>> THE PAGES OF OKLAHOMA HISTORY ARE FILLED WITH THRILLING EVENTS AND FASCINATING PEOPLE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, LIKE A FORMER SLAVE WHO BECAME THE MOST RESOURCE FULL AND FEARED U.S.

MARSHALL IN INDIAN TERRITORY.

>> HE WAS JUST AN ALL AROUND OUTSTANDING LAWMAN, PEACE LAW MAN IN THE INDIAN TERRITORY.

>> OR A SHAMELESS TERRITORIAL LAWYER WHO WON SO MANY HOMICIDE CASES, THEY SAID HE MADE IT SAFE TO MURDER.

AND THE MAN WHO TURNED SOFTBALL INTO AN OLYMPIC SPORT AND GOT IT INTO THE GAMES TWICE.

THEY'RE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE WHO SHAPED THE STATE IN WAYS THAT WILL AFFECT THE LIVES OF GENERATIONS TO COME, OKLAHOMANS WHOSE "NAMES YOU SHOULD KNOW."

>>> IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE A MORE HUMBLE BEGINNING FOR A MAN WHO WOULD BECOME A LEGENDARY LAW MAN.

BASS REEVES.

>> HE WAS BORN IN 1838 IN ARKANSAS, AND THAT WAS DURING SLAVERY AND SO HE WAS A PRODUCT OF THAT.

>> THE BOY, HIS MOTHER AND HIS SISTER, WERE OWNED BY COLONEL GEORGE R. REEVES.

DURING THE CIVIL WAR REEVES WAS FIGHTING FOR THE CONFEDERACY.

AT A CARD GAME, THERE WAS A DISPUTE.

REEVES STRUCK HIS MASTER AND HAD TO FLEE INTO INDIAN TERRITORY.

>> AND THAT'S WHEN HE LEARNED TO SPEAK MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, CREEK, SEMINOLE AND CHEROKEE.

>> AFTER THE WAR, IN 1875, ISAAC PARKER WAS APPOINTED FEDERAL JUDGE FOR THE INDIAN TERRITORY AND DIRECTED THE MARSHALL TO HIRE 200 DEPUTIES.

HE HEARD ABOUT REEVES, RECRUITED HEM, MAKING HIM THE FIRST BLACK DEPUTY WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

THEY PATROLLED AN AREA OF 75,000 SQUARE MILES.

IT WAS A HARSH LAND THAT REQUIRED TOUGH LAWMEN.

>> IT WAS FULL OF ESCAPEES FROM PRISON, STAGECOACH ROBBERS, YOU NAME IT.

THE UNITED STATES JURISDICTION BASICALLY ENDED AT FORT GIBSON, ARKANSAS.

>> IT'S ESTIMATED THAT BASS REEVES ARRESTED MORE THAN 3,000 FELONS DURING HIS CAREER AND MAY HAVE BEEN FORCED TO KILL AS MANY AS 14 OUT LAWS.

>> HE COULDN'T READ OR RIGHT, SO HE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE READ THE WARRANTS TO HIM AND HE WOULD MEMORIZE WHAT THEY WERE BEING CHARGED WITH.

>> HE WAS AN EXPERIENCED HORSE MAN, TRACKER AND EXPERT SHOT.

>> NOW, PREFERABLY YOU WANT TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOOT FROM 500 YARDS AWAY.

SO HE MADE A REAL INTERESTING ABILITY TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME SCHEME THAT WOULD GET HIM CLOSE ENOUGH THAT HE COULD GET HIM ARRESTED WITHOUT HAVING TO SHOOT IN A DISTANCE AND GET HIM KILLED.

ONE INSTANCE HE DRESSED UP LIKE A TRAMP.

HE GOT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE, MADE THE WHEEL COME OFF THE WAGON AND BEING OUT LAWS THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DRAW A LOT OF COMMOTION, SO THEY SAID WE HAVE TO GET THIS WHEEL ON SO THEY CAN GET ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS.

WHEN THEY CAME OUT TO GET THE WHEELS BACK ON THE WAGON IS WHEN REEVES ARRESTED THEM.

