Pete Melendez Local El Paso Boxer 1933-2009
Pete Melendez boxeador local de El Paso 1933-2009

Pete Melendez Local El Paso Boxer 1933-2009

" Award winning sports journalist Ray Sanchez wrote in his column back in 1996 the following: “Every time I think of Pete Melendez I think of electricity. When he was boxing, he was taut as a wire, quick as the speed of light, explosive as a lightning bolt.” Ray was correct as Pete’s record is absolute proof that the truth is better than fiction. From his first fight in 1949 at the CYO in downtown El Paso to his last fight in 1956 Pete would establish a record fit for a king. And a king he was. Fighting at 112 pounds he established one of the most improbable amateur records in history ringing up 372 wins against only eight losses. Along his magnificent and fabled journey he captured four Regional Golden Gloves Championships, two Texas Golden Gloves State Championships, two National Golden Gloves Championships (1953, 1956) and in 1956 he was the Flyweight victor for the Chicago Golden Gloves Champions versus the New York Champions in the annual inter-city duel. He really was electric and he is an El Paso ‘Hero’"

Area: Out of Area / Out of Area

Source: Tom McKay

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

Halloween Fair 1981

Halloween Fair at the Church Meetinghouse. Curtis Whetten (7) ...

Colonial Centennial 1

Culture night school program as part of Colonial Centennial, ...

Colonial Centennial 2

Culture night school program as part of Colonial Centennial, ...

Coach Spilsbury and Football Team, 1990

Coach Spilsbury and Football Team, Juarez Stake Academy, Colonia ...

Coach Spillsbury and Curtis

Coach Max Spillsbury was the Lobos coach from 1970-2000 and was ...

Lobos after Homecoming Victory

Homecoming Victory of Juarez Stake Academy, Colonia Juarez over ...

Los Compas

Awards Banquet Garrett Hatch, Lamoni Vizcaino, Curtis Whetten, ...

Juarez Stake Academy Quarterback

Curtis Whetten Student Body President and Quarterback

Student Council Float Colonia Juarez Mexico

Student Council Float Curtis Whetten Driving Joshua Hatch, ...

Basketball

Curtis Whetten playing basketball against YMCA team from Juarez ...

High School Graduation Juarez Stake Academy

High School Graduation Juarez Stake Academy Curtis Whetten and ...

Honors Night Juarez Stake Academy, Colonia Juarez

Curtis Whetten speaking in his capacity as Student Body ...

Graduating Class of 1944 from Colonia Juarez

In front of the Academy in Colonia Juarez, Mexico

The First Bull Fight in Casas Grandes

Grand opening of the sports arena and bull fighters were brought ...

Gleaners in Tempe, AZ Freshman year of College

Older girls in the MIA for girls over 18 years old. Work to ...

Pre Bull Fight Parade

Madelyn Hatch, Valentin Valenzuela, Vera Pratt, Setting up ...

College Registration Day Arizona State University Tempe, AZ

Lucile Turley on the day Lucile and Vera registered for college ...

College Registration Day (2)

College Registration Day Lucile Turley and Vera Whetten (Pratt) ...

Band Trip Colonia Chuichupa

Band Trip Colonia Chuichupa 1941 Lucile Turley, Vera Whetten ...

Sorority Initiation

Part of initiation into the sorority. Wearing sheets for a week ...

Sorority Initiation Solo

Gate Post - Vera Whetten Pratt 8th STreet Sorority (K Alpha?) ...

Barbara's First Horseback Ride

Barbara Barret Colonia Juarez Summer 1945

Waiting for the Train to El Paso

Vera Whetten Pratt waiting for the train to visit El Paso for ...

home.search_collection