by Ray Sanchez 03.30.14
THE SUNLAND Gala, the elegant party held each year on the eve of the $800,000 Grade III Sunland Derby, has had some great public speakers.
This year’s speaker, former Dallas Cowboy Deion Sanders, was one of the best. He enthralled the audience March 22 with his lively ways as we learned that:
• He was a four-sport star in school – football, basketball, baseball and track.
• His incentive to succeed was to make a better life for his mother, who worked two jobs while he was growing up. He said his father was a drug addict and his stepfather a drunkard. They both left his mom.
• He has never smoked, tried alcohol or used drugs.
• He got his nickname of “Prime Time” while playing basketball, not football. He averaged more than 20 points a game in high school before the 3-point line was used and could dunk.
• He said the trouble with the Dallas Cowboys these days is that everyone stands around waiting for someone else to make a play.
• As for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, he said that we should all pray for him.
• He said growing up he never dreamed that we would some day have a black president but that he was happy because it shows that anyone can be president in this country, regardless or race or ethnicity – even a woman. That reference to a possible woman president drew huge whoops and cheers from the ladies in the audience.
NEEDLESS to say, Sanders got a standing ovation. In fact, his speech was so well received that items like jerseys and balls with his signature sold at handsome prices in the auction that followed. All of which was much to the delight of United Blood Services, which does do much good for the community and is the main beneficiary of the event.
As for the Sunland Derby last Sunday, it drew one of the biggest and strongest fields – and the largest crowd – in the history of the event.
Since one of our Sunland-based trainers couldn’t win, it was good to see Bob Baffert of California take the first two places with Chitu and Midnight Hawk.
Baffert has been one of the Sunland Derby’s biggest supporters since the Sunland Derby became a big-time affair.
We’ll be rooting for him in the upcoming Kentucky Derby the first Saturday in May!
TRIVIA QUESTION: In what year was the first World Series game played? Answer at end.
IT’S TIME to take out your golf clubs, sharpen your swing and practice your chipping and putting so you can have some fun and help the UTEP men’s golf team. Miner men’s golf coach Scott Lieberwirth writes:
“We cordially invite you to participate in the 2014 Western Refining Miner Day fundraiser. The event will take place on May 12 at El Paso Country Club. We will have morning and afternoon shotgun starts and many great prices to give away!
“The event is the lifeblood of our program, raising a majority of the operating budget for the UTEP men’s golf team. One hundred percent of all funds raised will go toward recruiting, team travel, equipment and other miscellaneous team expenses.”
THERE WILL be two other fundraisers for the team this year. The second will be held Aug. 18 at Coronado Country Club and the third will be at Butterfield Trail Golf Club in October.
I’ve played in some of those tournaments. They’re a lot of fun and you get to mingle with members of the team and some very fine folks. And not only will you be helping the team and can win some nice prizes – but they even feed you!
How can you beat that?
For further information, contact coach Lieberwirth at (915) 747-5396 or email him at smlieberwirth@utep.edu.
ANSWER to trivia question: 1903.