>> IN 1883 CHICKASAW NATION, A RANCHER KILLED A BLACK PREACHER WHO LIVED NEAR THE RANCH.

REEVES HEARD WEBB WAS HANGING AROUND A STORE NEAR PRESENT DAY WOODFORD, OKLAHOMA.

AS REEVES RODE UP TO THE STORE WEBB JUMPED OUT A WINDOW AND MADE A RUN FOR HIS HORSE.

HE STEPPED OUT INTO THE OPEN, 500 YARDS AWAY, AND COMMENCED SHOOTING WITH HIS WINCHESTER RIFLE.

HIS FIRST BULLET CUT A BUTTON OFF MY COAT, AND THE SECOND CUT MY BRIDLE REIGN IN TWO.

I SHIFTED FROM MY SIX-SHOOTER AND GRABBED MY WINCHESTER AND SHOT TWICE.

HE DROPPED, AND WHEN I PICKED HIM UP I FOUND THAT MY TWO BULLETS HAD HIT WITHIN A HALF-INCH OF EACH OTHER.

BASS REEVES HIS REPUTATION HAD PRECEDED HIM SO ANYBODY THAT FOUND OUT THAT BASS WAS ON THEIR TRAIL, KNEW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE EITHER GIVE UP OR DIE.

ONE HISTORIAN BELIEVES THAT BASS REEVES MAY HAVE BEEN THE INSPIRATION FOR A TWENTIETH CENTURY HERO OF RADIO AND TELEVISION.

THE REASON WHY HE FELT THERE WAS A CONNECTION WAS BECAUSE THERE WERE PEOPLE IN ARKANSAS AND INDIAN TERRITORY WHO NOTICED THE FACT THAT HE HAD A NATIVE AMERICAN BODYGUARD SOMETIMES, COOK SOMETIMES.

HE USED DISGUISES IN APPREHENDING THE PEOPLE HE WAS CHARGED WITH ARRESTING.

BASS REEVES WAS 69 WHEN HE RETIRED FROM THE MARSHALL SERVICE IN 1907.

HE WAS 72, WORKING FOR THE MUSKOGEE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEN HE DIED AT HOME OF BRIGHT'S DISEASE ON JANUARY 12, 1910.

>>> ALTHOUGH HUNDREDS ATTENDED HIS FUNERAL AND HIS DEATH WAS WIDELY REPORTED AT THE TIME, HIS GRAVE SIGHT IN OR NEAR MUSKOGEE CAN NO LONGER BE FOUND.

>>> WHILE LAW MEN IN THE TERRITORY WERE TRYING TO BRING KILLERS AND CUT THROATS TO JUSTICE, THERE WAS A LAWYER SO SKILLED AT SETTING THEM FREE, HE WAS CALLED THE MURDERER'S MESSIAH A. MOMAN PRUIETT WAS BORN IN JULY, 1872.

ABOARD THE STEAMBOAT GREY EAGLE AS IT HEADED UP THE OHIO RIVER.

WHEN HE WAS IN ARKANSAS WHEN HE WAS 16, HE WAS CHARGED WITH A FEDERAL OFFENSE, BAILIFF KITING.

HE WOULD TAKE A BILL OF LADING THAT HAD A ONE AND CHANGE THE NUMBER TO A NINE OR THREE TO AN EIGHT.

WHEN HE WAS 21 PRUIETT WAS ACCUSED OF STEALING $3,000 FROM A DRUNK DURING A HOTEL FIRE.

PRUIETT SAID HE DIDN'T TAKE THE MONEY BUT HE WAS CONVICTED ANYWAY.

>> HE VOWED THAT IF YOU CAN SEND AN INNOCENT MAN TO PRISON LIKE THEY SENT ME, THEN IT'S FAIR GAME TO TAKE GUILTY MEN AND BY THEY MEANS POSSIBLE, MAKE THEM FREE.

>> AS LONG AS I LIVE, I'LL MAKE YOU SORRY, I'LL EMPTY YOUR JAILS AND TURN MURDERERERS LOOSE IN YOUR MIDST, MOMAN PRUIETT.

