I mean, to see the Larry K. Durham Center at UTEP overflowing with people paying their respects to the late Jesse Whittenton was a sight to behold. So many more folks than expected showed up that UTEP athletic director Bob Stull, who kindly made the Center available for the celebration of Whittenton’s life, kept bringing in chairs and more chairs for people to sit. Every nook and cranny in the hall was filled.
Not that it was surprising. Jesse was not only the greatest El Paso football player I ever covered but he was funny and fun-loving and a prankster. In short, he was the type of person who captured not only people’s admiration but their hearts.
I COVERED his football career from the time he was at Ysleta High School and led the Indians to the district championship in 1951.
What a sight he was. Ysleta High School had dark football uniforms with white stripes running down the sides and seeing Whittenton, a slim 6-foot tailback, running over people or throwing touchdown passes is a sight that will always be imbedded in my mind.
After high school, he went to UTEP where he helped the Miners to some of their biggest seasons. And who can forget his performance in the 1955 Sun Bowl? He passed for three touchdowns, ran for two more and kicked five extra points in a victory over heavily favored Florida State. His 35 points are still a record.
But the most amazing thing about Jesse’s career to me was that after showing all that offensive ability he became an all-pro player for the Green Bay Packers – on defense!
Astounding.
THAT EVENT was on Friday of last week. The next night, I was lucky to serve as master of ceremonies at the 2012 El Paso Boxing/Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
Talk about beautiful people.
If you think all boxers are battered and scarred, think again. One of the highlights was the induction of the male members of the Las Cruces boxing family — the late Sammy Burke and his two handsome sons, Rocky and Louie.
Then there was beautiful Jennifer Han, who must have set some kind of record by being inducted in not only the boxing category but the martial arts category as well. Her father, Bae H. Han, was also inducted.
And how about Jorge Munoz? He is the only El Pasoan besides Pete Melendez to win not one, but two, national Golden Gloves championships.
He can take the simplest little sports event and turn it into poetry. It’s a gift from above.
Other inductees included world-renown Cliff “Magic Thomas, Francisco Alvarado, Benny Benavides, Rene Herrera, Tim Meek and James Butler.