When Men Were Men

The noun maverick, taken from Cattleman Samuel A. Maverick* (1803-70), had long since become a recognized part of the American language. But as a proper name, it had gradually dropped out of the nation's ears since fire-bright Maury Maverick, New Deal Congressman (1935-38) and ex-mayor of San Antonio, became a political has-been. Last week, by winning a Democratic primary race for the Texas legislature, his son flicked the dust off the old name. At 29, Maury Jr., an ex-Marine officer, was verbally a mere ghost of his father; he even turned the other cheek when his oil-rich opponent tried to smear him red. Growled the elder Maverick: "Little Maury gives me a pain in the neck. He's such a damned little gentleman."

* Who neglected to brand many of his calves. Mavericks came to mean unbranded cattle, and unbranded, independent human critters.

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