>> IT WAS PRETTY EASY BACK IN THOSE DAYS TO GET TO BE A LAWYER.

>> YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T ALWAYS HAD LAW SCHOOLS, HAVEN'T ALWAYS HAD BAR EXAMS.

BACK IN THAT DAY IF YOU COULD GET CLOSE TO A LAWYER WHO WOULD SORT OF VOUCH FOR YOU, THEN THAT LAWYER COULD GET A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE ON A COMMITTEE TO PROMOTE YOU WITH THE JUDGE, AND YOU COULD GO AND BE ADMITTED TO PRACTICE LAW.

>> HE HAD THE TALENT FOR IT.

I MEAN, HE HAD THE LOOKS, HE HAD THE BOOMING VOICE, HE HAD VERY GOOD MEMORY, COULD RECITE THE BIBLE, QUOTE THE BIBLE, QUOTE SHAKESPEARE.

HE WAS A TOTAL PACKAGE WHEN IT CAME TO COURTROOM LAWYER.

>> MOMAN WAS A VERY ELOQUENT SPEAK.

HIS VOICE WOULD CHANGE... HE COULD RAISE THE ROOF OR JUST BARELY MOVE A DESK, WHATEVER THE CASE WAS.

AND HIS CLOSING ARGUMENTS, WHEN HE TALKED TO PEOPLE A LOT OF TIMES HE WOULD REALLY DEFLECT THE CONVERSATION AND TALK ABOUT SOMEBODY'S GRANDIOSE PLANS, READING THE BIBLE AND THIS AND RIGHT AT THE LAST HIT THEM UP WITH THE INNOCENCE.

>> BUT HE JUST WENT TO WORK AND STARTED GETTING PEOPLE OFF THAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE GUILTY, AND IT... WORD OF THAT GETS AROUND PRETTY FAST.

EVERYBODY COMES RUNNING WITH THE MONEY.

>> I AIN'T NO ATTORNEY.

I'M A LAWYER.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> FROM 1900 TO 1935 HE DEFENDED 343 PERSONS ACCUSED OF MURDER.

304 WERE ACQUITTED.

>> HE WAS CALLED THE MURDERER'S MESSIAH AND BECAME SO EXPERT AT BRINGING TEARS TO JURORS' EYES, HE WAS CONSIDERED A MENACE TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> THERE WEREN'T MOVIES SO THEY WENT TO COURT AND WATCHED PEOPLE PRESENT THEIR CASES.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A LOT OF TO IMPRESS THE JURY, IMPRESS THE AUDIENCE, AND THE JUDGE.

>> TRIAL BY JURY?

[ LAUGHTER ] >> WELL, THAT AIN'T NOTHING BUT LYING CONTESTS AND THE BIGGEST LIAR NATURALLY WINS.

THEM WILD ANTICS IS WHAT GETS RESULTS.

>> HE GOT A TELL GRAM FROM ARKANSAS THAT SOMEBODY SAID, I'M UP FOR MURDER.

I HAVE $5,000.

WILL YOU COME DEFEND ME?

>> AND MOMAN'S RESPONSE WAS, I'LL BE ON THE NEXT TRAIN WITH THREE EYEWITNESSES.

>> THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY PEOPLE AROUND.

SO PEOPLE... JURORS WOULD DEVELOP REPRESENTATIONS.

AND THERE WAS ONE GUY NAMED SQUIRE ATKINS.

THEY CALLED HIM "THE SQUIRE."

ONE TIME PRUIETT HAD A CASE IN THAT COUNTY AND HE HIRED A PROSTITUTE TO CHECK INTO THE HOTEL WHERE HE KNEW THIS GUY, "THE SQUIRE," WOULD BE STAYING.

AND THE PROSTITUTE'S JOB WAS TO DEVELOP A SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH "THE SQUIRE," AND THEN DURING THE TRIAL, TELL HIM THAT THIS WAS HER BROTHER THAT WAS ON TRIAL AND WOULDN'T "THE SQUIRE" MAYBE HELP HER AS SHE WAS HELPING HIM.

