old West, while Leon is trying to get his book on the Mexican revolution published. There is a serendipity to all this, I guess.

What is the best piece of advice I ever received from Leon? If you are going to write and speak on history, do not quit your day job.

Happy Birthday Leon and may you have many more.