El Paso Sports Columns by Ray Sanchez

With “Bear Day” coming up at Bowie High School where it will honor some of its greatest champions on Oct.13, it’s a good time to recall the memory of one of its greatest coaches, the late Nemo Herrera.

It’s also timely because another of Nemo’s 1949 players, Ruben Rodriguez, passed away on Aug. 30 at the age of 88 in California. There is only one known survivor of the team, Alfonso Lopez.

Nemo Herrera is one of the few public high school coaches in Texas to win championships in two of the three major sports (baseball, basketball and football). He won two state titles in basketball at Lanier High School in San Antonio and then came to Bowie High School and won a state championship in baseball.

HERES’ HOW Herrera was described years ago in the El Paso Herald-Post:

“He was as tough as a pug-nosed bulldog, as smart as a chess master – and as good a coach as ever blew a whistle in El Paso. Herrera was successful in every major sport, be it basketball, baseball or football, both as an athlete and a coach. He wasn’t big but he was as ferocious a competitor as they come. He lettered in all three major sports in high school. Baseball was his forte and he was so good, he played at Southwestern University and several years in the minor leagues …”

RUBEN PORRAS, a tall, curveball artist, was Bowie High’s No. 1 starting pitcher in 1949. Trini Guillen, a changeup artist who could outsmart the best of batters, and crafty Javier Holguin were other mainstays, and there were a couple of handy relievers in Alfonso Lopez and Ruben Rodriguez.

“Other team members were Tony Lara at first base, Andy Morales at second base, Rocky Galarza at third base, Gus Sambrano at shortstop, Jose Corona in left field, Fernie Gomez in centerfield, Ernesto Guzman in right field, Ramon Camarillo at catcher and Carlos Macias as a vital utility player.

The Bears won the championship game, upsetting Stephen F. Austin High School, a much bigger and richer school, 3-2.

TRIVIA QUESTION: One other person who coached in El Paso won public high school state championships in two of the major sports. Who was he? Answer at end of column.

SANDY AARONSON writes: El Paso High School Alumni Association will host a golf tournament to raise money for the construction of the new museum. The 8 a.m. shotgun start will take place on Oct 6 at Painted Dunes Golf Course with registration at 7 a.m. Entry fee is $85 per person or $340 per team. Contact Anna Mares at 449-5720.  

TRIVIA ANSWER Jewell Wallace, who coached El Paso High to the state championship in basketball in 1941 and then coached Central High School in San Angelo to the state title in football in 1943.

Veteran sports journalist, historian and author Ray Sanchez welcomes suggestions for his column.  Contact him at (915) 584-0626, by email at rayf358@yahoo.com or online at raysanchezbooks.com.

Ray Sanchez© 09.16.18

This from Mark Calamia: “As co-chairman of the El Paso County Historical Commission’s (EPCHC) Historical Markers Committee, I am overseeing plans for the creation of a historical marker to commemorate the 1966 Texas Western College basketball team that won the NCAA Basketball Tournament by defeating the University of Kentucky.
“It would be placed somewhere on the grounds at UTEP with a dedication ceremony. If you are interested in assisting with this project, then let me know either way, please.”
Of course, I said I would help. This is timely since this month is the 10th anniversary of the death of the Miners’ coach, Don Haskins.

WHEN HASKINS passed away on Sept 7, 2008, I wrote that even the heavens cried. It rained all afternoon and night following his death.
But one article that wasn’t mentioned in any of my stories was a tribute that another legendary basketball coach, Bob Knight, paid him on CBS.
The article follows.

“THE GLOW from Don Haskins’ greatest triumph was mostly a memory when Disney decided to take another look.
“Then came the movie ‘Glory Road’ and a whole new generation learned what Bob Knight already knew about his old friend’s career – and legacy.
“’Don got more out of his teams and players than any coach who has ever coached college basketball,’ Knight said.
“Haskins, the Hall of Fame coach credited with helping break color barriers in college sports in 1966 when he used five black starters to win a national basketball title for Texas Western, died Sunday. He was 78.
“’The word unique does not begin to describe Don Haskins,’ Knight, the winningest men’s coach in the sport’s history, said. ‘There is no one who has ever coached that I respected and admired more than Don Haskins. I’ve had no better friend that I enjoyed more than Don Haskins.’”
End of story.

