I remember the day Oscar called me and asked me to research his record because he was wondering if he was approaching 400 wins. I spent a few days of research in March of 2014 and he was right, his 400th victory came in late April of that year and then we were there with him when he retired in the spring of 2018 with an overall record of 488-300-3 from 1990 to 2018.
At the time of his retirement, Romero was responsible for 488 wins of the record 1,429 victories the program had from coaches James Fred “Pop” McKale to him, something like 34%. The program has 1,516 wins now.
I saw Oscar handle the passing of Chris Moon in 2010 with remarkable strength and he was like a rock through all the memorial tournaments held in Moon’s honor after that. He, himself, was a standout at Tucson High and he believed in the community that surrounded baseball and he displayed that by leading Post 7 to an American Legion World Series appearance in 2007.
We became close over the years and he trusted me to take the official wedding photos for one of his daughters, Casanndra. Cassandra married current Catalina Foothills football coach Daniel Sainz in 2021 and then came the birth of his granddaughter Orelia Cianna. Oscar’s wife, Jo Ann Arechederra-Romero is a teacher and the “Arechederra” name has a rich history in education in Southern Arizona.
Oscar coached the Badgers to AIA runner-up finishes in 2002, 2015 and 2016 and he started coaching at Tucson High as an assistant in 1983.
In 2018, I asked Oscar to put in his own words what it meant to lead Tucson High:
IN HIS OWN WORDS
“It has been my honor to have coached at my alma mater. To have coached at the most storied Baseball High School in America was quite a challenge. Growing up as a kid I used to always dream about putting the red and white on. I watched past players before me like Ron Hassey, Pete Otero, Mike Odom and Al Lopez, who I idolized.
I grew up with parents who loved baseball but always trusted my coaches and never questioned their intent. My father gave me the work ethic from a young age to work hard and to pursue perfection and your best effort was the key. My patience and perseverance came from my mother, she was a rock but always had a sensible quiet demeanor in handling situations.
I think I had a successful playing career at Tucson High and had many accolades at Tucson High. I also had great coaches like Ray Adkins and Tom Lundy who guided me and believed in me. Coaching had its bumps along the road but, all in all, it taught me how to treat and push young men to perform at their best. That is all I have ever striven for, having players to reach higher than they thought possible.
My father challenged me. He would say don’t be like me be better than me. I have given every ounce of my 35 years to making the program the best it could be. I wish the next candidate the best, but the torch will be passed on with keeping up the tradition of success at THS. My advice to them is treat all of them like your own sons, ask for their best but, at the end of the day, love them with a new-day approach.
I am done coaching high school but have always had aspirations of coaching college baseball. My second dream job would have been to coach at my other alma mater Pima, but they hired a legend and my coach who I have always had a high admiration for, coach Richard Alday.
The real last stop for me was to spend time and watch my son Orlando play college baseball at Adams State University, a D-II college in Alamosa, Colorado. Funny how timing is a factor in our destiny, Adams State is losing some of their coaching staff and I inquired about helping out and was hired instantly. I will be taking over infield play, hitting instruction and defensive and offensive situations and, of course, help recruit Arizona players to the RMAC for Adams State.
The dream continues, watching my son play and continuing my last dream of coaching college baseball. I have been truly blessed. A quick thank you to all past players, assistant coaches, parents and administrators who always trusted me with our special Tucson High baseball players.”
Services are pending.
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