STAFF REPORTS
MISSION— The memory of Leo “Najo” Alaniz, one of the first Mexican-American baseball players to play pro ball in the United States in the 1920s, is celebrated annually in Mission.
The 48th annual “Leo Najo Day Oldtimers Reunion” is scheduled to be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Mission Event Center, located at 200 N. Shary Road. There will be live music with barbecue plates and refreshments for sale.
Every year, Leo Najo Day celebrates the colorful history of baseball in South Texas. Alaniz was inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
This year’s inductees to the Leo Najo Hall of Fame are Elias Alvarez of Hebbronville, Julian “Jay” Avila of Weslaco, Pat Escamilla of Mission, Charles La Grange of Rio Grande City, Amadeo “Lew” Lozano of Benavides, Jeronimo Nunez of Alamo, Herbert “Herb” Richmond of McAllen, Ricardo Sandate of Corpus Christi and Humberto “Bert” Taddei of Harlingen.
Also, special recognition will go to Winston Ayala of McAllen, Jaime Garcia of Reynosa, Rick Lozano of Mission, Cruz Rangel of McAllen, Jerry Saenz of Mission and Carlos Pimentel of Mercedes.
The event honors the memory of Mission’s Alaniz (1899-1978). He made it to major league spring training camps but was never able to stick with a major league team for the regular season. Alaniz played Triple-A ball. He was also a longtime manager in South Texas.
The Mission High School baseball field is named for Alaniz, and the street where he lived in Mission also is named for him.
For more information, call Vicente Estevis at (956) 381-4844.