Ray Franks is a Crossville, Illinois, native, who came to Amarillo in 1951 with the U.S. Air Force. After obtaining his B.A. degree in English from the University of Evansville, he served in the Air Force from 1950-54. Discharged on Sept. 1, 1954, he was on the job at WT one week later.
He remained with the Buffaloes athletic department until Jan. 1, 1963, when he started his own publishing business, Ray Franks Publishing Ranch. His last official game duty at WT was the Dec. 31, 1962, Sun Bowl at El Paso, Texas. That game saw the Buffs defeat Ohio University, 15-14, and Super Bowl V champion and future WT Hall of Champion-member Jerry Don Logan named Most Valuable Player.
While still in the Air Force and based in Amarillo, Franks started the Texas Sports Guide, which was a directory of coaches in the state, as well as the Panhandle Pigskin Preview, a precursor to magazines such as Texas Football.
He published the National Directory of College Athletics from 1968-1991. He has also authored several joke books: What's in a Nickname? Exploring the Jungle of College Athletic Mascots, Meanwhile Back at the Ranch, and co-authored, with Jay Ketelle, two editions of Amarillo, Texas: The First Hundred Years (1887-1987): A Picture Postcard History.
