Inducted in 1992
Star Pitcher and Outfielder for Austin High School
As a freshman, he won all 5 of his starts
As a sophomore, he went 5-3 and pitched a no-hitter
Named All District as a junior with a 12-4 record striking out 171 batters and tossing 7 shutouts
and 1 no-hitter
As a Senior, he was named “Texas High School Outstanding Baseball Player” by the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce
His senior year he won 16 games and lost only 2 with a staggering 247 strikeouts, 7 shutouts and 1 no-hitter
Named to Texas All State Team as an Outfielder
Earned multiple All District honors
Pitched 7 innings of shutout baseball in Game 2 Panther playoff win over Lubbock Monterrey
The following day he tossed 15 innings of shutout baseball leading Austin to a Game 3 win over Monterrey and advancement in Texas State playoffs
In that series he pitched 22 scoreless innings
Led Austin High School to 1965 Final Four of State Playoffs
Pitched 7 scoreless innings against eventual State Champ Dallas Samuel before Austin lost 2-0 in extra innings
He didn’t allow a single home run in 132 innings on the mound and had a batting average of .375 as a senior
Earned scholarship to Texas A & M University
Named to All-Southwest Conference team as an outfielder batting .313 as the cleanup hitter in 1968
Served as President for El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1992
Past President El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame
El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Board of Directors
Involved in baseball for the past 60 years as a player, coach, commissioner, Director and Scout
Star pitcher for El Paso High School
Inducted into the El Paso High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985
Pitched for Texas Western College Miners in 1963,1964 & 1965 as a late reliever and starter and had a combined record of 23-7
Played 25 years in the City League, Juarez Amateur League and the Lower Valley Old Timers League
Overall record was 205-58 and helped his teams win 9 championships
Named Most Valuable Player in 1982 and 1983
Named Most Valuable Player for Playoffs in 1981, 1982 and 1984
Selected “Best Pitcher” in 1981, 1982 and 1985
His teams won League Championships in 1981, 1982 and 1984
Inducted into International Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986
1957-1969, he coached three City Championships and took the 1966 Connie Mack El Paso team to a fourth place finish in their World Series
Served as West Texas Baseball Commissioner for the Sandy Koufax and Mickey Mantle Baseball Leagues in El Paso
Served as Original Board Member for El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame
Currently continues his baseball journey as a Recommending Scout for the Cincinnati Reds
Inducted in 1992
All State Football Player for his high school in Kansas
Named All Kansas Collegiate Conference player three years while playing football for Baker University
Coached El Paso High School in football, track, basketball and baseball
Named Head Baseball Coach at Austin High School in 1950
Won 347 games and lost only 157 during his tenure at Austin High School
Led Panthers to 9 District titles, 3 Bi-District championships, 2 Regional crowns and two Texas State Baseball Final Tournaments
His Austin Panthers defeated Lubbock Monterrey in 22 innings
In 1965, his Panthers lost in the Texas State Final Four Semi-Finals to eventual State Champ Dallas Samuel 2-0 in extra innings and beat Houston Galena Park for third place
Chosen “Coach of the Year” 6 times
Outstanding Teacher and Coach in the El Paso Independent School District until his retirement in 1975
Inducted in 1992
In 1958, selected All District as a Pitcher with a 4-0 record leading Bowie High School to District title
Selected All District and Most Valuable Player with a 8-0 pitching record while batting for a .361 average and leading Bowie to another District Championship in 1959
Once pitched a no-hitter with no balls hit to outfield
Finished as first pitcher to come out of District 1-AAAA season undefeated with a 12-0 pitching record and two Bi-District victories
Played for Chicago White Sox organization for two years following high school and amassed a 11-4 record
In 1961, his contract was purchased by the Washington Senators and he was named to the All Star team of the Alabama-Florida League with a 9-6 record and 137 strikeouts
Upon promotion to Carolina League, he pitched a no-hitter in his first game
While enlisted in the Army, he was selected to the USATF All Star Team and the All Europe Tournament Team with a 15-1 record and one no-hitter
In 1966, he played in the Texas League for the Albuquerque Dodgers and had the most relief appearances (66) in the league
Inducted in 1992
Started playing baseball at the age of 12 in 1933
Played under the Downtown Optimist Club until 1942
Served his country starting in 1942 with the First Infantry Division
Captured by the enemy October 17, 1944 and was a Prisoner of War for six months
Liberated by the Soviet Army
Returned home in April 1945
Started playing softball and baseball in 1946 until 1958
Started Umpiring in 1947 and continued until 1983
Credited with having a calm demeanor and great knowledge of the rules which allowed him to excel under intense competitive situations on the field
Umpired Little League, High School, Texas League, Professional Major League Exhibitions in Texas and New Mexico
Umpired at World Softball Tournament for 12 years
Served as President of the Independent Softball (Fast-pitch) League for 12 years
Served as President of the Industrial Softball League for 8 years
Member of I.S.C. Hall of Fame as an Umpire
Inducted in 1992
Made a name for himself as a feared hitter and successful manager in his 50 year career with baseball
