North Texas offers multitude of athletic, recreational events By ROBERT
KRUG Special Contributor / The Dallas Morning News
Take me out to the ballgame
... or the rodeo ... or the auto races ... or the golf course!
With apologies to Jack Norworth and Albert von Tilzer –
whose lyrics and music became the country's most popular
baseball song almost 100 years ago – North Texans
not only can root for the home team but also participate
in numerous activities year-round.
The pros – almost a
dozen teams – play 52 weeks a year. Numerous once-a-year
events and special sports seasons dot the calendar. University,
community college and high school teams take the fields
and hit the gyms for amateur sports fans to watch. And recreation
venues abound.
If you can't find your favorite
sport in this metropolitan area, you must be looking for
jai alai or bobsledding.
AUTO
RACING
Texas Motor
Speedway: There are several major events
at the track, located at Interstate 35W and State
Highway 114 in north Fort Worth. The National Association
of Stock Car Auto Racing brings the Busch Series and
Winston Cup in the spring. The Indy Racing League
and NASCAR trucks made their first stops of 2003 in
June and return for more races Oct. 10-12 (tickets
are $30 to $76 for IRL competition and $18 to $58
for the trucks). The speedway also hosts Porsche Club
races, Sport Car Club of America events, Legends and
Bandolero racing, the Monster Truck series and dirt
track races. 817-215-8500. www.texasmotorspeedway.com
Texas Motorplex:
Drag racing is held most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,
February through November, at the Motorplex, 7500
W. U.S. Highway 287 in Ennis. Admission ranges from
$5 to $25, depending on the event. For the season's
featured races, the O'Reilly Fall Nationals Oct. 9-12,
prices are $5 to $52 per day. 972-878-2641; www.texasmotorplex.com.
Several other area
racetracks host stock, drag or go-cart races. For
a list of more than a dozen, go to www.dallasnews.com/sports/motorsports
and click on "Area Racetracks."
Irwin Thompson/DMN
Race
cars compete at the
Texas Motor Speedway.
BASEBALL
Tom Fox/DMN
Texas Rangers:
The American League West team plays at The
Ballpark in Arlington, 1000 Ballpark Way (near Interstate
30 and State Highway 360). Season runs from April
through September, and tickets range from $5 to $75.
817-273-5100. www.texasrangers.com
At left, rafael Palmiero of the Texas
Rangers swings for the fences.
Frisco RoughRiders:
The Texas Rangers' Double-A minor-league team plays in the
East Division of the Texas League. Home games are at the
Dr Pepper/7Up Ballpark, 7300 RoughRiders Trail (north of
State Highway 121 and east of the Dallas North Tollway).
Tickets range from $9 to $18, and the seasons runs from
April through August. 972-731-9200. www.ridersbaseball.com
Fort Worth Cats:
The minor-league team is in the East Division of the Central
Baseball League and plays from May through August. Home
games are at LaGrave Field, 301 N.E. Sixth St., which is
north of downtown and south of the Fort Worth Stockyards.
Tickets range from $4 to $9. 817-226-2287. www.fwcats.com
Big 12 Tournament:
The Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Tournament will be May 18-23,
2004, at The Ballpark in Arlington, 1000 Ballpark Way. 214-742-1212.
www.big12sports.com
BASKETBALL
Dallas Mavericks:
The team plays in the National Basketball Association's
Midwest Division of the Western Conference from October
through April. Tickets to home games, in American Airlines
Center, 2500 Victory Ave. (just north of downtown Dallas
off Interstate 35E), are $10 to $135.
214-747-6287. www.dallasmavericks.com
Louis DeLuca/DMN
The Mavs' Nick Van Exel is gaurded
by Spurs Tim Duncan and Tony Parker during the playoffs
in May.
Big 12 Tournaments:
The 2004 tournaments will be in Dallas. The Big 12 Women's
Tournament will be March 9-13 in downtown's Reunion Arena,
777 Sports St., with the Phillips 66 Men's Big 12 Basketball
Tournament March 11-14 at American Airlines Center, 2500
Victory Ave. 214-742-1212. www.big12sports.com
Texas Rim Rockers:
This United States Basketball League team recently completed
its inaugural season. Home games are played at the Fort
Worth Convention Center, 1111 Houston St., near downtown.
The season runs from April through June, and tickets range
from $3 to $50. 817-336-7625. www.texasrimrocker.com
NBA Hoop-It-Up:
Billed as the largest three-on- three basketball tournament
in the world, Hoop-It- Up has winter and summer stops in
this area. There is no admission charge for spectators;
teams pay an entry fee. The winter session is each March
at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie, east of Belt Line Road
and north of Interstate 30. The summer event is in Dallas'
West End. Phone Host Communications, the event operator,
at 972-392-5750. www.nbahoopitup.com
BICYCLING
Superdrome in Frisco: This
250-meter Olympic-class velodrome is at 9700 Wade Blvd.,
on the Collin County Community College District's Preston
Ridge campus. Races will be held Friday evenings through
September, and the track will also be open to the public
(cyclists must take a short certification class). 214-336-6211.
www.superdrome.com
BOATING AND FISHING
Texas has more than 150 lakes
and reservoirs, including more than a dozen in North Texas.
