H. B. "Hub" Baker
2016 Hall of Fame Inductee
H.B. “Hub” Baker of Washington Co., Texas, was born in 1945. He is the son of H. H. Baker of Burleson Co., Texas, and Mayme W. Garvin of Grimes Co., Texas. Hub’s father was a farmer, rancher and a businessman. Hub’s m other was a social and community activist. He attended high school in Brenham Texas and college at University of Texas, Blinn Jr. College and Texas A&M. He was a member of the water polo team at Texas A&M in the 1970s. Hub married Martha Lawrence of Brazos Co., Texas, in 1967 and they have two daughters and a son: Mayme E. Baker of Weatherford, Jane Ann Porras of Fort Worth, and Joe Hub Baker of Weatherford. They also have six grandchildren.
Hub competed in high school rodeos and qualified for the Texas High School Rodeo Finals in tie-down roping and cutting competition. Hub showed cutting horses at the NCHA futurity in the late 1960s. His love for the western way of life started early when he began working on the family farm and ranch. His passion for quarter horses runs deep and he hopes to continue breeding them. In the early 1970s, with partner Ray Maass, he began contracting and producing rodeos. While living near Snook, Texas, Hub produced college rodeos, county fair rodeos, youth rodeos, Texas Barrel Racers Association Finals and Sr. Pro Rodeos. In the early 1970s, Hub began producing the legendary 8 header Labor Day tie down roping event in Snook. The roping started on Friday and the hundreds of contestants roped for almost 4 days, 24 hours a day until it ended. In 1980, Hub was asked to come to Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Stockyards, where he helped open the iconic Honky Tonk, Billy Bob’s Texas with his friend and partner Billy Bob Barnett. He and Billy Bob also owned and operated the retail operation, Texas Dry Goods. In 1985, he started the development of the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District alongside his other partners and friends Steve Murrin, Don Jury, Billy Bob Barnett, Billy Minnick and others.
In 1985 and 1986 Hub produced the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo in the Cowtown Coliseum, along with partner Don Johnson. During the early 90s, Hub and his partners Holt Hickman, Steve Murrin, Don Jury and Billy Minnick leased through privatization the Cowtown Coliseum from the City of Fort Worth. Through Hub’s leadership the Cowtown Coliseum is now producing more than 250 events annually. The Cowtown Coliseum has hosted the Women’s National Finals, the PBR, CBR, and the American Semi Finals, the world’s richest rodeo. The Cowtown Coliseum now produces the only year-round rodeo which is held every Friday and Saturday night. Weekends are also filled with the Pawnee Bill Wild West show which is the only continuous Wild West Show in the United States.
Hub is a member of the Greeting Committee for the Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo. He is also General Manager of the annual Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering and Western Swing Festival. Hub is an inductee in the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. He received the Bull Riding Hall of Fame Legacy Award. Hub serves as a board of director for the National Cowgirl Museum and Cowgirl Hall of Fame; Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame; Stockyards Business Association past president and current board member; Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame / welcomed to the Cowtown Coliseum in 2011; Bull Riding Hall of Fame / welcomed to the Cowtown Coliseum in 2015; Public Improvement District 11; Stockyards Preservation Foundation / Friends of the Cowtown Coliseum. The Friends of the Cowtown Coliseum was started in 2007 for the Centennial Birthday of the Cowtown Coliseum which was built in 1908. This group is dedicated to the preservation of the history of that Grand Ole building. Since the group was unsuccessful in trying to uncover the original Cowtown Coliseum time capsule, a place was excavated for a new time capsule that is to be opened in 2058. This is due to the efforts of Bob Holmes, Clara Ruddell Holmes, Doug Harmon, Betty Tanner, Stockyards Preservation Foundation board and Jim Lane. The Stockyards Preservation Foundation continues to gather memorabilia surrounding the history of the Cowtown Coliseum.
Hub has been quoted as saying. “I’m proud to have been allowed to follow my dreams and I hope in a small way to have helped maintain our heritage and the western way of life.”
