Oscar Romero stood near the pitcher’s mound with nearly 200 high school-age players as part of American Legion teams and their coaches watching and clapping for him with the serene late-afternoon sun serving as a spotlight.
The well-maintained field with its rich green grass and soft dirt provided a beautiful scene at the gathering at Field No. 5 at the Kino Sports Complex for a gentleman who deserves no less.
The legendary former Tucson High baseball coach — affectionately called ‘O’ or “The Big ‘O’ — was charged by his surroundings.
The baseball field has been his sanctuary for almost 60 years of his life since his youth. He went into his delivery motion for the first pitch of Monday’s opening ceremony of the 100th annual American Legion season.
Romero, 65, stood about a foot in front of the mound and his release was convincing. The ball reached the catcher’s mitt down the middle.
“You still have it,” someone told Romero.
Thankfully, he does, in various ways.
His zest for baseball, and the charge he gets from it, mixed with the support of family and countless friends, helps him remain as strong as possible amid cancer treatments.
“The family is so strong; they’ve been awesome,” he said. “They do anything I need in times when I’m not feeling too good. It’s good.
“So many community members are supportive. Obviously, we’ve made many friends throughout the years. They’re there.”
Romero was first diagnosed with non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver in March 2023 when he was hospitalized for a week due to extreme esophageal bleeding.
He underwent a series of radiation treatments and was put on a list for a liver transplant at that time.
The effects of the cancer did not prevent him from furthering his desire to be an assistant baseball coach at Pima Community College, a position he started in 2022.
“Kenny (Jacome, the head coach) contacted me, and I told him, ‘Anything I can do to help you at Pima, I’m all for it, because I’m an Aztec myself,'” said Romero, who after graduating from Tucson High in 1978 went on to play third base at Pima for Rich Alday in 1979.
“It’s been a great experience every day at Pima. I am with (former Arizona player and coach and now Pima assistant athletic director) Jerry Stitt, the legend. We work with the hitters.”
Romero’s cancer treatments have intensified in recent months.
“I had some more cancer removed about five weeks ago,” Romero said. “I’m still working on now getting back on a list for a liver transplant. I just started about two months ago a round of chemo, and as we’re speaking today, I had two procedures. I had my abdomen and my lungs drained.
“So every day … it’s a good battle.”
Good battles with success have defined Romero and his life.
Romero’s impact on Pima’s hitters is phenomenal. The Aztecs ranked in the top five this season in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference in all of the major hitting statistical categories.
Pima was a runaway leader in runs (427, ahead of No. 2 South Mountain’s 398) and RBIs (393 with South Mountain next at 350).
The Aztecs were No. 2 in hits (570) and No. 5 in batting average (.294).
They were No. 2 in doubles (113), No. 4 in triples (27) and No. 3 in home runs (30).
“Oscar Romero is a coaching legend in Tucson spending many years leading the Tucson High Badger program,” Jacome said upon Romero joining the coaching staff. “I am so fortunate that “O” has decided to jump on board with us. Our players benefit from his years of knowledge and experience he brings to the table.”
Romero was one of five individuals honored during the opening ceremony of American Legion games Monday at the Kino Sports Complex.
He coached Post 7 Tucson (mostly comprised of Tucson High School players) for 34 years, from 1984 to 2018. He led Post 7 to 16 state championships and an appearance in the 2007 American Legion World Series, finishing third in the nation.
Romero is not only one of the most legendary American Legion coaches in the state’s history but also in the nation, according to Kino Baseball League president Bill Leith, who coordinates the local Area “A” American Legion season.
“Under Oscar’s long career as coach and educator, he had a profound effect as mentor and guiding light to a volume of players who went onto professional baseball careers, and players and students towards success in other professions,” Leith said.
In addition to coaching Tucson High in American Legion ball during all of those summers, he was highly successful during the spring, coaching the Badgers to 488 victories in his 28-year career as head coach from 1990 to 2018.
A Pima County Sports Hall of Famer, Romero became head coach of the Badgers in 1990 after he helped Tom Lundy win state championships in 1987 and 1988 as an assistant coach.
After his playing days were over at Texas-El Paso following his Pima career, Romero became an educator while establishing himself as coach. He taught a variety of sciences such as marine, environmental, bilingual biology, methods of science, anatomy, physiology, and body conditioning over a 35-year period.
“Nothing better than to see my former students still, even on Facebook, telling me, ‘Hey, Coach Romero, do you remember me? I was in your biology class and I remember we did this and this and this. It was a great time,'” Romero said. “It was very rewarding for me to be a coach and a teacher in the classroom.”
The impact on others is what drives him today and makes him feel more alive amid the cancer treatments that can be taxing on his body and mind.
Before the American Legion games started Monday, Romero reflected on what it meant to be there, at the baseball diamond, a sacred place to him that he has shared with so many youths since he began coaching in the mid-1980s.
All of those years as an American Legion coach were not to boost his image, but to help give kids, many coming from families with modest means, a chance to live their lives to the fullest.
“It’s always been for the love of the players,” Romero said. “The American Legion program was perfect for our kids who did not have money. Legion took care of everything when we went to a state playoff or a regional. Nothing came out of their pockets.
“It made sense when we first started it back in the day. It was a blessing. And then seeing the kids succeed by furthering their careers and their education, hopefully getting that degree, is something that keeps you alive, especially if you love the game.”
LOCAL 2025 AMERICAN LEGION HONOREES IN ADDITION TO OSCAR ROMERO
COACH RON ALTHERR
Manager of KFC from 1988 to 1994. Led the organization to state championships in 1993 and 1994, coaching in the West Regional both years. The 1994 state champions had three MLB draft selections.
COACH ALEX GAYNES
He was a 25-year coach in the American Legion baseball program. From 1995 to 2015, he was the manager of Post 59 KFC. Coached 10 state champions during those 20 years. Had 10 West Regional appearances. Coached more than 200 KFC players who went on to play college baseball. Over 50 KFC alumni played at various professional levels and 30 of them went into the coaching profession.
JOHN “BUD” GRAINGER
Honored posthumously. He is known as the “Patriarch of Tucson American Legion Baseball.” He spent 43 years of dedicated service to American Legion Baseball. From 1981 to 2013, he was Area “A” Legion Commissioner. He played a major role in bringing the 1971 American Legion Baseball World Series to Tucson. He umpired more than 1,000 games in the Pac-10 and WAC. He twice called the championship at the College World Series and umpired in 31 NCAA regional tournaments. He was also a United States Marine World War II veteran. In 1991, he was inducted into the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame
FOLLOW @JAVIERJMORALES ON TWITTER!
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator in 2016 and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
Recommended for you
