Larry York: Living his dream

Meet Larry York, a Galveston County native who has parlayed his love for tennis into a career in sports encompassing myriad levels – from competing, to creating, promoting and coordinating special events nationally. In his words, Galveston provided the launchpad for his calling and will always hold a special place in his heart. He shared his story with Humans of Galveston.

Humans of Galveston: Tell us a little about yourself, Larry.

Larry York: I was born in Hitchcock, Texas at home. I lived in Galveston since I was about 5 years old. I had nine siblings older than me and five younger. My father worked for Union Pacific and Santa Fe Railways. My mother was a custodian at John Sealy Hospital/UTMB and also a school crossing guard.

Humans of Galveston: What was it like growing up in Galveston in the 1950s and ‘60s?

Larry: Growing up in Galveston was so unlike today. The times were much more innocent. Unlike today, we did not have as many options or temptations to lead us astray. It cost us nothing to make our own fun. The neighbors looked out for each other. Kids had fewer outlets for recreation, so we created our own. We would find old car tires, form a caravan and roll them incessantly around the block, single file. When we tired of rolling tires around the neighborhood, my younger sisters and brothers and I would sit on the porch and play a game of "next car," a make-believe of car ownership. After it was decided which sibling would have the first, second, third choice of car ownership, the game began. The first car passing our home belonged to me, my brother or sister. We were elated if a Cadillac in good shape would pass. But we got the biggest laugh when an old, beat-up, rusted-out jalopy would roll by. Whoever got the clunker was the most disappointed. The cycle repeated itself because it was a game of chance – and hope. The air was fresher, the ocean was not as polluted, the fish were more abundant. We could play from sunrise to sunset without incident. Hide-and-seek was a big deal. Chasing lightning bugs was the norm. Making your own skateboards and skate sets were what kids did. Playing marbles every day, all day was a go-to. Your elementary school teachers were de facto surrogate parents who would whip your behind for being disobedient. Oftentimes, the kids may get another spanking from their parents for getting a spanking from the teachers. The expression, "It takes a village" was in full force and accepted on most occasions.

Humans of Galveston: Were you outgoing or more reserved?

Larry: I was a very active, outgoing kid with conservative reservations – and very precocious. My parents always knew where I was. As a kid with five siblings younger than me, including on occasion nieces and nephews, I had the responsibility and opportunity, when my parents and elder sister were working, of making sure everyone was accounted for, their schoolwork was done, and the home revealed attempts at housekeeping. As I got older, the responsibilities grew. Looking back, in essence I played the role of a surrogate parent. My relationships with my siblings, nieces and nephews was atypical. I have no regrets whatsoever because I am who I am today, in part, due to these juvenile experiences.

Humans of Galveston: What other things did you do for fun as a youngster?

Larry: It did not take much for me to make my own fun. I also played stickball on our neighborhood streets. We would use broken bed slats for bats – the wooden pieces of wood that were on bed frames to support the mattress.We didn't have gloves because the balls were made of rubber. Also, there was hopscotch, jacks and bolo bats. Oh, and I would occasionally hide in a homemade cardboard tent, with string, bait, and another box (cage) trying to catch pigeons. I never had any luck though.

Humans of Galveston: What extracurricular activities did you take part in at Ball High?

Larry: At Ball High, I was a member of the tennis team, the marching band and the concert band.

Humans of Galveston: What is your current occupation?

Larry: I’m semi-retired because I'm old enough to be, but in a sense I'm just getting started. My avocation is, and has been, that of a sports/entertainment producer/promoter and special events director/coordinator creating events that appeared nationally on The Phil Donahue Show, PM Magazine, and many local TV and radio outlets across the country, including Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and even Guam.

Humans of Galveston: When did you start playing tennis? What was it about the sport that kept you coming back?

Larry: I started tennis as a sophomore in fall 1969 at Ball High. Since it was the beginning of the school year, I pleaded with the tennis coach to drop my choir and add tennis to my class schedule. After she said yes, we were told to do vertical leaps. According to the coach, I leaped the highest of the eight boys on the team. I began as the newest and last one on the totem pole. By spring of 1970, six months later, I rose in the ranks to Number 3. By fall of '70 I captained the team, became Number 1 and stayed there until graduating in 1972. Believe it or not, I also received a full tennis scholarship at Sam Houston State University as a walk-on. I was also a Moody Scholar and received an academic scholarship as well. 53 years later, I am still competing on a recreational level and in tournaments because I love competing. I make a simple coin toss a competition. True athletes embrace the act of being in a contest and wanting what the competition wants – the win! Tennis is dope, as in dopamine that provides the brain the euphoria that motivates me to continue the experience because it's rewarding, healthy, and keeps us looking and acting younger longer!

I’ve been involved in numerous tennis associations. I used to be a professional umpire with the Houston and Los Angeles Tennis Umpires Associations. I also created a recreational version of Domino’s Pizza Team Tennis League for advertising, public relations and media outlets in Los Angeles, a first for the league created by Billie Jean King. There were about 10 teams with at least eight members per team, both men and women.

Humans of Galveston: What are some of the hardships that you have had to endure?

Larry: Growing up, I don’t remember too many hardships as a kid. Whatever my life was at the time was my norm. I didn't know what I didn't know. I never compared myself to friends or neighbors. I was too busy being responsible and providing adult-like behavior for my younger sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews. I felt rewarded when my parents, especially my mother, seemed relieved that she had less to do at home after a long day’s work. As an adult in the workplace, some people didn't know what to do with me. My experiences and skillsets are numerous, including advertising, marketing, public relations, media relations, sports/entertainment production, fundraising, office management and administrative, which made it difficult for someone to hire me. Back in the day, I was told to diversify, try any and everything because you never know what you may have to fall back on. I am a great general, but if I were to give my younger self advice, I would tell me to become a specialist focused on ‘captaining’ one or two specific things that are relative to each other.

Humans of Galveston: Fill in the blank: Most people who think they know Larry York may not know that he can what?

Larry: They may think I am a stern, business-like, serious, results-oriented, no-nonsense individual. Little do they know that on the flip side, I'm a very loving, giving, compassionate, empathetic human being. I am a staunch advocate for the disenfranchised. I coined the expression, "The littlest people are the biggest people in my life." I go to bat for those in need, wooden bed slats and all.

Humans of Galveston: Describe a good day for you.

Larry: As trite as it seems, a good day for me is not taking for granted that I've been blessed to live another day healthy. An even better day is when I have the opportunity to bring joy to other people’s lives in some capacity. Giving back also provides the dopamine I get from playing tennis, racquetball or softball.

Humans of Galveston: What makes Galveston a special place?

Larry: Galveston is a special place for me because it's where I got my start. It's where, as a kid and impressionable young adult, I got the most joy. It's where I got a sense of connection and direction from good people. Fun was FUN! Overthinking was not an option and never got in the way of my explorations. Galveston was not a city living in fear. There was peace. It was a time when the smallest things meant a lot, when people genuinely cared, and their word was their bond. Galveston is a place of great memories, where the sound of waves crashing, the smell of sea breezes and seaweed brings me immediately back to the good old days and yearning for more. I wish I could go back and relive most of what came my way with those I cherished and associated with. Most of them are gone now, but the memories still linger.

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Published by Bobby Stanton