by Dan Ford
Ever wonder about the term “Student Athlete”? It is such a part of our sports language that we hardly stop to consider its origin.
Month: December 2015
The Game
by Chuck Ferris
Capitan’s 7-6 Victory over Tularosa in 1952
I think I’m qualified to tell this story, since I was a member of the Capitan football team at the time, and I later moved to Tularosa to finish high school. They were still talking about “the game” in Tularosa when I graduated in 1956. Even today, at reunions at Capitan or Tularosa, “the game” seems to always come up. As a freshman, I didn’t play in this game, but I kept the bench nice and warm!
Albuquerque Dukes
by Mike Magers
2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Albuquerque Dukes baseball team, though the team has not been continuously in operation since 1915. The team got its mascot’s name from from the nickname for Albuquerque, the Duke City, which in turn is derived from the early days of the city, dating back to when it was first founded by King Phillip of Spain. Over the years, the baseball club has operated in the Class D, C and B minor league level as well as the Class A, AA and AAA level with affiliations in the Rio Grande, West Texas – New Mexico, Western Sophomore , Texas and Pacific Coast leagues and has had Major League affiliations with the New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Athletics and Los Angeles Dodgers. The team generally enjoyed strong support once it reached A, AA and AAA levels.
School names: Dawson
by Dan Ford
Dawson, New Mexico; a magical, almost mystical place, a place not found except in the memories of those who lived it, a place that no longer exists. It was demolished over a brief summer and all material that made up the town was auctioned off and hauled away.
Las Cruces Suspension
by Dan Ford
In 1948 the high school sports landscape was on the verge of change. Surrounding states had opted to hire an Executive Secretary to manage the affairs of the association. More and more pressure was being brought by the media and fans to establish a state football playoff system. Boxing as a high school sport had only recently disappeared from the scene but was replaced by a state baseball playoff system. Previously baseball was mostly a summer sport, leaving track and field as the spring sport for the high school athlete.
New Mexico Sports 