Gabriel “Gabe” Hernandez, Sr.
Inducted in 2005
Played Semi-Pro baseball for over 50 years starting in 1929 at the age of 16
His first 4 years were with the Legaspi Barbers and they won the first league championship in 1930
During these first four years he rarely struck out and was the top hitter in the league
He moved to California in 1933 and played Semi-Pro for teams in San Jose, Sacramento and Oakland as a center fielder
Returned from California to El Paso in 1945 and acquired Gabe’s Poultry Market
With the business he formed several boy’s leagues including coaching teams with players who would later win the Texas State Championship for Bowie High School in 1949
Following that season he took the players from the Bowie championship team and entered them in the El Paso City league and they beat everyone including teams from Chihuahua, Delicias, Saucillo and Juarez
From 1967 to 1968, he served as President of the Alta Vista Optimist Club which organized and sponsored 12 teams
In 1969, he served as President of the El Paso Commercial Baseball Association
On March 18, 1999, he was honored with a “Gabe Hernandez Day” by the city of El Paso for his great contributions and dedication to youth baseball in El Paso
