© by Ray Sanchez 07.03.16
Plans to hold the largest reunion in the history of high schools are right on track at El Paso High School.
As you probably know by now, El Paso High School is holding the 100th anniversary of its present building, one of the most magnificent high school structures ever built. Can you believe Greco-Roman features including marble floors, classical columns, classroom floors of hard maple and one of the first concrete stadiums in the entire country that can seat 12,000 people? In 1916 at a cost of $500,000? That was an incredible sum in those days and the school has received raves through the years for its architectural marvel.
NO WONDER, then, that the El Paso High School Alumni Association is going all out to make this year’s 100th anniversary the biggest, best high school reunion ever held. The Guinness Book of World Records for the largest high school reunion ever held is 3299 set in Tacoma, Washington, in 2006. So, yes, El Paso High School is shooting for at least 3300 for homecoming activities this year on Oct. 8.
Are you in? Will you be there? All you have to do is show up but you must register ahead of time.
SOME FOLKS have signed up to be a prominent part of the event. July 1 was the deadline for Royal Tiger Treatment. If you donated $25 or more by July 1, you get VIP access for the world record attempt during the Centennial Homecoming activities Oct. 7, membership to the alumni association from now to August 2017 and the EPHS Alumni Tatler (school newspaper) delivered to your doorstep. And if you donated $116 you will be added to the list for a special Centennial gift.
BUT WAIT, the homecoming committee even wants the shirt off your back – literally. A news release added:
“Before you throw out or give away that Tiger T shirt or polo shirt that does not fit anymore or has a hole in it, please donate it to the Legacy Committee. One of our alums (Janie Pierce Shockley, class of 1962) is making an EPHS Tiger T shirt quilt to be raffled off at the 100 Years of Excellence in the Arts program at the beginning of September. Contact Janie at janie.shockley@sbcglobal.net or 915-487-8322.”
All in all, it seems like a lot of fun coming up.
TRIVIA QUESTION: The mother of one of the greatest hitters in the history of Major League baseball, Ted Williams, was Hispanic and born in El Paso. What was her maiden name? Answer at end of column.
DID YOU watch undefeated KeithThurman out-box Shawn Porter for the world welterweight title last weekend? What a fight. Anymore bouts like that and it could revive the art of boxing. What was most amazing about the fight is that neither one went down despite some heavy, heavy blows to the head.
AND ARE YOU ready for the British Open on July 14-17? If you’re a betting man you can get pretty good odds. The Big Three (Jason Day, Rory McElroy and Jordan Spieth) are all at 7-1. U. S. Open champ Dustin Johnson is 10-1.
Very often some lesser known golfer pops up and wins. In that respect I like Adam Scott at 18-1, Rickie Fowler at 22-1 and Justin Rose at 22-1. Would you like an oldtimer? How about Sergio Garcia 22-1, Phil Mickelson 33-1, Bubba Watson 40-1, Jim Furyk 50-1 and Zach Johnson 50-1. They’ve shown some life lately.
Tiger Woods? If he enters, he’ll be listed at 66-1. How times change.
ANSWER to trivia question: Micaela Venzor, who later changed her first name to “May.”