>> PRUIETT WAS KNOWN TO, IN CLOSING ARGUMENTS, WHEN THE PROSECUTION WAS TALKING, TO BE SMOKING A CIGAR.

HE WOULD BE SMOKE A CIGGAR GAR BUT HAVE A WIRE DOWN TO THE CIGAR AND WHAT THE WIRE WOULD DO WAS HOLD THE ASHES ON THE CIGAR.

HE WOULD KEEP PUFFING, THE JURORS STARTED PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO THE ASHES, WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO TO FALL.

SO THEY AREN'T PAYING A BIT OF ATTENTION TO WHAT THE PROSECUTION IS SAYING FOR THE CLOSING ARGUMENT.

>> AROUND THE TIME STATE HOOD WAS ESTABLISHED, ADA WAS NOT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE FELT SAFE ON THE STREETS, WITH A POPULATION OF 5,000 PEOPLE, ADA HAD 38 MURDERS IN ONE YEAR.

APRIL THE 19, 1909, "SHOTGUN" JIM MILLER WAS HIRED BY IS A LOAN OWNERS JESSE WEST AND JOEN TO KILL POPULAR RANCHER GUS BOBBITT.

>> WEST AND ALLEN ARE UP IN OKLAHOMA CITY TO TALK TO PRUIETT TO GET HIM TO DEFEND THEM BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE TIED IN.

THEY SAID DON'T WORRY, MILLER WON'T SPILL HIS GUTS.

AS THEY WALK OUT PRUIETT'S OFFICE, THE POLICE ARREST HIM AND TAKE HIM TO JAIL FOR HIS MURDER.

>> PRUIETT HAD IN THE MONTHS BEFORE GAINED AN ACQUITTAL FOR ANOTHER GUY THAT HAD KILLED A LAWMAN.

WELL, WHEN THE CITY PEOPLE THERE FOUND OUT THAT PRUIETT HAD BEEN BROUGHT INTO THIS CASE AND WAS GOING TO BE SHOWING UP AND REPRESENTING ONE OF THESE GUYS THAT HAD KILLED THEIR LOCAL LAW MAN, THEY SAID, WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR JUSTICE NICK.

>> ON THAT MONDAY 60 MASS VIGILANTES DRAGGED THE SUSPECT'S FROM JAIL AND INTO THE LIVERY STABLE AND ONE BY ONE HUNG THEM INTO THE RAFTERS.

>> IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE LYNCHING, IT'S REPORTED THAT THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT QUIETLY LEFT TOWN.

THE DAILY ARDMOOREITE >> THE LAWYER KNOWN AS THE BLACK STUDY OF THE WASHITA DIDN'T JUST FIGHT WITH WORDS.

IN 1899 HE PISTOL-WHIPPED AN OPPOSING ATTORNEY.

IN 1902 HE SHOT A DRIFTER.

IN 1903 HE SHOT A DOCTOR, IN 1909 HE ASSAULTED A COUNSELOR FOR GOVERNOR HASKELL.

IN 1921 HE SHOT AND KILLED A BOOTLEGGER.

HE WAS CHARGED WITH SOME BUT NEVER WAS CONVICTED.

PRUIETT GOT INTO A CONFRONTATION WITH TEMPLE HOUSTON DURING A CASE IN WOODWARD AND HE SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED US SENATOR TOM GORE IN A SEXUAL HARASSMENT CASE SETUP BY GORE'S POLITICAL RIVALS IN WASHINGTON PRUIETT HAD POLITICAL AMBITIONS.

HE RAN FOR U.S.

SENATOR, GOVERNOR, AND OKLAHOMA COUNTY ATTORNEY.

BUT WAS NEVER ELECTED.

>> MOMAN WAS A SPECIAL DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE ON THE OKLAHOMA CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

AND HE WAS BACKING LEE CRUS TO BE GOVERNOR.

>> WHEN THEY DID THE STATE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, HE WAS SUCH A PROMINENT PERSON THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A COUNTY NAMED MOMAN COUNTY.

