El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame: a 501(c)(3) “Non-Profit Tax Exempt Public Charity”
Bufe C. Morrison championed the idea of the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. The stated purpose of the organization is “to honor individuals for outstanding performance over a substantial period of time in the sport of baseball in the El Paso Area. A reward for dedication, service or playing ability.”
The mission of the organization is found in its commitment to honoring and fostering a love for the game of baseball and the people who make it great in El Paso.
Bufe C. Morrison served as the first President with Victor Fayant serving as Vice President and Leo Forti as Secretary. Inaugural Board Member Mike Barrueta continues his service to our organization.
Andy Cohen is designated as the first person to be inducted. The “Original Class” of inductees also included Syd Cohen, Joe C. Hague, William C. “Nemo” Herrera, Jim Paul, Leo Forti, Gonzalo “Chalo” Garcia, Alberto “Beto” Mendez, Jim Ochoa and Bob Ingram.
Bufe Morrison – President (1988)
Victor Fayant – President (1989)
Leo Forti – President (1990)
Ray Sanchez – President (1991)
Jackie Harris – President (1992)
Ruben Torres – President (1993)
D. Joe Williams – President (1994, 2000 and 2001)
Bob Arnold – President (1995 and 1996)
Margarito Bañales Jr. – President (1997, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2005)
Marvin Nicchio – President (2002 and 2003)
Steve Enders – President (2006 and 2007)
Mike Barrueta – President (2008 and 2009)
Robert “Bob” Osborne – President (2010 and 2011)
Fernando Grado – President (2014)
Tom Carrillo – President (2015 and 2016)
Leo Caraveo – President (2017, 2018 and 2019)
Bob Aguirre – President (2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023)
Larry Hernandez – President (2012, 2013, 2024, 2025 and 2026)
WE REMAIN #EL PASO STRONG – Our El Paso Baseball Hall Of Fame Family Wishes You And Your Family Abundant Blessings, Great Health, Positive Opportunities, a Day of Courage and Strong Faith . . . EPBHOF sells out August 1 First Pitch Event in January . . . Type in a Name in the Search Bar or Hit the “Inductees” tab to get a more complete narrative for each of our current Honorees . . . Our website now has option to hear Hall of Fame music – Details Below . . . EPBHOF Web Site Reaches 3 Million Plus Views . . . EPBHOF Celebrates Year 39 . . . Trivia Answer Below . . . EPBHOF Showcase Room Set Up @ D-Bat West . . . EPBHOF Web Site Celebrates 16 Years & The Late Great Harry Caray would say “Holy Cow” our site has over 3.348 Million Views
“From a Silver Past to a Golden Future – – We honor Excellence”
A special “thank you” to El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Past President and Class of 1990 Honoree Coach Bob Osborne for our slogan. Posted May 7, 2012
El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame “Celebration 2025” videos and pictures are now available by hitting the “Pictures” tab at the top of our Home Page. Thank you to the Fred Loya Insurance Group, Mr. Fred Loya, Fred Loya Jr. and Adora Martinez for donating this effort. If there is a specific photo you wish to capture just right-click on it to save and then download for your personal access. Thank you to our Webmaster Josh Rodgers for editing and sizing the photos so they could be uploaded. Posted October 12, 2025
Our website now offers the opportunity to hear music while visiting the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame website. “Hit” the bar/arrow/toggle for music. If you click the button again, the music will pause. Thank you to our Amazing WebMaster Josh Rodgers for making this possible and continuing to refresh our website. Posted September 2, 2025
Our El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame thanks everyone who visits our website. Prayers for You and your entire Family. May the challenges that you encountered and met head on in 2025 reflect your resilience and persistence in being elite. Stay relentless in your pursuit of Excellence. You are a role model for those you know and probably for many you don’t know. We are honored and privileged to know you and have you as a part of our life journeys. Posted January 1, 2026
Our El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame website touches all the Bases and reaches over 3 Million Views. Posted May 9, 2025
The Late Great Ray Sanchez recognized the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame in his article for El Paso INC by stating the following: “One of the most popular and well-planned Halls of Fame in El Paso is the one for baseball. I mean, the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame is so well organized it plans ahead, has a spectacular website and offers plenty of press releases”. Posted June 23, 2019