Won 7 batting titles in 16 years of playing with Lower Valley League
Managed the Ysleta Merchants Old Timers baseball team from 1975 to 1992
Inducted in the International Baseball Hall of Fame in Chihuahua Mexico
Credited with starting the baseball program at Ysleta High School
Inducted in 1992
In 1950, he led his Fabens Little League team as a Pitcher and First Baseman to the league championship with a batting average over .400 and was named the Most Valuable Player
In 1953, led his Fabens Pony league team to championship hitting over .400 and being named Co-Most Valuable Player
In 1955 and 1956, he batted .350 and led his Los Gatos team to two consecutive Juarez Lower Valley League Championships
From 1957 to 1971, he was named to 15 consecutive All Star teams with the Fabens Merchants Baseball Semi-Pro Team in the El Paso Lower Valley League
Earned two Batting Championships and Most Valuable Player awards hitting .464 and .557
Inducted in 1993
Started his baseball career at the age of 16 in 1944 playing for Fabens High School
Finished his high school career playing for San Fernando California where he was voted Most Valuable Player hitting .398
In 1947 he returned to El Paso and played Semi-Pro for Clint
A two year military stint with the United States Army saw him receive the Purple Heart and two Battle Stars interrupted his baseball journey
Played for Fabens baseball team from 1953-1959
Gave the team its name the “Fabens Merchants” and brought the team into the Lower Valley League
Became Manager of the team in 1960 and won 6 league championships and never finishing worse than second in the league
Recognized as “Mr. Baseball” by the President of the Lower Valley League
Inducted in 1993
Played for Austin High School Panthers and was named All District all four years
1965-1967, played for Texas A & M University
1965, he led the Aggies in batting average, home runs and runs batted in and team earned Freshman All Southwest Conference Championship
Named to All Star team with Rapid City Chiefs in Basin League
1966, led Aggies to Southwest Conference Co-Championship
Named to All Southwest Conference team and honored as Most Valuable Player in 1966
Named to Topps All American team as third baseman
Selected to play in Pan American Games for USA team as third baseman
1967 was selected to All Southwest Conference Team
In 1968, as a Coach he led Aggies Freshman team to Southwest Conference title with 10-0 record
Signed with Cleveland Indians
Leading hitter for Class A Reno Silver Sox with a .327 batting average in 1969
In 1970 named to All Star team for Class AA Waterbury Indians and called up to Indians in August
Leading hitter for Class AAA Wichita Aeros hitting .338 again named to All Star team and received August call up to Indians in 1971
Played for Cleveland Indians 1972-1974 and served as Player Representative his first year
Knee Injury ended his playing days
Inducted in 1993
Spent over 40 years in baseball playing 10 years for Leo Forti in Semi-Pro league and 30 years in City, Lower Valley, Interstate, Upper Valley and 40-60 leagues
In the 1940’s, he hit over .350 playing second and third base
From 1945-1955, he was Most Valuable Player and Most Outstanding Award Winner 7 seasons
Selected to All Star Team 19 times during his career
Won 8 batting titles
Named “Top Pitcher” 12 different seasons
Declined opportunity to turn Professional for the Texas Rangers and the El Paso Texans because pay did not match that of his regular job
Achieved a 90% winning percentage over his 40 year baseball journey
His Sons Jimmy and Danny followed their father’s footsteps into the Semi-Pro leagues under Leo Forti
One of his Sons, Jimmy is a El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee and successful coach at Riverside High School
Inducted in 1993
Selected to All Star team from 1950 to 1959
In 1961, he began his high school career at Bel Air playing first base
Youngest player to be selected to Babe Ruth All Star team in 1961
Pitched and played first base for Bel Air in 1962, compiling a record of 8 wins and 1 loss while hitting .470
In 1963, he played outfield and first base for Bel Air and hit .429
Twice selected to Colt League All Star team and compiled a 9-1 record leading the team to World Series both years
His senior year at Bel Air he pitched and played outfield hitting .390 and compiling a 4-3 record pitching 55 innings and striking out 67
In 1965, he received a 4 year scholarship to Texas Western College and hit .333 as a freshman
22-10 pitching record in college while also playing the outfield
Elected to Bel Air Athletic Hall of Fame in 1969
In 1968, played in Lower Valley League and pitched Socorro to championship with a 10-0 record earning Most Valuable and “Best Pitcher” honors and struck out 20 batters in one game
Played until 1990 earning All Star honors every year and pitching a perfect game in 1972
Inducted in 1993
His name is synonymous with winning baseball teams on both sides of the El Paso border
Involved in baseball over 55 years playing American Legion and Semi-Pro baseball
Recognized for his ability to play both Catcher and Pitcher in the same game
Lifetime batting average over .310 with over 100 home runs and a Pitching record of 245 wins and 140 losses
Declined offers to play professionally both in the United States and Mexico
In 1946-1947, played for Montelongo’s and named Most Valuable Player
During the 1950’s played in Mexico and led Imperial to championship
Played in the City League in the 1960’s earning “Best Pitcher” awards in 1962 and 1964
Played in Old Timers League and Over 50’s League earning more honors and championships
Started umpiring at all different levels of baseball from youth leagues to high school in 1981
Comments
Add a comment