HE GOT INTO A POLITICAL FIGHT WITH THE GOVERNOR AT THE LAST MINUTE.

AND THE GOVERNOR SAID TAKE PRUIETT'S NAME OFF THAT COUNTY, WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT CREEK COUNTY, SO IT WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO BE MOMAN COUNTY.

>> IN 1920 HE BOUGHT A MANSION IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA AND WAS ENJOYING THE GOOD LIFE UNTIL THE DEVASTATING HURRICANE OF 1926.

>> DESTROYED EVERYTHING.

LAND VALUES WENT DOWN.

PRUIETT HAD SUNK A BUNCH OF MONEY INTO LAND INVESTMENTS DOWN THERE.

AND SO HE LOST HIS VILLA, WHICH OF COURSE WAS UNINSURED.

ALL OF HIS PROPERTY WENT DOWN IN VALUE AND HE HAD TO COME BACK TO OKLAHOMA CITY, NOT THE WEALTHY MAN HE HAD ONCE BEEN.

AND MUCH OLDER, MUCH... STARTING TO LOSE SOME OF HIS SKILLS.

>> IN 1933 THE OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT SUSPENDED HIM FROM PRACTICING LAW.

HE LIVED IN A 50 CENT PER NIGHT FLOP HOUSE AND IN EXCHANGE FOR A FEW DOLLARS AND BOTTLE OF BOURBON, HE SHARED THE STORIES OF HIS CAREER WITH AUTHOR HOWARD K. BERRY.

WHILE BERRY WAS SERVING IN WORLD WAR II PRUIETT MADE OFF WITH THE MANUSCRIPT.

>> HE TOOK OUT ALL THE CHAPTERS THAT REFLECTED BADLY IN HIS OPINION AND PUBLISHED A REDACTED VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT.

AND HE TOOK THOSE BOOKS AROUND AND SOLD THEM ONE BY ONE FOR $3.50 A PIECE.

HE WOULD COME TO YOUR OFFICE AND COME IN AND SAY, WHY DON'T YOU BUY ONE OF THESE BOOKS.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS HE WOULDN'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.

>> AFTER A LIFETIME OF BOOZE AND CHEAP CIGARS, MOMAN PRUIETT DIED OF PNEUMONIA IN 1945 AT THE AGE OF 73.

HE IS BURIED IN DEL CITY SUNNYVALE CEMETERY.

>> THERE ISN'T AN ATTORNEY COULD YOU COMPARE TO TODAY.

>> THERE WOULD BE NO WAY THAT THE TACTICS HE ENGAGED IN WOULD GO UNDETECTED FOR VERY LONG.

AND THEN HE WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED BY MODERN DAY BAR ASSOCIATIONS.

NOWADAYS NO LAWYER COULD TRY EVEN 100 MURDER CASES, MUCH LESS 350 OR 400 MURDER CASES.

BUT THEY WERE COMMONPLACE.

I'M SURE HE'S THE RECORD HOLDER ON ACQUITTALS ON MURDER CASES.

>> DRIVE... IT'S GONE!

>> LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE SPORTS FANS.

BUT VERY FEW HAVE THE DETERMINATION AND DRIVE TO MAKE SPORTS THEIR LIFELONG PASSION.

>> DON PORTER HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO SPORTS.

>> WELL, I GREW UP IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES AREA, AND WENT TO SCHOOL IN LOS ANGELES, AND WENT TO COLLEGE IN LOS ANGELES.

OF COURSE, I PLAYED BASEBALL, FOOTBALL IN BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE.

AND THEN I PLAYED SEMI PRO FOOTBALL AND SEMI PRO BASEBALL.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GO INTO THE MAJOR LEAGUES, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE IT, I GUESS.

>> HE PLAYED FOR THE ARMY BASEBALL TEAM IN SOUTH KOREA AND PLAYED AGAINST JOE DIMAGGIO AND THE ALL-STAR TEAM IN AN EXHIBITION GAME THERE HE WORKED FOR YEARS AS A GAME OFFICIAL IN THE NFL.

