By Ray Sanchez 03.06.16
Calling all El Paso High School athletes.
That’s the message the school sent out for its March 24 Legacy Program titled “100 Years of Excellence in Sports.” The school, as you probably know, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its present building.
“If you were a member of a varsity athletic team or a varsity cheerleader or a student trainer while attending El Paso High School, join us,” Lee Schwartz, who heads the Legacy committee, announced. “Whether you were a star or a benchwarmer, all are welcome.”
Plans are to hold a “parade of former athletes” during the March 24 program, which will be held in the El Paso High School auditorium.
THE RESPONSE? Overwhelming. So many alumni have called Mrs. Schwartz wanting to be part of the program her phone is figuratively jumping off its base. And everywhere I go, former El Paso High athletes tell me they want to join.
The school has produced so many great athletes I couldn’t begin to name them all but three that quickly come to mind are:
Andy Cohen, who led El Paso High to the championship of the first two state basketball tournaments in 1921 and 1922 then became a running back on the University of Alabama football team and later played second base for the New York Giants.
Ken Heineman, who led El Paso High to victory in the first Sun Bowl in 1935.
Dick Savitt, who won Wimbledon in 1951
I DIIDN’T GET to cover those three as a sports writer. I was too young. But who, someone asked, is the greatest El Paso High School athlete I ever covered as a high school sportswriter? Tough question. I covered high school sports from 1950 through 1964. One name that quickly comes to mind is Ramiro Escandon. His friends call him “Rami.”
Rami was special because he excelled in all three of the major sports (football, baseball and basketball) at El Paso High in the late 1950s. I probably gave him more writeups than any athlete I covered during my high school tenure.
He was named to the All-District team in football and baseball and received honorable mention in basketball.
RAMI RECEIVED a scholarship as a quarterback to University of Denver. But after his freshman year, the school dropped football. University of Tulsa quickly gobbled him up. He played quarterback for the Hurricanes under coach Glenn Dobbs in 1961 and 1962 and had an outstanding senior year there, leading the Hurricanes to the Missouri Valley Conference championship.
But more than that, what makes him extra special is that he went into teaching and coaching after his playing years and taught and coached and became an administrator at his high school alma mater on two different occasions. That was from 1964 through 1973 and from 1985 through 2002.
That’s a total of 26 years.
HE RETIRED from El Paso High School in 2002 but he’s staying active by welcoming and signing in golfers at the Dos Lagos Golf Course counter. He seldom speaks about his glory athletic days but oh, what memories I have of him.
If I were ever asked to pick a true, full-fledged living “Mr. Tiger” he certainly would be a candidate.
THE MARCH 24 program about sports is one of five scheduled at El Paso High School this year. Others and their themes:
May 12 — 100 Years of Excellence in Military.
Sept. 8 – 100 years of excellence in Academics and the Arts.
Nov. 17 — 100 years of Excellence in Leadership.
The first program, which was held Jan. 21, was “100 years of Excellence of History, Architecture and Trost.” It drew hundreds of people and according to the response received so far, the March 24 program about sports will, too.
Sandy Aaronson, another key member of the Legacy committee, and I will be sort of masters of ceremonies for the presentation of former athletes on March 24. We hope to see you there.
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