Posts Tagged ‘El Paso High School’

23 Sep

‘Lady on the Hill’ is El Paso High’s 2016 Ex

Posted by EL PASO SPORTS in El Paso Sports, Ray Sanchez. Tagged: .

© by Ray Sanchez 04.24.16

El Paso High School’s celebration, like the 1966 Texas Western College celebration, goes on.http://raysanchezbooks.com/EPHSonhill.jpg
Someone at El Paso High came up with a bright idea. Folks were wondering who the school was going to name its Outstanding Ex this very important 100th anniversary of the present building’s existence. Someone popped up and said, “Why not make it ‘The Lady on the Hill?’”
That’s how the building was known since shortly after its opening in 1916. The suggestion was a stroke of genius and yes, the building itself was overwhelmingly chosen as this year’s Outstanding Ex.

BY THE WAY, the El Paso Chihuahuas will be honoring El Paso High School with a “Centennial Night” Monday, May 2. I’ll let El Paso High School Alumni president Michael Montes tell you about it.
“The whole evening will be themed to EPHS and her 100 year history. The Tiger Pride Band will be playing pregame at 5: 30 p.m. at the Santa Fe Street entrance.
“The original Central School Bell that hung when El Paso High opened will be on display, also at the Santa Fe Street entrance. The El Paso High JROTC, the first cadet corps in the great state of Texas, will present the colors and a select EPHS Choir will sing the national anthem. We will have the president of the student body throw out a first pitch, along with a faculty member and a special alumni guest.

“THROUGHOUT the game, EPHS history will be featured on the jumbotron. This is definitely an event Tigers do not want to miss. It really is a special honor that the local Triple A team, the hottest ticket in town, will honor our Lady on the Hill in such a grand way.
“We are asking that all Tigers who attend wear Orange and Black and show their Tiger Pride! No other school in our area comes close to matching our history and it will be on full display in El Paso’s newest gem, Southwest University Park.”

TRIVIA QUESTION: Who hit the first grand slam homer in a World Series game? Answer at end of column.

THE EL PASO Baseball Hall of Fame also has some big doings scheduled this year. Following are some of the events announced by Hall President Tom Carrillo:
• Tuesday, July 26, will be Proclamation Day. The city will proclaim July 30 to August 6 El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Week. The class of 2016 will be presented to the city then.
• Saturday, July 30, will be the second annual Meet and Greet Dinner at the Wyndham Hotel. It’s a dinner sponsored by Larry and Gabby Hernandez to host inductees and honorees.
• Thursday, Aug. 4, will be Chihuahuas Night. The inductees will be introduced before the game and throw out the first pitch at Southwest University Park. The El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame has reserved the Santa Fe Pavilion. Tickets are $30 and includes all you can eat food.
• Friday, Aug. 5, will be the 3rd annual golf tourney at Painted dunes Golf Course at 1 pm. Cost is $100.
• The induction banquet will be held Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Radisson Hotel at 5 p.m. Cost is $30. For tickets contact Leo Caraveo at 915-328-7821.

JESSE FONSECA, one of El Paso’s greatest boxers following World War II, quietly passed away March 26 at the age of 88.
Jesse was born in Lorraine, Ohio, but his family moved to El Paso when he was just a tyke. He never grew much and weighed under 120 pounds when he took up boxing, but he had a powerful punch. In his first 22 fights, he knocked out 21 opponents in the first round.
He eventually earned a world flyweight title fight with Harold Dade. The two went toe to toe and many to this day believe that Fonseca really won. However, it was declared a draw.
Jesse Fonseca left us with many special memories.

ANSWER to trivia question: Elmer Smith of Cleveland in 1920.

23 Sep

‘Rami’ Would Be Good Candidate for Title of ‘Mr. Tiger’

Posted by EL PASO SPORTS in El Paso Sports. Tagged: , .

By Ray Sanchez 03.06.16

Calling all El Paso High School athletes.rami

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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