IT WAS SOFTBALL THAT BECAME HIS FOCUS IN LIFE.

IT STARTED WHEN HE WENT TO WORK AT THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND JOINED THE SOFTBALL TEAM.

>> I GOT CAPTIVATED BY IT, REALLY ENJOYED IT, PLAYED WITH THE GUYS I WORKED WITH, REALLY ENJOYED THAT GAME.

>> SEVERAL YEARS LATER THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OFFERED HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND WORK FOR THEM.

>> I THOUGHT THAT OUR SPORT SHOULD REALLY BE DOING MORE THAN A DOMESTIC SPORT, A PLAYGROUND, RECREATION SPORT, AS IT WAS HERE IN THE U.S., VERY POPULAR SPORT, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IT DO MORE THAN THAT, THAT'S WHEN I GOT INTERESTED INTERNATIONALLY.

WE HAD OUR FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1965 FOR THE WOMEN IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

AND AT THAT POINT SOME OF US STARTED THINKING, WHAT'S NEXT?

AND THAT'S WHERE THE OLYMPIC THING CAME INTO IT.

THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE CAME TO US AND SAID, HEY, LOOK AT THE SPORTS IN THE OLYMPICS.

HEY, OUR SPORT CAN BE AN OLYMPIC SPORT.

I WAS VERY NAIVE.

I HAD NO IDEA >> PORTER AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO OKLAHOMA CITY.

HE AND OTHERS BEGAN TO TRAVEL, TO TALKING TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LISTEN TO THE VIRTUES ABOUT SOFTBALL.

>> THE MORE YOU SAW THE COMPETITION HERE, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT WE HAD AND HOW THOSE KIDS LOVED THE SPORT, THEY JUST WANTED TO PLAY AND PLAY, AND WE SAID, WE CAN'T GIVE UP ON THIS THING.

>> THE BIG BREAK CAME IN THE 1968 OLYMPICS IN MEXICO CITY WHERE PORTER GOT INTO A MEETING WITH OLYMPIC PRESIDENT AVERY BRUNDAGE.

>> HE SAID, WELL, WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?

>> I SAID, I WANT TO BE IN THE OLYMPICS.

HE LOOKS AT ME, WHAT?

I SAID, YEAH, I WANT OUR SPORT TO BE IN THE OLYMPIC.

>> WHAT SPORT?

>> I SAID SOFTBALL.

>> SOFTBALL?

>> AND HE SAYS, ARE YOU KIDDING?

AND I SAID, NO, SIR, NO, SIR, YOU KNOW.

HE SAID WELL, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.

HE SAID, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO DO IT, BUT I'M TELLING YOU, HE SAYS, BE PATIENT.

>> PORTER WAS PATIENT.

HIS DREAM CAME TRUE, AND IT ONLY TOOK 29 YEARS, SIX MONTHS AND 13 DAYS.

>> THAT'S THE ACTUAL TIME.

I KEPT TRACK OF IT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> WELL, WE WERE AT THE MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE IN BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND IN 1991, ONE OF MY FRIENDS IN THE MEETING KEPT COMING OUT AND UPDATING US WHAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GO IN, WE WEREN'T DELEGATES.

AND AT SOME POINT HE COMES OUT OF THE DOOR OF THE CONFERENCE CENTER, WHICH WAS UP ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND LOOKS DOWN WHERE WE WERE IN THE LOBBY AND HE COMES OUT AND STANDS THERE AND GOES LIKE THIS.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE KNEW THAT IT HAPPENED.

THAT THEY HAD APPROVED WOMEN'S SOFTBALL TO BE AN OLYMPIC SPORT IN THE GAMES IN ATLANTA IN 1996.

AND YOU TALK ABOUT EUPHORIA!

WHOA!

[ MUSIC ] >> AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE NEED TO GET MORE WOMEN IN THE OLYMPICS, AND I THINK THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE AND HELPED US.

AND I WAS THERE FOR THE SOFTBALL COMPETITION.

IT WAS EX HILL RATING.

