Celebrating the WestSM is our magazine highlighting places, people, events, stories, and art around the American West.
It also promotes the sponsors, performers, artists, and artisans of our Celebrating the WestSM Weekends.
In 1960, ex-Marine Joe Kerbel became the head coach at West Texas State in Canyon, Texas. This focused, determined, hard-nosed but softhearted ex-Marine changed WTSU (now West Texas A&M) forever.
His wide-ranging recruiting integrated WTSU and brought success on the football field, top-tier football talent went from WTSU to pro football, and connections with the Funk family in Amarillo created a conduit from the football field to the wrestling ring for many WT players.
This collection of mini biographies provides a view into collegiate football and pro wrestling. You can purchase a web book, and read it immediately on your phone.