AS FOR ME, I loved the man. Beneath the gruff exterior Haskins was a kind-hearted man. Perhaps his greatest attribute was his generosity. When Disney offered him $300,000 for the rights to his life story but offered only $7000 to each of his players, Haskins told Disney to put his $300,000 and the $7000 for each of his players in one giant pot and distribute it equally.
Disney complained that it was too much trouble but Haskins insisted.
Each member of the team wound up with more than $37,000,

TRIVIA QUESTION: What was coach Don Haskins’ overall college coaching record? Answer at end of column.

THE FOLLOWING is from reader Mark Deemer:
“For the past three years I have been trying to get a UTEP women’s basketball jersey hung in the Don, but to no avail. I can think of at least 10 athletes off the top of my head that would qualify. I have been trying to accomplish this when coach Green (Keitha Rachelle Adams, formerly known as Keitha Green) was here. (Former athletic director Bob) Stull never contacted me after numerous e-mails and a phone call.
“The present coach said it was not up to him. The present AD told me that it would not happen this year (that was a conversation in February) and it would be in his in basket. Let’s make this happen. It is time and it would be a great recruiting tool as well.”

TRIVIA ANSWER: Don Haskins coached at UTEP from 1961 through 1999 and won 719 games and lost only 353. In the process he won seven Western Athletic Conference regular season championships, a NCAA basketball championship in 1966 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997 while his 1966 team was inducted in its entirety by the same Hall of Fame in 2007.

Ray Sanchez© 9.09.18

Two of the most competitive teams at UTEP will open their seasons next week. Yes, I’m talking about the Miners’ men and women golf teams.
Ever since former UTEP athletic director Bob Stull lured coach Scott Lieberwirth away from New Mexico State to take the reins at UTEP, the men’s team has been revived. Lieberwirth’s teams win tournaments, finish high in others and have been listed in the top 25 men’s golf teams in the country year after year.
Heck, the Miners, led by Charles Corner, even won a Conference USA championship last year.

NOT FAR BEHIND is the UTEP women’s golf team under coach Jere Pelletier. Led by Lili Downs, who made the All-Conference team, the women’s team finished second in Conference USA just last spring.
Both teams will open the fall season Monday. The men will play at the Lone Star Invitational in San Antonio. Altogether, the men will play in six tournaments in the fall and eight in the spring.
The women will open the fall season the same day at the MSU/Payne Stewart Memorial Tournament in Springfield, Missouri. They’ll play in five tournaments in the fall and five in the spring.
I can’t wait to see them in action.

TRIVIA QUESTION: Who is the winningest football coach, percentage-wise, in UTEP history? Answer at end of column.

DON’T DESPAIR, UTEP football fans. There’s still hope for the 2018 season.
Okay, so losing to Northern Arizona was embarrassing. But the Lumberjacks were loaded with returning lettermen. We have to give UTEP’s new coach, Dana Dimel, some time. He’ll be facing two tough road trips at UNLV this weekend and University of Tennessee the following week. It’s possible they’ll be 0-3.
But then the real test will begin.
They’ll face their No. 1 rival, New Mexico State, at home. UTEP quarterback Dai Locksley showed good running ability and a strong passing arm against Northern Arizona, but the offensive line couldn’t protect him. He kept getting blitzed. That can be corrected.
Don’t give up on the Miners yet.

EL PASO HIGH School picked three Outstanding Exes instead of the usual one this year. They are:
Myles Cohen, class of 1958.
Anna Lucia Mares, class of 1980.
Mary Jo Ponsford Melby, class of 1958.
They’ll be honored at a luncheon at the El Paso Club Sept. 20, the homecoming parade that night, the homecoming assembly on Sept. 21 and the homecoming football game that night.
Congratulations to all.

THIS FROM Joseph V. Riccillo: Great story (about Mike Price)! long live the Pick, Mike Price and the man who gave it to him (my father)!

VINCE YOUNG, who led the Texas Longhorns to a national championship in 2005, has been inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame this year.
Other inductees this year are
• Johnny Bailey, former Texas A&I and Chicago Bears star running back.
• Nell Fortner, Olympic Women’s basketball head coach and UT women’s basketball legend.
• Pete Fredenburg, head coach of the University of Mary Hardin-Bayor football program.
• Gary Kubiak, Denver Broncos Super Bowl player and head coach.
• Cathy Self-Morgan, eight-time state title-winning high school girls basketball coach and UT Women’s Basketball alum.
• Gerald Myers, Texas Tech University player, coach and athletic director.
• Jill Sterkel, four-time Olympic swimmer and Longhorn women’s swimming and diving alumni.
• Michael Young, Texas Rangers superstar.