I MEAN, WE WALKED OUT THERE ON THE FIELD AND BEING OUT THERE WITH EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WERE THERE WITH ME AND WE FINALLY MADE IT, YOU KNOW.

IT'S A FEELING THAT YOU JUST... YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT, ALMOST.

[ CHEERING ] >> SOFTBALL WAS AN OLYMPIC SPORT, PLAYED IN THE 2000 GAMES IN SIDNEY, AUSTRALIA, AND IN THE GAMES IN ATHENS IN 2004.

BUT IN 2005 THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED THEY WANTED TO CHANGE THE OLYMPIC PROGRAM AND THAT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL WOULD BE OUT AFTER THE 2008 GAMES IN BEIJING.

>> THEY BROUGHT IN RUGBY AND GOLF, EVENTUALLY.

I GOT EMAILS FROM LITERALLY HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF YOUNG GIRLS ALL OVER THE WORLD, NOT JUST HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, ALL OVER THE WORLD, ABOUT THEIR DREAMS, THE SHATTERING OF THEIR DREAMS.

>> WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT WOMEN HAVE NEVER DONE IN OUR SPORT, AND HERE IT IS, BOOM, TAKEN AWAY JUST LIKE THAT.

>> THE ONLY WAY I CAN DESCRIBE THE FEELINGS I FELT WAS IF SOMEONE CLOSE TO ME DIED.

>> I HAD THOSE EMAILS SITTING ON MY DESK IN A BOX FOR YEARS, BECAUSE EVERY DAY I CAME INTO THAT OFFICE, I SAID, I'VE GOT TO DO WHAT I CAN TO DO TO GET OUR SPORT BACK IN THE OLYMPIC PROGRAM.

WE HAD TO GO ALL OVER THE WORLD TO DIFFERENT MEETINGS, AGAIN, LOBBY EVERYBODY WE COULD TO BRING SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL BACK.

>> PERCENT CONVENIENCE AND HARD WORK PAID OFF AGAIN.

AND IN 2016 THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE REINSTATED SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL FOR THE 2020 GAMES IN TOKYO.

PORTER WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THE INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL HALL OF FAME TO OKLAHOMA CITY.

>> AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE WERE RATED IN GETTING THE STADIUM BUILT BECAUSE OF THE UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AFTER THE OLYMPICS IN 1984, LOS ANGELES, HAD THE FIRST SURPLUS IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES EVER [ APPLAUSE ] >> AND OF COURSE, WE WERE ABLE TO BE IN THE NCAA, BRING THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES HERE.

AND WITH THE HELP OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND SPORTS ASSOCIATION.

AND THAT OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, IS AN EXTREMELY POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL EVENT HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

>> PORTER HAS RETIRED, BUT THAT HASN'T SLOWED HIM DOWN A BIT.

HE STILL TRAVELS TO THE FAR FLUNG REGIONS OF THE WORLD TALKING ABOUT THE WONDERFUL SPORTS OF SOFTBALL.

>> WE HOPE IT STAYS IN THE OLYMPICS.

IT'S GOING TO BE IN 2020 IN TOKYO.

BUT ALSO WANT, OF COURSE... 2024 IS IN PARIS, 2028 IS IN LOS ANGELES.

>> LEGACY IS ETCHED INTO THE MIND OF OTHERS AND LIVES ON THROUGH THE STORIES THEY SHARE: RUN AWAY SLAVE THAT BECAME A FEARED LAW MAN IN INDIAN TERRITORY.

A LAWYER WHO TURNED CONTEMPT OF COURT INTO A CAREER AND TRANSPLANTED OKLAHOMAN THAT BECAME AN INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADOR OF SOFTBALL.

IN THEIR STRUGGLES, THEIR COURAGE AND THEIR PASSION THESE THREE VERY DIFFERENT PEOPLE ADD TO THE RICH FABRIC OF OUR STATE THAT WILL FASCINATE GENERATIONS TO COME.

THREE OKLAHOMANS WHOSE "NAMES YOU SHOULD KNOW."

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