Sneak peak of the Upcoming "On the Prowl" magazine May issue!
An Interview with Mr. Buz "True Lion" Tah
TLS Staff: How long have you been a part of True Lion Sports?
Mr. Tah: Well, that question takes me way back. I used to run a little business in the Midwest in which the town of Topeka, Kansas paid me to repair the bags in their little league parks back in the late 50s and 60s. I was the only employee of the company, although I’d occasionally hire a neighborhood lad, scrawny feller by the name of Johnny Diogee, to help me with some of the tasks. The boy played on a team called the “Lions” and one day I found myself encouraging him when he was at the plate with 2 strikes on him. I yelled out, “Johnny, be a True Lion!” That’s when it hit me, I guess. I incorporated and True Lion Sports was formally born on July 26th, 1957.
TLS Staff: I’ve heard that you were instrumental in saving the town of Topeka from financial ruin. Can you shed some light on that?
Mr. Tah: Sure can. The town was going through a bit of a rough patch in the 60s and small businesses were closing up shop all over town. I was accustomed to frequenting this one little mom n pop bakery that made the absolute best pumpkin pie you can imagine. Well, one day word got around town that the bakery was closing up, this was after several beloved stores had closed their doors for good. True Lion Sports promptly led a campaign to keep that store open, along with many others. We had bake sales and fairs. We worked with the mayor’s office and county politicians and managed to keep that store in business. Course, you all know these days that True Lion Sports regularly offers pumpkin pies to its faithful customers and those famous pumpkin pies are the very same ones made by that same Topeka, Kansas bakery.
TLS Staff: That’s impressive, Mr. Tah! I understand you were personally presented with the Key to the City!
Mr. Tah: Well, I guess you could say that but that’s just the way the good n kind folks over at True Lion Sports are. We believe in helping out our fellow man and in being a good neighbor to all, whether you live across the street or on the other side of the globe.
TLS Staff: Shifting gears here, what are your duties at True Lion Sports?
Mr. Tah: Well they keep me real busy these days but I’m not complainin’. Makes the time go by quickly and I love every second of it. I’m the President of True Lion Sports, Inc. I am the Editor in Chief of “On the Prowl” magazine, Marketing Director for True Lion Brew and CFO of Tue Lion Smokes.
TLS Staff: Wow! You are indeed a very busy man, sir!
Mr. Tah: Oh, like I said, I don’t mind it because I actually relish every moment.
TLS Staff: You mention “On the Prowl” magazine. What’s the readership or circulation like and how has it grown?
Mr. Tah: Well, the magazine began as a newsletter back in Topeka in 1957 and officially took on magazine status in the 70s. The masthead design, the world renowned one, was actually created by a feller named Pete Kowalski, who now heads a company out in California called Westside Entertainment. We initially had a readership of about 60 people in the 50s but we’ve grown to over 4 million subscribers these days and have readers in 14 countries.
TLS Staff: Impressive! And what about True Lion Brew and True Lion Smokes?
Mr. Tah: Well both True Lion Brew and True Lion Smokes were initiatives that began in the early 1980s. An intern who went by the name of Ben Oscar Terwilliger (we all just called him “Cock Boy” ‘round the office) was just looking for something to do one slow summer day and he was watching one of those classic beer commercials and he came screaming into my office about what an opportunity we had to branch out as folks who love baseball tend to smoke n drink. The young whippersnapper’s idea (he was a Pittsburgh State University grad by the way) really caught on and well, hehehe, as they say, the rest is history.
TLS Staff: We really appreciate your time today, Mr. Tah and will be doing a series of interviews on you for “On the Prowl” magazine, pending your approval as Editor in Chief of course. Really appreciate you helping our readers better understand the roots of this great company.
Mr. Tah: You’re more than welcome!
TLS Staff: How long have you been a part of True Lion Sports?
Mr. Tah: Well, that question takes me way back. I used to run a little business in the Midwest in which the town of Topeka, Kansas paid me to repair the bags in their little league parks back in the late 50s and 60s. I was the only employee of the company, although I’d occasionally hire a neighborhood lad, scrawny feller by the name of Johnny Diogee, to help me with some of the tasks. The boy played on a team called the “Lions” and one day I found myself encouraging him when he was at the plate with 2 strikes on him. I yelled out, “Johnny, be a True Lion!” That’s when it hit me, I guess. I incorporated and True Lion Sports was formally born on July 26th, 1957.
TLS Staff: I’ve heard that you were instrumental in saving the town of Topeka from financial ruin. Can you shed some light on that?
Mr. Tah: Sure can. The town was going through a bit of a rough patch in the 60s and small businesses were closing up shop all over town. I was accustomed to frequenting this one little mom n pop bakery that made the absolute best pumpkin pie you can imagine. Well, one day word got around town that the bakery was closing up, this was after several beloved stores had closed their doors for good. True Lion Sports promptly led a campaign to keep that store open, along with many others. We had bake sales and fairs. We worked with the mayor’s office and county politicians and managed to keep that store in business. Course, you all know these days that True Lion Sports regularly offers pumpkin pies to its faithful customers and those famous pumpkin pies are the very same ones made by that same Topeka, Kansas bakery.
TLS Staff: That’s impressive, Mr. Tah! I understand you were personally presented with the Key to the City!
Mr. Tah: Well, I guess you could say that but that’s just the way the good n kind folks over at True Lion Sports are. We believe in helping out our fellow man and in being a good neighbor to all, whether you live across the street or on the other side of the globe.
TLS Staff: Shifting gears here, what are your duties at True Lion Sports?
Mr. Tah: Well they keep me real busy these days but I’m not complainin’. Makes the time go by quickly and I love every second of it. I’m the President of True Lion Sports, Inc. I am the Editor in Chief of “On the Prowl” magazine, Marketing Director for True Lion Brew and CFO of Tue Lion Smokes.
TLS Staff: Wow! You are indeed a very busy man, sir!
Mr. Tah: Oh, like I said, I don’t mind it because I actually relish every moment.
TLS Staff: You mention “On the Prowl” magazine. What’s the readership or circulation like and how has it grown?
Mr. Tah: Well, the magazine began as a newsletter back in Topeka in 1957 and officially took on magazine status in the 70s. The masthead design, the world renowned one, was actually created by a feller named Pete Kowalski, who now heads a company out in California called Westside Entertainment. We initially had a readership of about 60 people in the 50s but we’ve grown to over 4 million subscribers these days and have readers in 14 countries.
TLS Staff: Impressive! And what about True Lion Brew and True Lion Smokes?
Mr. Tah: Well both True Lion Brew and True Lion Smokes were initiatives that began in the early 1980s. An intern who went by the name of Ben Oscar Terwilliger (we all just called him “Cock Boy” ‘round the office) was just looking for something to do one slow summer day and he was watching one of those classic beer commercials and he came screaming into my office about what an opportunity we had to branch out as folks who love baseball tend to smoke n drink. The young whippersnapper’s idea (he was a Pittsburgh State University grad by the way) really caught on and well, hehehe, as they say, the rest is history.
TLS Staff: We really appreciate your time today, Mr. Tah and will be doing a series of interviews on you for “On the Prowl” magazine, pending your approval as Editor in Chief of course. Really appreciate you helping our readers better understand the roots of this great company.
Mr. Tah: You’re more than welcome!
