A Swing at Opportunity
If you’ve met Terry, the man behind Bogey’s Sports Bar in Estes Park, you already know he’s got that rare mix of humility, humor, and grit. But what you might not know is that long before he was serving beers with a smile, he was chasing fly balls under the big lights of professional baseball.
“I first went to the University of Oklahoma,” Terry told me, “but it wasn’t exactly a straight shot.”
He’d been recruited to play basketball by a coach named Charlie Spoonhour—who went on to become a big name in college hoops. When Spoonhour took an assistant coaching job at Oklahoma, he kept recruiting Terry, who happened to mention that baseball was his real passion. Spoonhour passed the word along to the baseball coaches, and, just like that, opportunity came knocking.
“A week before school started, they called me up and said, ‘We’ve got a half scholarship—want it?’”
Terry’s response? “I’ll be there.”
From College Fields to the Pros
The journey from college ball to the pros isn’t an easy one. In fact, less than one percent of players make it that far. But Terry did—twice.
He was first drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 17th round after his junior year. “They wanted me to just come play. No money,” he laughed. “Almost like tending bar—working for tips, but without the tips.” So instead of signing, Terry joined the World Baseball Tournament in Nicaragua. “I figured I’d get my degree, play another year, and see what happens.”
It turned out to be a good call.
After his senior year, he was drafted again—this time in the 6th round by the Texas Rangers.
“I moved up the board quite a bit,” he said with a grin.
Five Years in the Minors — Then the Call
Like most pros, Terry had to grind his way through the minors first. “I played in Sarasota, Tulsa, Charleston, Wichita, and Denver for the Denver Bears,” he recalled. “After five years in the minors, I got the call-up to the big leagues.”
He played outfield, mostly left field through college and the minors, but life had other plans. “In my first big league game, Mickey Rivers blew out his knee—and suddenly, I was in center field.”
Just like that, Terry’s name was in the lineup for the Texas Rangers. He went on to spend another year with the team, then played for Cincinnati and Baltimore. Not bad for a kid who almost went to play basketball instead.
Baseball Lessons in Business
Today, Terry’s field of play looks a little different—it’s a bar built from two shipping containers on Moraine Avenue. Bogey’s Sports Bar is a local hangout known for its rooftop views, big TVs, and family-run warmth. But if you look closely, you can still see the discipline and teamwork that baseball taught him.
Whether it’s hitting deadlines on construction projects, managing staff, or staying calm when things get hectic, Terry approaches business like a ballgame: steady, strategic, and always focused on the next play.
And just like baseball, it’s a family affair. His son Cameron and wife Carolyn are right there beside him, working every day to keep the place running strong.
From Dugouts to Decks
So next time you’re sitting on the rooftop at Bogey’s, watching the game on one of those big screens, remember—you’re just a few feet away from a guy who’s lived that life firsthand. From the University of Oklahoma to the Texas Rangers, from minor league buses to mountain-town beers, Terry’s story is pure Estes Park grit with a major league twist.
And like a good ballplayer, he’s still showing up, still giving it his all, and still swinging for the fences.
📍 Bogey’s Sports Bar
840 Moraine Ave, Estes Park, CO
Website: bogeys.bar
Got a story worth telling? Reach out to Gerald at Estes Valley Voice — where small-town stories make a big impact.