TOM HUSSMAN, a golf buddy of mine, tells of the time another golfer went to the dentist. He told the dentist that he didn’t want any anesthesia to work on a bad tooth because he had a 10 a.m. tee time and it was 9:30 a.m. already. The dentist argued but finally said okay. Then the golfer turned to his wife and said, “Okay, honey, show him the bad tooth.”

TRIVIA ANSWER: Mike Brumbelow. Between 1950 and 1956 he had a .651 won-lost percentage. He won 46 games, lost 24 and tied three.

by Ray Sanchez© 09.09.18

Misery loves company, so goes an old saying. But it’s not necessarily so. And I’m sure it’s not true when it comes to The University of Texas.
No, I’m not talking about UTEP, which lost all 12 football games last year. I’m talking about its parent school, The University of Texas at Austin.
Like UTEP, the Longhorns have fallen on hard times. And it’s sad.

IT WAS ONLY a few years ago that the Longhorns were serious competitors for a national title.
In fact, they won it in 2005 under coach Mack Brown when quarterback Vince Young accounted for 467 yards of total offense (200 rushing, 267 passing) and three rushing touchdowns (including a 9-yard touchdown scramble on 4th down with 19 seconds left) to lead the Longhorns to a 41–38 victory over USC.

BROWN WAS the last in a long list of great coaches at the University of Texas, coaches like Dana X. Bible and Fred Akers, both who coached 10 years, and, Darrell Royal, who coached for 20 years.
Royal was the greatest of them all. Despite the fact he coached 20 years he wound up with a phenomenal .774 won-lost percentage.
I especially remember when Royal beat Notre Dame, 21-17, in 1969 for the national championship. My son, Victor, who had received a basketball scholarship to Texas, was at the game and can only describe it as “incredible.”

MACK BROWN WAS forced to resign after the 2013 season. His troubles had started when in 2009 Texas attempted to raise his salary $2 million up to $5 million. Faculty members complained.
After four more years of going 5-7, 8-5, 9-4 and 8-5, he was forced to resign. Never mind that he had an overall record of .767 for 16 seasons.
Bad decision. The Longhorns went into a real tailspin The Longhorns hired Charlie Strong, who didn’t have a winning season in three years, then Tom Herman, who went 7-6 last year.

THE LONGHORNS opened the 2018 football season this weekend against Maryland. Then comes Tulsa.
But then the Longhorns will run into a buzzsaw called USC, which went 10-2 last year before losing to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
Is Herman the answer to the Longhorns’ woes? We’ll quickly find out this season.

TRIVIA QUESTION: Can you name the eight golfers who have won a PGA tournament as amateurs? Answer at end of column.

MIKE PRICE, former UTEP football coach, is undoubtedly a popular fellow. Last week’s column on him was overwhelmingly positive.
Marilyn Cromeans, a longtime UTEP backer, added this bit of information:
“I was reading your column today about Mike Price popularizing the pick, which he certainly did. However, before he came to UTEP, the UTEP Woman’s Auxiliary sold sterling silver lapel picks as a fund raiser to help fund our scholarships and other donations to UTEP. It was the vision of the late Louise Gelsthorpe, a past president of the Auxiliary. When I became president of the Auxiliary, I had Dunham Jewelry Manufacturing make the pick pins for us. We have since also sold several different rhinestone pins and now are selling orange rhinestone UTEP pins,,,”

AND THIS from Gaines Baty, son of Bowie High School football coach Buryl Baty who was killed along with assistant Jerry Simmang in a 1954 automobile crash with a truck:
“My book, Champion of the Barrio, continues to sell well in Texas and across the United States (top-10% on Amazon.com). You were instrumental in helping the story to be written and to be successful in many ways. Thank you again …”
TRIVIA ANSWER: Frank Stranahan, 1945 Durham War Bond Tournament; Fred Haas, 1945 Memphis Invitational; Cary Middlecoff, 1945 North and South Open; Frank Stranahan, 1948 Miami Open; Gene Littler, 1954 San Diego Open; Doug Sanders, 1956 Canadian Open; Scott Verplank, 1985 Western Open; Phil Mickelson, 1991 Northern Telecom Open.

Ray Sanchez© 08.26.18

The pick has become a symbol at UTEP. It’s become so popular that even giant statues of a pick now adorn the school, are included in posters and magazines and little magnetic picks are attached to automobiles.
And the school owes it all to former football coach Mike Price. He almost single-handedly made the pick popular. One of my favorite memories is of Price coming out of one of the tunnels at the Sun Bowl and walking down the stairs waving a pick before a football game.
It was a simple gesture but it caught on so fast that it spread throughout the city.

