Page 8 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2017- Online Magazine

And her husband Max Ince ( Also LHS Class day. The look on my dad’s face was priceless. We had
of ’62) remembers this moment: a good laugh about it, and he felt terrible for lecturing
me to push through. It was one of many life lessons he
“The Vice Principal stopped me in the hallway and asked taught me. And he did pass the competitive spirit on to
where I was going. I replied, ‘To watch a football film.’ me, however, if I am ever in the same situation, I’ll get the
He then asked if I had a pass, so I handed it to him. He x-ray first.”
carefully looked it over and asked, ‘Who signed this
pass?’ I sheepishly replied, ‘I did.’ He put the pass back In January 2017, Dr. E.C. and Dr. Tim Leslie both received
in my pocket and replied, ‘Just don't get caught!’ He the Kal Segrist Lifetime Achievement Award. It is given to
knew that I was not ‘up to no good’, so he let me go on recognize people who have dedicated time and energy to better
my way. I always respected his fairness!” youth baseball in Lubbock.
Mary Ann’s sister Leslie Duckworth Ince His daughter, Dr. Leigh Leslie contributes
(LHS Class of 1964) had this to say: these thoughts:

“The catch phrase of the day in the 60's was 'neat' and “It is difficult to capture in one or two paragraphs
Dr. Leslie was the epitome of a 'neat' administrator! what I learned from, and value about, my dad. But I
He...was fair and genuinely interested in the individual [would like to] address two main ways in which Dad
development of each student. As I graduated from influenced my life. First, he expected our best – no
college and went into teaching I had the opportunity excuses. I remember growing up knowing that I was
to be associated with Dr. Leslie on many occasions and loved, but I still had to achieve all I was capable of. I
what began as a student/administrator relationship grew recall a time when I had earned a C in Geometry. My
into a family friendship that remains to this day.” teacher lamented to me, ‘What will Dr. Leslie think about
(FYI: The Duckworth girls both married Ince brothers.) me giving his daughter a C?’ I quickly assured her that
‘Dr. Leslie is going to have no problems with you, but
E.C.‘s son, Dr. Tim Leslie has a uniquely he is going to be all over me!’ I do so appreciate his
personal perspective: demanding my best, because it is the foundation of my
professional success today.
“Most individuals who meet my dad today would
describe him as mellow, kind, easy-going, and “But...perhaps Dad’s most powerful influence on me
sympathetic. He absolutely does posses all of these fine was his commitment to racial justice. The events are too
qualities and more. However, what many people do numerous to mention, but throughout my life I heard
not know was that during his stint with the Pirates pro loud and strong from Dad that all people, regardless
baseball team, he earned the nickname of ‘Rocky’; after of their race or circumstance in life, should be given
the famous boxer, Rocky Marciano. Apparently as a the opportunity to succeed. One event crystalizes his
second baseman, he didn’t tolerate players sliding in with commitment to racial justice. Apparently there had been
their cleats too high and felt as though he should remedy a tradition of high school principals and their wives
this with his fist. Yes, the E.C. Leslie I grew up with was (because no Lubbock high school principals in the 70’s
a competitive, determined, and driven father, coach, were women) having dinner together before the school
principal, and superintendent, with a Christian heart. year began. However, it had only been the principals
Even at 80 years old, he was determined to try to return of the ‘white’ schools. I vividly remember that when it
every shot while on the tennis court. was my Dad’s turn to host, he would only do so of if the
principal of Dunbar (at that time an all African American
“He took opportunities as they arose to teach me this school) was invited. I was proud of him then, but as I’ve
competitiveness. Once when I was in 7th grade football, I aged I have become even more proud of his courage in
injured my knee. After a visit with the school trainer the taking a stand to challenge the racial dynamics in our
diagnosis was a severe bruise. I told my dad it was really community. I could mention many more examples, but
still hurting. The lecture I received went something like the point is that Dad was a model for me of standing up
‘Son, if you are going to play sports, then you are going for those that are left out or marginalized. The example
to...play through the pain, and if you can’t do that, then he set of valuing everyone and standing up for the
you don’t need to play sports!’ So I kept on, playing disenfranchised has been a guiding force in my personal
three more football games and going to the training room and professional life.”
every day to whirlpool my knee. The trainer finally
suggested that maybe we needed an x-ray. It showed
that I had a broken knee cap and I was put in a cast that

8 Lubbock Senior Link