Among area options are Lake Arlington, Benbrook Lake, Cedar
Creek Reservoir, Eagle Mountain Lake, Grapevine Lake, Joe
Pool Lake, Lake Lavon, Lewisville Lake, Mountain Creek Lake,
Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake Ray Roberts, Lake Tawakoni, Lake
Waxahachie, White Rock Lake and Lake Worth. Some lakes are
regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers. 817-886-1326.
www.swf.usace.army.mil.
Others are under the direction of the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department. The department also regulates fishing, collecting
fees for freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses. 1-800-792-1112.
www.tpwd.state.tx.us
BOWLING
Professional Bowlers
Association: The Southwest Region tour makes stops
in the area each season. Upcoming (Aug. 22-24) is the PBA
Southwest Region Don Carter Open at Don Carter All Star
Lanes West, 10920 Composite Drive in Dallas. There is no
admission charge. 214-358-1382. Visit www.pba.com
for information on the Southwest tour or the 2003-04 national
tour, which begins in October. The Dallas center will also
host a 2003-04 national tour event, the Dallas Open, Feb.
20-24, 2004. Tickets will range from $5 to $50, with finals
tentatively set for the Dallas Convention Center.
Carolyn Dorin-Ballard
of North Richland Hills competes in a
Dallas Open qualifying round at Don Carter All-Star Lanes
West
Tom Fox/DMN
Professional Women's
Bowling Association: There will be a PWBA regional
mixed doubles tournament at Don Carter's CityView, 6601
Oakmont Blvd., in Fort Worth. Tentative dates are Oct. 11-12.
Call 817-346-0440 for more information. www.pwba.com
COLLEGE SPORTS
SBC Cotton Bowl:
This annual event is played in the Cotton Bowl Stadium,
3750 Midway Plaza, in Dallas' Fair Park, on or around
New Year's Day. The game features two teams designated
by the Bowl Championship Series selection process. The
68th Cotton Bowl will be Jan. 2, 2004. Tickets range
from $35 to $60. 214-634-7525 or 1-888-792-2695. www.cottonbowl.com
John F. Rhodes/DMN
University of Texas fans cheer before
the game against Louisiana State University in the
2003 SBC Cotton Bowl Classic.
SBC
Red River Shootout: The University of Texas
and Oklahoma University play at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas'
Fair Park once a year, in October during the State Fair.
This year's game is Oct. 11. www.utexas.edu/athletics
or www.ou.edu
Fort Worth Bowl:
The inaugural edition of the football game will be played
Dec. 23 at Fort Worth's Amon Carter Stadium on the Texas
Christian University campus. The game, approved in May by
the NCAA, will match teams from the Big 12 and Conference
USA. 214-742-1212. www.big12sports.com
More than a dozen local colleges
also participate in sports. The schools include:
Southern Methodist
University: This Dallas university plays in the
Western Athletic Conference. 214-768-4263. www.smumustangs.com
Texas Christian University:
Located in Fort Worth, TCU is a member of Conference USA.
817-257-7967. www.gofrogs.com
University of Texas
at Arlington: The school participates in Southland
Conference athletics. 817-272-2261.
www.uta.edu/athletics
University of North
Texas: This Denton school is in the Sun Belt Conference.
940-565-2662. www.unt.edu/meangreen
Texas Woman's University:
Also in Denton, TWU participates in Lone Star Conference
athletics. 940-898-2378.
www.twu.edu/athletics
Dallas Baptist University:
The school plays in the Heartland Conference. 214-333-5324.
www.dbu.edu/athletics
University of Dallas:
This school, in Irving, participates in NCAA Division III
athletics. 972-721-5009. www.udallas.edu/athletics
University of Texas
at Dallas: Located in Richardson, UTD plays in
the American Southwest Conference. 972-883-2096. Visit www.utdallas.edu
and find athletics under the alphabetical index.
Texas Wesleyan University:
A member of the Red River Athletic Conference, TWU is in
Fort Worth. 817-531-4210. www.txwesleyan.edu
Northwood University:
The school is in Cedar Hill and is also a member of the
Red River Athletic Conference. 972-291-1541. www.northwood.edu/tx/athletics
Paul Quinn College:
This Dallas school is also a member of the Red River league.
