The late Oscar Romero, who won a city-high 488 games as baseball coach at Tucson High School, was honored posthumously last week in a ceremony at Cherry Field when the facility was renamed Oscar Romero Ballpark at Cherry Field. Current Tucson High baseball coach Mark Morris deserves a lot of credit for seeing the project through, start to finish.
Tucson head coach Oscar Romero, center, talks to his players before the state Division II baseball championship game between Canyon del Oro and Tucson High on May 19, 2015, at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
Tucson has been a high school baseball power for 100 years, when Tucson High baseball coaches Andy Tolson and Hank Slagle combined to win 17 state championships from 1930-54. The competition continues at a high level. Romero's record of 488 victories is being challenged by Canyon del Oro coach Jason Hisey, who has won 454 games at Catalina Foothills, Ironwood Ridge and now CDO. Hisey's team, 24-5 as of Friday, is ranked No. 1 entering the state 5A playoffs.
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The only other Tucson baseball coach to win 400 or more games was Sahuaro's Hal Eustice, who won 436 games in the ’70s and ’80s. Salpointe Catholic coach Danny Preble, whose Lancers are ranked No. 2 in the state entering the 4A playoffs, is also in the picture with 376 victories.