MIKE PRICE is one of the nicest, friendliest, most cordial coaches the school ever had. He considered football a game and fun and passed that sentiment on to his players.
He started out at UTEP with a bang. Here was a former national Coach of the Year all of a sudden coaching the Miners.
In his first year in 2004, he won eight games, finished second in the Western Athletic Conference and took the Miners to the Houston Bowl.

THE MINERS moved to Conference USA in 2005. Price won another eight games in 2005 and took the Miners to the GMAC Bowl.
But Conference USA proved too tough for UTEP. The Miners went 5-7, 4-8, 5-7, 5-7, 4-8, 6-7, 5-7 and 3-9 before Price was replaced by Sean Kugler. Price took the Miners to the New Mexico Bowl after winning six games in 2010.
Kugler had only one winning season in four years. The winning season was in 2014 when he went 7-6 and took the Miners also to the New Mexico Bowl. Then when he started 0-5 in his fifth year he was fired.

MIKE PRICE was called on again at that point to take over the coaching reins and stop the losing. But it was too late. The Miners, demoralized, with little talent and with all the remaining games in Conference USA, lost the next seven games.
Price paid the biggest price. It added seven losing games to his overall coaching record. But he took it in stride.
He was a gentleman to the end.

TRIVIA QUESTION: There was a municipal golf course in El Paso before the one at Ascarate Park. What was its name and who was it named after? Answer at end of column.

THERE’S ONE good thing about getting older. I’ve been a witness to the tremendous growth El Paso has undergone.
Like the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame. I was sports editor of the El Paso Herald-Post in the 1980s when I got a call from Bufe Morrison. He said he wanted to start an El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame and asked if I was interested in helping him.
Of course, I said yes. We got some important baseball people together and we were off and running.
But I’m surprised at how big the Hall has grown. This year, for example, some 400 tickets were printed for the induction banquet last Sunday at the Wyndham Hotel and they sold out quickly.
Not only that, but a reception was held at the same hotel on the previous Friday and that was well attended, too.
The El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame is in good hands with president Leo Caraveo and past president Larry Hernandez.

TRIVIA ANSWER: After El Paso Country Club moved from central El Paso to the west side in 1918, Valdespino Municipal Golf Course was built at the same site. It was named after, A. S. Valdespino, a fine golfer who obviously loved the sport. He rolled up his sleeves and became the driving force that resulted in the creation of El Paso’s first municipal golf course. He helped build it, managed it for many years and, fittingly, it was named in his honor.

Ray Sanchez© 08.05.18

When coach Tim Floyd retired as basketball coach at UTEP in November of 2017, I thought that it was because he was fed up with recruiting and the constant coming and going of recruits. He never mentioned that as the reason at his retirement press conference
But my thought was confirmed in a recent interview with K. C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
Floyd told him: “It just seemed right. There had been a lot of changes in the college game and I just got to the point where I felt the recruiting part of it had become distasteful. And keeping a player had become even more distasteful. So I felt it was time for somebody else to have all the fun and take that challenge on, and I felt at that point maybe somebody else could do a better job.”

COACH FLOYD wound up with a career winning percentage despite going 49-190 with the Chicago Bulls. He was hired there for the impossible task of forming a team without Michael Jordan and other stars. His coaching record in college was 444-218 and in the NBA it was 92-231. That’s overall a record of 536-449.
After Chicago, Floyd took a season off and then guided the New Orleans Hornets to the NBA playoffs where they lost a tough seven game series to the Miami Heat.
Next he landed at USC and eventually at UTEP, where he started his career as a 23-year old, and coached for seven seasons and a few games. He wound up with a 138-99 record at UTEP.

FLOYD SAYS he’s just enjoying life now. As for basketball he said that he was thankful for the opportunities he had during his career.
And he added, “This business (basketball coaching) can make you angry at times. And I haven’t been angry one day since I left.”

TRIVIA QUESTION: Which was the first public high school team from El Paso to fly to the Texas state tournament? Answer at end of column.

SPEAKING OF trivia, I made a goof a couple of weeks ago. I asked how many high schools from El Paso had won state basketball championships. I didn’t use the word “public” high schools.
The response was swift. Former Cathedral High School coach Julius Lowenberg informed me that Cathedral High School, a private school, had won several state basketball championships.