214-376-1000. www.pqc.edu/athletics.htm
Dallas Christian
College: The school participates in the National
Christian College Athletic Association. 972-241-3371. www.dallas.edu/studentlife/athletics.cfm
Southwestern Assemblies
of God University: This Waxahachie school participates
in various athletic organizations. 1-888-937-7248. www.sagu.edu/athletics
Arlington Baptist
College: The school is also an NCCAA participant.
817-461-8741. www.abconline.edu
FOOTBALL
Dallas Cowboys:
The team, playing in the National Football League, is
a member of the East Division of the National Football
Conference. The Cowboys play regular-season games from
September through December at Texas Stadium in Irving,
2401 E. Airport Freeway, near Loop 12 and State Highway
183. Tickets are $36 to $68. 972-785-4800. www.dallascowboys.com
Michael Ainsworth/DMN
Dallas Cowboys
coach Bill Parcells runs players through sprints on
the final day of rookie camp in May at Valley Ranch
in Irving.
Dallas Desperados:
The Arena Football League team plays home games at Reunion
Arena, 777 Sports St., in downtown Dallas, from February
through May. Tickets are $5 to $25. 972-785-4900. www.dallasdesperados.com
Will Pettis
of the Dallas Desparados can't get around
Tampa Storm defender Basil Proctor during an Arena
Football League game at Reunion Arena.
John F. Rhodes/DMN
GOLF
EDS Byron Nelson
Championship: The Professional Golfers Association
event in Irving is usually held in early May at Las Colinas-Tournament
Players Club and Cottonwood Valley Country Club at 4150
N. MacArthur, near State Highway 114. 214-742-3896. www.golfweb.com/tournaments/r019
Bank of America Colonial:
The week after the Nelson, the PGA Tour moves to Fort Worth
for the Bank of America Colonial, held at Colonial Country
Club, 3735 Country Club Circle. 817-927-4277. www.bankofamericacolonial.pgatour.com
North Texas has more than
100 public golf courses, and there are also several daily-fee
and resort courses, along with country clubs that allow
public play. Dallas Golf stores (located in Garland, Irving
and Richardson) have maps available that list more than
200 courses (including municipal, daily-fee and private)
and two dozen driving ranges in the seven-county and surrounding
area. Go to www.dallasnews.com/sports
/golf to find listings by regions and for area calendars,
tournaments and results.
HIGH SCHOOLS
More than 170 area high schools
have athletic teams that participate in sports almost year-round.
Girls volleyball usually starts at the time that most schools
open for the year (late August), and high school baseball
playoffs end around the final weeks of school in late May.
The University Interscholastic
League coordinates high school athletics on the public school
level, crowning champions in more than 20 sports. 512-471-5883.
www.uil.utexas.edu
The Texas Association of
Private and Parochial Schools is the governing body for
most of the private high schools. 254-947-9268. www.tapps.net.
The Texas Christian Athletic League is another governing
body for private schools. 210-445-7014. www.t-cal.org.
Southwest Preparatory Conference is yet another group for
private schools in Texas and Oklahoma. www.spcsports.org
HOCKEY
Michael Mulvey/DMN
Darian Hatcher of
the Dallas Stars gets physical with an opponent
Dallas Stars: The
Stars play in the Pacific Division of the National Hockey
League's Western Conference. Tickets are $25 to $300,
with regular-season games played from October through
April at American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave.,
just north of downtown Dallas off Interstate 35E. 214-467-8277.
www.dallasstars.com
Fort Worth Brahmas:
The minor-league team plays in the Central Hockey League's
Northeast Division in the Northern Conference. Most home
games are at the Fort Worth Convention Center, 1111 Houston
St., near downtown, and the season is from October through
May. Tickets range from $10 to $25. 817-336-4423. www.brahmas.com
Texas Tornado:
The junior hockey club plays in the North American Hockey
League. For the 2003-04 regular season, which begins in
August and runs through April 2004, the team is moving from
North Richland Hills to Frisco. It will play at the Dr Pepper
StarCenter at 2601 Avenue of the Stars, north of State Highway
121 and east of the Dallas North Tollway. Ticket prices
are $10 to $25. www.tornadohockey.com
HORSE RACING
Lone Star Park: The
track, at 1000 Lone Star Parkway in Grand Prairie, is
east of Belt Line Road and north of Interstate 30. Lone
Star features two annual racing seasons, with thoroughbreds
running from April through mid-July and quarter horses
from October through November. Admission starts at $3.
There's also simulcast racing year-round with a $2 admission.
And in October 2004, Lone Star will host the Breeders'
Cup, one of horse racing's most prestigious events.
