by Ray Sanchez 05.11.14
Nolan Richardson hasn’t changed a bit. He’s the same down to earth fellow he’s always been.
I learned that again when I called to congratulate him on his induction into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.
“I’m proud and happy for the honor,” he said, “but I owe it all to you in El Paso who helped and backed me in my career. I’ll always be grateful for that.”
Richardson arrived in El Paso this weekend to make preparations for the 27th annual Yvonne Richardson 
Memorial Foundation and Nolan Richardson Charity Golf Tournament which raises money for charities in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas and numerous scholarships at the University of Texas at El Paso.
The tournament hosts celebrities and media personalities from around the country including NCAA, NBA and NFL coaches and officials.
HE WILL REMAIN in El Paso the rest of this month. We should welcome him home with open arms, maybe even present him with the key to the city to honor his prestigious award. How about introducing him at a Chihuahuas baseball game? The fans would go bananas.
And why not enter and participate or contribute to his causes? His charities include the Ronald McDonald House, Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Child Crisis Center, The Candlelighters of El Paso, The Opportunity Center for the Homeless along with numerous scholarships honoring his late daughter, Don Haskins and others and include a Bobby Joe Hill Endowment Fund.
An awards banquet and dance will be held on May 30. The golf tournament will be held May 31 and June 1. Both events will be held at Fort Bliss Underwood Golf Complex.
I’m waiting with bated breath to see him and give him a great big congratulatory hug.
TRIVIA QUESTION: What is the distance between a batter and a pitcher in an adult baseball game? Answer at end.
ERIC DARNELL, El Paso’s contribution to last fall’s outstanding Fordham University football team, is sporting some nice jewelry today. He received his ring for having been part of the winningest team in Fordham University football history last season. Fordham missed winning the national championship by only two games.
RUDY RAMOS, a golf star at Austin High School in the 1950s, was on the phone. It was like a voice out of the past. He had given up golf for some time but decided to take it up again recently. Darn if he didn’t go out and shoot himself a hole-in-one on the No. 2, 160-yard hole at Lone Star Golf Club. He did it with a 5-wood. And he’s 77 years old! Witnessing the ace were son Steve Ramos, Manny Bautista and Nicky Garcia. I’m not surprised. I played several rounds with Rudy in the ‘50s and saw his exceptional talent up close.
THERE’S STILL a lot of speculation as to how long we’ll keep Keitha Adams as coach of the UTEP women’s basketball team after such a successful season. I heard her say with my own ears at the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame ceremonies, “I’ll be back next season.” Hmmm. And after that? Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
GOOD NEWS. You can now get my book, “The Good, the Bad and the Funny of El Paso Sports History,” at local Barnes and Noble Book Stores. It’s been flying off the shelves so if you don’t find it in stock you can order it from Barnes and Noble and have it delivered to you. Or you can order it from Amazon.com, Mesa Publishing Corporation at 584-0626, PDX Printing or the UTEP Book Store.
ANSWER to trivia question: 60 feet, six inches.