AND LOCAL statistician Charles Hill sent me the following:
“I saw your article today and was intrigued by your trivia question about how many state basketball titles have been won by El Paso area high schools.
“Your answer of 5 is correct if you are only talking about UIL state championships. There are many more if you include TCIL, TAPPS, TCAL and SWCAA titles.
“Cathedral has won 9 TCIL titles, the last coming in 1960. Faith Christian has won several TCAL and TAPPS titles and El Paso Home School has won several SWCAA titles.”
Ouch I deserve at least nine lashes with a wet noodle.

WHAT A DEAL. I’ve always been fascinated by tailgate parties at UTEP football games and even have attended some.
Season tickets are now available for the 2018 season and they’re a bargain. Here’s what you get for the six home games:
• A hearty catered meal
• Non-alcoholic beverage
• Beer – If over 21 only (wine sold separately – cash bar available)
• Pep Rally
• Music and Dancing
• Mini-Miners Kids Play Area
• Giveaways.
All that for $85 ($75 for Miner Athletic Club members), and $10 less in each category if you’re under 21. Or you can buy a single game tailgate ticket for $20. Student tickets are only $10.
No, I’m not hawking for the Miners. I just think you’ll have a lot of fun. Call 747-8600 if interested.

TRIVIA ANSWER: The 1947 El Paso High School basketball team which won the state championship. The team became known as “The Flying Tigers” in honor of the American squadron that became famous during World War II.

Veteran sports journalist and author Ray Sanchez welcomes suggestions for his column. Contact him at by e-mail at rayf358@yahoo.com or online at http://www.raysanchezbooks.com

 

Books   University of Texas at El Paso  Home Court

Ray Sanchez March 11, 2018

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When I think of Manny Ontiveros I think of three things: A gentleman, competent and always willing to take on difficult tasks.

He played tennis for Bowie High School and of course, he became the captain of the team. He went to community college and UTEP and wound up with a Masters Degree from UTEP. As a student at UTEP he participated in the Intramural Department and, of course, was named Most Valuable Official.

He became a sports writer for the El Paso Herald-Post and did outstanding work before joining the Army in 1971 where, of course he wound up with two medals, one for outstanding service and the other for good conduct.

He played in and helped manage the Boys and Girls Clubs of El Paso and raised more than $100,000 for college scholarships.

He served as staff assistant to U.S. Congressman Richard C. White and retired in February of 2009 with 34 years of federal government service.

BUT ALL THAT pales compared to what he has done for the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame.

He has been a member of the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame for 22 years, serving as president the last two. Before that he served, and is still serving, as director of archives for the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame and we all know what a tough job that is. He has handled resumes and plaques and has become the source of information on how the Hall operates.

SO YES, I was happy to see him among the nominees for induction into the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame this year at a meeting of the board of directors last Monday. In fact, I nominated him myself.

Eighteen persons in all were nominated for induction last Monday, bringing the total of nominees to 26. There were eight athletes nominated plus nine in the coaches/administration category, four in the officials category, three in the posthumous category and two in the media/supporter of athletics category.

Here are all of the nominees by category:

ATHLETES: Bobby Stives (bowler), Ernie Bautista (basketball), Jorge Munoz (boxer), Will Licon (swimmer), Robert Rodriguez (football), Joe Overton (baseball and football), Jennifer Delgadillo (golf) and Brandon Wolfram (basketball).

COACHES/ADMINISTRATORS: Mike Myrick, D. Dwayne Aboud, Marc Bombard, Rennie Rebe, Hampton Hurt, Tony Grijalva, Nate Poss, Tony Robles, Sr., Quincy “Dow” Farley.

OFFICIAS – Bill Scott, Gilbert De La Rosa, Jr., Bernie Del Hierro, Robert Hemphill Jr.

MEDIA/ SUPORTER – Duke Keith, Manny Ontiveros.

POSTHUMOUS – Gory Guerrero, Manny Aguilar, Eugene A. Des Boine.

THE BOARD OF directors will vote for induction on March 19 at El Paso Community College on March 19. There will be three athletes, two coaches/administrators and one each in the other categories chosen.

The induction banquet will be held Wednesday, May 2, at 6 p.m, at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. A press conference to introduce the inductees will be held the day before at a site to be determined.

As one who helped start the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame way back in 1955, it warms my heart to have seen it grow through the years. El Pasoans love their athletes and they love even more honoring them

Veteran sports journalist, historian and author Ray Sanchez welcomes suggestions for his column. Contact him at (915) 584-0626, by email at rayf358@yahoo.com or online at raysanchezbooks.com.S