972-263-7669. www.lonestarpark.com
Juan Garcia/DMN
HUNTING
The Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department regulates hunting, issuing licenses for small
game, spring turkey, Texas waterfowl, white-winged dove
and deer. Bow-hunting licenses also are available. 1-800-792-1112.
www.tpwd.state.tx.us
JUNIOR COLLEGES
Six junior colleges in the
Dallas County Community College District participate in
sports. For information about North Lake in Irving, Richland
or Mountain View in Dallas, Eastfield in Mesquite, Brookhaven
in Farmers Branch or Cedar Valley in Lancaster, visit www.dcccd.edu
and go to the links at the bottom for each of the schools.
For information about Collin
County Community College District athletics, phone 972-881-5888
or see
www.ccccd.edu/athletics.
RODEO
Texas Stampede: Championship rodeo and concert event benefits the Children's Medical Center and pediatric programs at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. The 2003 Texas Stampede, scheduled for Nov. 7-9 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, will host the new ProRodeo Tour Championship Finale, featuring the top place and point winners from this year's ProRodeo Tour. Ticket prices start at $15. 214-520-8874. www.texasstampede.org
Southwestern Exposition
Livestock Show and Rodeo: More commonly known as
the Fort Worth Rodeo, the 2004 event will be Jan. 17-Feb.
8 at Will Rogers Memorial Center, 1 Amon Carter Square,
north of Interstate 30 near University Drive. 817-877-2400.
www.fwstockshowrodeo.com
Mesquite Championship
Rodeo: The rodeo is held Fridays and Saturdays
from April through early October. Competition is held at
the Resistol Arena, 1818 Rodeo Drive, near Interstate 635
and Military Parkway. Tickets range from $5 to $30. 972-222-2855.
www.mesquiterodeo.com
Tuff Hedeman Challenge:
After the Fort Worth Rodeo each year, the Professional Bull
Riders' Tuff Hedeman Challenge is at Will Rogers Coliseum,
in late February or early March. The event is part of the
PBR's "major league" series, and tickets range
from $15 to $30. Fort Worth also has been home to one of
the PBR's "minor league" stops on the Challenger
Tour. 817-871-8150.
www.pbrnow.com
Cowtown Coliseum
Rodeo: Located in the Fort Worth Stockyards at
121 E. Exchange Ave., the Cowtown Coliseum hosts weekend
rodeos year-round and numerous special events. Tickets range
from $5.50 to $12.50. 817-625-1025. www.cowtowncoliseum.com
Kowbell Indoor Rodeo:
This is held year-round, with bull riding most Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays, and rodeo on Saturdays and Sundays.
The rodeo is in Mansfield at 1263 N. Main. Tickets are $3
to $6. 817-477-3092
Coors Original Women's
National Finals Rodeo: The Professional Women's
Rodeo Association event is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 2
at the Cowtown Coliseum, 121 E. Exchange Ave. in the Fort
Worth Stockyards. Prices are $8.50 to $30. 817-625-1025.
www.wpra.com
or www.cowtowncoliseum.com
RUNNING
White Rock Marathon:
Known as The Rock, this year's event – which begins
and ends at Victory Plaza at the American Airlines Center
near downtown – will be Dec. 14. 214-372-2068. www.whiterock-marathon.com.
For information on other area events, visit www.cccd.org.
Runners take
part in the White Rock Marathon in December.
Matt Rourke/Special Contributor
Cowtown Marathon:
The annual Fort Worth race is moving its start and finish
lines for the 2004 event (scheduled for Feb. 28) to downtown's
Sundance Square. 817-735-2033. www.cowtownmarathon.org
SAILING
Sailing enthusiasts can obtain
information on the Corinthian Sailing Club at White Rock
by phoning 214-320-0841 or visiting www.cscsailing.org.
Information on nine area sailing lakes, 10 sailing and yacht
clubs, and 20 sailboat classes active in the area can be
found at www.dalsail.com.
SOCCER
Dallas Burn: The
Burn, a member of the Major Soccer League, plays at Dragon
Stadium, 1085 S. Kimball Ave. in Southlake. Regular-season
games are played from April through October, and prices
range from $10 to $35. 214-979-0303. www.dallasburn.com
Dallas Sidekicks:
The Sidekicks participate in the Major Indoor Soccer League.
The team plays its home games at Reunion Arena, 777 Sports
St. in downtown Dallas, and tickets are $5 to $30. 214-653-0200.
www.dallassidekicks.com
Dallas Cup XXV:
Next year's edition of this youth soccer event will be April
4-11 in various stadiums around the area. Six age-group
championships are held the final two days.
214-221-3636
TENNIS
Tennis players can play at
numerous courts around North Texas and can contact the Dallas
Tennis Association for tournament information. 972-387-1538.
www.dta.org or www.ustatexas.org
VOLLEYBALL
NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships:
The NCAA Division I national tournament will be Dec.18-20
at Reunion Arena, 777 Sports St. in downtown Dallas, with
the Big 12 Conference serving as host. Visit www.ncaa.org
or www.big12sports.com
at a later date for ticket prices and more information.