Our El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame takes it personally to Celebrate the New and Honor our Past. 39 years in existence with 38 Banquets (covid postponed our 2020 event which we held in 2021). Posted January 22, 2026
Happy Birthday to Past President and Silver Anniversary Class of 2012 Honoree Tom Carrillo on Tuesday February 24. Posted February 1, 2026
Our El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame 2026 Board of Directors Line-Up includes: Armando Femath (Class of 2019), Past President Bob Aguirre (Class of 2005), Nominations Co-Chairman Chris Forbes (Class of 1999), Board Officer and Nominations Co-Chairman Dana Eisenga (Class of 2012), Vice President Fred Loya (Class of 2021), Hector Bernal Jr. (Class of 2024), Jorge Perez (Class of 2021), President Larry Hernandez (Class of 1999), Past President Margarito Bañales Jr. (Class of 2005), Mike Beltran Sr. (Class of 1991), Ways and Means Chairman Raul Real Y Vasquez (Class of 2006), Past President Tom Carrillo (Class of 2012) and Victor Maldonado (Class of 2016). Type in a Name in the Search Bar to get a more complete narrative for each of our current Honorees. Posted January 22, 2026
Our El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame offers our sincerest gratitude to the Fred Loya Insurance Group, Mr. Fred Loya, Fred Loya and Adora Martinez for sharing their hospitality in allowing us to meet in their building. Posted February 6, 2025
Our second 2026 Board Meeting will take place Wednesday February 11, 2026 in the Fred Loya Insurance Headquarters (intersection of Trawood and Lee Trevino) Boardroom. Our meeting will start at 4:47 PM. Attendees please remember to review and bring your Hall of Fame packets and previous materials to the meeting to assist with discussion and decision making. Please assist President and Class of 1999 Honoree Larry Hernandez in planning personalized handouts and adequate resources by notifying him of your intent to attend at: PapaBandit7@AOL.com or 915.494.7710. Updated for Tuesday February 3, 2026
Click on the Fred Loya Insurance logo to go directly to their website and find out about discounts and plans they offer. Thank you to Fred Loya Insurance Group, Adora Martinez and her team including her photographer Chris for creating a photo memory of our sold out events and celebrations. Pictures are from the Meet and Greet, First Pitch and Banquet events. Thank you to our WebMaster Josh Rodgers for uploading the pictures to enhance the nostalgia of our organization. Posted January 1, 2026
El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Roll Call continues on Tuesday February 3, 2026: Class of 1990 Honoree Beto Portugal who won 8 batting titles, 5 Gold Gloves, 2X “Outstanding Player” and 3X MVP during his Semi-Pro and Old Timers play
El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Trivia Answer for Tuesday February 3, 2026: Class of 2018 Honoree Larry Vucan the first El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Honoree to be inducted in the same Year that a Honoree Coach led a team to a Texas High School State Baseball Championship, coached Franklin High School leading the Cougars to multiple Texas High School Playoff Appearances, played at Eastwood High School and New Mexico Highlands University, played and coached professionally in the Italian Baseball League, coached Southlake Carroll to 2018 & 2019 & 2022 Texas High School 6A State Baseball Championships and 3 consecutive Texas High School State Tournament Final 4 appearances in his first 4 years as the Dragons Head Coach, coached Southlake Carroll to 2018 & 2019 & 2022 Texas High School 6A State Baseball Championships becoming the first Coach in UIL history to lead his team to 3 State Championships in the highest classification in a 4 year period of completed play and named National High School Baseball Coach of the Year in 2022
Click on the D-Bat logo to go directly to their website and find out about all the opportunities provided for baseball training. D-Bat of West El Paso became the Home for the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame when it donated a dedicated area to celebrate our organization and history. The El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Showcase Room is now set up and available for view at the D-Bat West facility. Thank you to Bob and Sue Aguirre, Raul Real Y Vasquez, Mike Barrueta, Mrs. Naomi Leyva on behalf of Mr. Frank Leyva and his family, Cary Hamilton, Coach Andy Powers, Mr. Bill Powers and the Staff at D-Bat West. The D-Bat sign has an El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame tag attached. Please click here to read the story written by Maria Cortes Gonzalez in the El Paso Times.
