ProRodeo Sports News - August 2, 2019

MEMORIAM DR. J. PAT EVANS

Shari Van Alsburg photo Dr. J. Pat Evans, one of the founders of Justin Sportsmedicine, assesses a patient in the Justin Sportsmedicine room in an undated photo.

Evans touched scores of lives through JSM Legend Passes

BY TRACY RENCK T he rodeo and sports world lost a legend and pioneer in Dr. J. Pat Evans. Evans, one of the founders of Justin Sportsmedicine and a 2004 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee, passed away July 22. He was 88. Evans is survived by sons Kirk and Mike. A celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. J. Pat Evans was scheduled to take place Aug. 11 at 2 p.m. (CT) at the River Ranch Stockyards at 500 NE 23rd St., Fort Worth, Texas. The Justin Sportsmedicine Program was initiated at the 1980 National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, and Evans, along with Don Andrews, was a driving force in making that happen. Before Evans envisioned the Justin Sportsmedicine Program and worked to get it started, there was nothing organized for providing medical care to rodeo athletes. In 1981, the Justin Boots Company became the only sponsor the program has known in its years of service. “Justin Sportsmedicine was my dream,” Evans told 1978 PRCAWorld Champion Bull Rider Butch Kirby one time in conversation. “He was like a father to all of us,” Kirby said. “Cowboys used to go to Forest Lane in Dallas to see Dr.

J. Pat so they could get fixed up. When he fixed cowboys and we won, he won also.” ProRodeo Hall of Fame bull rider Donnie Gay knows Evans is irreplaceable. “The world is a better place because he was here,” Gay said.

Rick Foster, program director for the Justin Sportsmedicine team, was glad to have known Evans. “He was a mentor for all of us and a great educator of rodeo sports medicine, and the best

ProRodeo Sports News 8/2/2019

ProRodeo.com

28