The legend of former Ysleta High School, UTEP and Green Bay Packers star Jesse Whittenton, who passed away at the age of 78 in May, keeps growing. I bring this up because of the many comments and stories I’ve been told since his death by those who knew him.
Jesse was not only the greatest El Paso athlete I ever covered but he was funny and fun-loving and rather wild, on and off the football field. He was married several times and yes, after high school he was even involved in various barroom, uh, “discussions” during his time and believe me, he wasn’t one you’d want to cross.
I’ve already written a lot about this incredible athlete but here are three more stories I just feel I have to pass on.
AS I WROTE before, Whittenton was so incredibly strong he’s probably the longest hitter of a golf ball ever out of El Paso. As the legend goes, he could all but drive the 5-par, 503-yard No. 6 hole at Santa Teresa Country Club. And that was before the advent of new equipment that has added yardage to golfers’ drives.
Hole No. 6 has a bit of a dogleg, which means the fairway has a curve that doesn’t quite make the hole 500 yards. If, that is, you can go over a lake on the left. Lee Trevino wouldn’t dare try it. Whittenton would – and he cleared the lake often. He would land the ball on hole No. 7 nearly even with the flag on No. 6 green.
The ball had to travel more than 400 yards to do that. Former UTEP golf and volleyball coach Norm Brandl is one of many who witnessed the feat.
Whittenton hit the ball so far he had to wait to tee off on par 4 holes if people were still on the green putting.
JESSE WAS an unusual sort even in high school. As tailback on a single wing attack he led Ysleta High School to the district championship in 1951.
The night before the championship game against Austin High School, Jesse and some of his friends drove by the El Paso police station and fired a rifle into it.
Really. Truly. Incredibly.
The teenagers were caught, and there were demands that Jesse not be allowed to play in the championship game. I wrote a column for the El Paso Herald-Post the next day saying it had just been a prank and “boys would be boys.” I don’t know if my column had any influence, but Jesse was allowed to play.
Ysleta beat Austin and took home the title. Austin fans were furious with me and I don’t think they’ve forgiven me to this day. Jesse, however, was always friendly to me the rest of his life.
I really wasn’t taking sides. I just wanted to see a good game.
JOE SHEPARD, an all-city guard at Cathedral High School when Jesse was playing, has this story to tell:
“We played Ysleta High that year (1951). Whittenton literally ran over me when I tried to tackle him. He made a point of coming back over to help me up out of the dirt and as he did he whispered in my ear that I was probably a bigger threat to myself than to anyone on his team.
“Jesse was just poking fun at me, kidding around. He was a country boy with a sense of humor.”
Shepard was no pushover. A Cathedral player making the All-City team that included all-district players from much bigger public high schools was quite an accomplishment and quite unusual in those days. Shepard was on it.
Shepard, who these days is head of the Cathedral High School Alumni Association, added that he was saddened by Jesse’s death but was happy Jesse had such a great career with the Packers.
Amen to that.