The annual induction banquet of the UTEP Athletic Hall of Fame isn’t held until
the fall, but nominations are taken in the spring. And I already know who will
get my top vote: Jack Curtice.
He was known as “Cactus Jack” because of his western roots and prickly
personality, but what a football coach. Starting practically from scratch he
raised the Miners’ football program into national prominence.
Football at UTEP, then known as Texas College of Mines, was suspended from 1943
through 1945 because of World War II. Before that, in 1941, Curtice had been the coach at West Texas State and had handed the Miners a 40-7 thrashing. The Miners smartly lured him away from West Texas with a more profitable contract.
BEFORE CURTICE could take over the Miners, however, he was offered a commission
in the United States Navy. He accepted. But before going off to war, Curtice, a
fierce recruiter, signed some players from powerhouse Odessa High School and
such high school stars in El Paso as Lee Floyd (father of UTEP basketball coach
Tim Floyd), Fred Wendt and Milton Cherno.
He turned the coaching duties over to former Austin High coach Chule Milner, who
wound up with a 5-4 record in 1942
Curtice returned to UTEP in 1946, resumed the coaching position, insisted on
taking over as athletic director as well and quickly reopened the pipeline to
Odessa where he charmed no less than 11 players away from the Southwest
Conference. Most of them had been on the Odessa High state championship team of
1946. That included such future stars as Jim Bowden, Pug Gabrel, Jack Wilkinson,
Andy Everest, J.D. Partridge and Jack Marcell. Locally, he signed Bowie High
stars Fred Rosas and Joe Valencia.
Curtice lost six games and won only three his first year back.
BUT THAT was just the start of great things to come. He went 5-3-1 in 1947,
8-2-1 in 1948 and 8-2-1 in 1949.
He took the Miners to two Sun Bowl games, set national rushing records in 1948
and 1949 and didn’t mind trampling helpless foes in the process. His 92-7 romp
over New Mexico State in which he had his first string still in the game in the
fourth quarter, will forever be a black eye on the Miners’ record.
Curtice left the Miners after the 1949 season for what he considered greener
pastures, the University of Utah. That didn’t set well with El Pasoans, either.
But then, how can one not appreciate his great success with the Miners?
Trivia question: Who was the first UTEP football coach to win a Sun Bowl game
and what was the outcome? Answer at end.
AND HERE’S another nice feather in the hat of Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino:
Astrology, who ran second in the Sunland Derby, finished third in the Grade I
Preakness Stakes at Pimlico last weekend.
“We were cheering loudly when Astrology was charging down the stretch,” Sunland
general manager Harold Payne noted. “ His performance should ensure the Sunland
Derby’s chances of retaining graded status.”
Astrology’s performance follows the stellar victory by Plum Pretty in the Grade
I Kentucky Oaks.
ANSWER to trivia question. You got it right: Jack Curtice. He beat Georgetown
33-20 after the 1949 season. Miners touchdowns were scored by Pug Gabrel from
the one and 19 yard lines, Bill Chesak from the one, Danny Fraser from the 31
and, most excitingly, by Wayne Hansen on a 53-yard return of an onside kick.
Veteran sports journalist and author Ray Sanchez welcomes suggestions for his
column