El Paso Community College Tejanos have named their Baseball Field Eisenga Field. This is in honor and recognition of El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary Class of 2012 Honoree and Board Officer Dana Eisenga. The field sign was posted Saturday February 10, 2024. A new Tejano Scoreboard with the Eisenga name was erected for their game Saturday February 15, 2025. Posted February 11, 2024 Updated February 15, 2025
Memorial Park Field has been renamed in honor of El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1992 Honoree Armando “Sam” Sambrano. To view the story written by: Trish Long in the online edition of the El Paso Times on Saturday October 21, 2023 Click here to read the story
El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Board of Director and Class of 1999 Honoree Chris Forbes is the subject of an El Paso Times story written by Mark Lambie on May 14, 2020. Forbes reflects on the building of the current Chris Forbes Field which will be upgraded along with the rest of Socorro High School. The memories building the old field and the championships won including the 2009 Class 5A State Championship will be cherished on the new turf field. The new field will retain the name Chris Forbes Field and the current site. Please click here to read the story. Posted May 14, 2020
El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Son/Father Duo Member and Class of 2013 Honoree Frank Castillo received approval for a park to be named in his honor by the El Paso City Council at their meeting on Tuesday January 21, 2020. Nate Ryan with KVIA Channel 7 Sports did a story that aired Tuesday January 21, 2020. Click here to go to the KVIA site and view the story by Nate Ryan Channel 7 Sports. Posted January 21, 2020
The El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame led by President and Class of 1999 Honoree Larry Hernandez was selected to partner with Warner Brothers for a preview screening of the movie “42” about the legendary Jackie Robinson on Wednesday April 10. The City of El Paso declared Wednesday April 10 as “Jackie Robinson 42 Day”. El Paso City and County dignitaries joined a completely sold out screening event. Posted April 10, 2013
Effective Dec. 2, 2013, The El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame has been granted exempt status from the Texas franchise tax and the sales and use tax as 501(c)(3) organization. The exemption does not extend to the hotel occupancy tax. Posted July 2, 2014
The El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame received notice from the Internal Revenue Service that our application has been reviewed and accepted and is now registered as a 501(c)(3) “Non-Profit Tax Exempt Public Charity” in accordance with its Tax Code. All donations to our organization are tax deductible as designated by the IRS tax laws. A special “thank you” to our legal counsel Alan Gluth and our CPA Kirk Patterson for their guidance in our application and its process. Posted June 10, 2014
Psalm 4:8 tells us that the Lord alone makes us live in safety. Pray for protection over our world, country, state and city from the Coronavirus and its variants. Pray for a cure. Pray for first responders and medical professionals. The El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame encourages everyone to practice safe hygiene habits and help us remove the threat of the covid virus. Be vigilant in the care for yourself and your families and friends. We wish you and your family great health. Stay Safe.
Our El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame website was launched in August of 2010. On Friday May 9, 2025 our site recorded view #3 Million. On Friday May 19, 2023 our site recorded view #2.5 Million. On Monday April 19, 2021 our site recorded view #2 Million. On Monday July 8, 2019 we had view # 1.5 Million. We reached view # 1,000,000 on Sunday August 27, 2017. Our web site reached 500,000 views on Saturday February 27, 2016. “Thank You” to our Webmaster Josh Rodgers for uploading our latest pictures and all photos onto our website on a continuous basis since the inception in August 2010 of its launch. Updated for February 3, 2026
The El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame wants to continue to include You in our communication. We ask that all of our Hall of Fame inductees send us your name, phone number and email address so that we may update our records. Thank you in advance. Any verifiable additions to “Inductee” bios are also welcome.
MEMBER UPDATE: (Send us your events, your birthdays, anniversaries, your honors, your updates so we can share with our Hall of Famers) through the Contact page.
