JUAN DELGADO CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY IN STYLE

Juan Delgado, (photograph courtesy of Lisa Rodriguez, "Light Language") one of our avid golfers in the 80's and early 90's, celebrated his 78th birthday in style: he was named "Senior of the Year" by the new "Gallup Senior Guide". This new, yearly magazine is published by former Gallup mayor, Bob Rosebrough, and the editor is Lindsay Mapes, with whom we happily worked with a few times while organizing the RMCH Charity Invitational.

Juan Delgado was born in Arizona in 1931, and joined the Army in 1950, claiming that it was "the thing to do then" (we obviously need more like him nowadays). Afterwards moved to New Mexico where he had a career in Gallup High School (interrupted by a six year stint to Los Angeles), night club manager and finally, a city employee. When I came to Gallup there were some "legends" that everyone "had to know" about: Judge Lidio Rainaldi, Judge Paris Derisotis, former Mayor Ed Munoz, former Fire Chief Alfred "Porky" Abeita, Joe Vargas (below right), Barbara Stanley were among them... the last two, making the list of nominees along with Joseph Esparza, Charles High & Phyllis Tempest. Since meeting him during the 80's, Juan was well known as far as sports were concerned, mostly for juniors. He was involved in football, basketball, baseball and track.... and then, he began playing golf for recreation. It was never unusual to see him organizing a group of people to do something or to help someone else. I had the opportunity to play with him a couple of times in the mid 80's; but Juan was not the "tournament player" type, he was more laid back and golf to him was more of a pastime, than a sport or a competition. Once with the City of Gallup, he ran the Recreation Department, and was one of the main characters to seek support for and finally build, the Gallup Sports Complex. While golf and our facility was never a part of the Recreation Department, it was not unusual for Juan to give us a call and get something going for someone else... or reserve a tee time for him and a guest. Then, of course, if you ever saw a tall "Santa" during Christmas going from home to home, it was probably Juan! Heck! I almost sat in his lap once...! I was walking the mall with my youngest one when I heard a familiar voice call me... "Alex, Alex!!", soon I realized that it was Santa, so I walked to him and asked for a camera while trying to find out who he was as well; he said, "No, you don't get anything. You haven't made enough birdies... but bring your little one over here!" Congratulations to all nominees! You have surely helped put "Gallup on the Map" NOTE: is you want a copy of the magazine, call Lindsay Mapes at 722-9121