Greg Hansen's top 10 families in Tucson sports history
- Updated
The Hassey/Byrge families top the list.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Editor's note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen has been counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.
His summer series ends today, with a list of the top 10 families in Tucson sports history:
Joseph G. Hassey was a Detroit cab driver in the 1920s who moved to Tucson for the simplest reason: a doctor suggested his asthmatic condition could be helped by breathing desert air.
Joe is probably the least likely patriarch of one of the most — if not the most — prominent sports families in Tucson history.
Joe drove a produce truck from Tucson to Los Angeles twice a week before air conditioning and long before interstate highways. It didn’t drive him to drink, but by the mid 1930s he opened the Arizona Liquor Store near downtown, later moving it to an East Speedway location.
Over the next 75 years, the Hassey family produced three of the top baseball players in Tucson history, two softball stars, the state racquetball champion, an all-city basketball player, and a key member of a state championship football team.
Can any Tucson family top that? It’s unlikely.
Joe’s son, Bill Hassey, was a first-team All-State baseball player at Tucson High in 1944, 1945 and 1946, the state’s player of the year in 1944. He played one year at Arizona, hitting .353 in 1948, and then signed with the New York Yankees.
Bill’s son, Ron Hassey, was a driving force behind Tucson High’s 25-0 state championship team of 1972. He then led Arizona to the 1976 NCAA championship and set two records that still endure: 86 RBI in a season and 223 RBI in a career. He hit .421 in 1974 and would spend 13 years as a major-league catcher.
Bill’s younger son, Joe Hassey, won the Arizona state racquetball championship in 1987. He became general manager of the Tucson Toros a year later.
Ron’s son, Brad Hassey, became an all-state infielder at Salpointe Catholic. He was a first-team All-Pac-10 shortstop at Arizona in 2002, hitting .315, and played in 459 minor-league games.
Papa Joe’s daughter, JoAnn Hassey, married Mel Byrge, a key part to Tucson High’s undefeated 1965 state football championship team and one of Tucson’s top youth softball coaches. JoAnn and Mel’s family continued the athletic success: son Brad Byrge was a major factor as Salpointe Catholic built one of the state’s top basketball powers in the late 1990s; daughter Kristy Byrge became an all-state softball pitcher at Sabino and became a starter for the New Mexico Lobos; and daughter Stephanie Byrge similarly became an all-city pitcher at Sabino, accepting a scholarship to pitch at Creighton.
More? Papa Joe’s son Tom Hassey, an accomplished golfer, started a sports-talk program on 1400-AM, which still ranks among the best of its kind in Tucson history.
The competition as “best sports family’’ in Tucson history is fully unofficial and the ranking of one man — me. Any of the 10 in my rankings could be No. 1 or close to it. But I’ll go with the Hasseys. Here’s the top 10:
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Ron Hassey declined scholarship offers from USC and ASU to play for the Wildcats and lead them to their greatest four-year period in history, 1948-52.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Here’s the impressive countdown: Norm Patton coached Marana High to state basketball championships in 1969, 1970 and 1972. He then coached Pima College’s men’s basketball team — he was its first coach — to 111 victories over eight years, including its first ACCAC championship in 1980.
His daughter Vickie was an integral part of Marana’s 1982 state basketball championship team. Another daughter, Kelly Fowler, led Marana to the 1980 state softball championship game, and then coached Canyon del Oro High to 2005, 2011 and 2017 state softball championships. His youngest daughter, Patty Shearer, played on two state championship basketball teams at Marana and coached Catalina Foothills to the 1997 girls state basketball championship.
Norm’s granddaughters, Kenzie Fowler and Mattie Fowler, were state softball players of the year at Canyon del Oro, both winning state championships and having accomplished college careers at Arizona and Nebraska.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Lefty pitcher Alex Kellner won 101 major-league baseball game and played in the 1950 All-Star Game. His brother Walt also reached the major-leagues after dominating Southern Arizona baseball. Walt’s son, Frank, an all-state shortstop from Catalina, played in seven minor-league seasons, five of them for the Tucson Toros. Walt’s son Joey was a relief pitcher for Arizona’s 1980 NCAA championship team.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In the 1980s, Marion Bates became an all-state defensive back at Amphitheater High, signing with USC. Middle brother Michael became the top sprinter in Arizona, winning five state titles, and rushed for more than 3,000 yards. He won the 1992 bronze medal in 200 meters at the Barcelona Olympics and was a five-time Pro Bowl player in the NFL. Youngest brother Mario set the state record for rushing at Amphi, 4,836 yards, became an All-Pac-10 runner at ASU and played seven NFL seasons.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In the 1930s and 1940s, the Batistes were the top athletic family in Arizona and among the best in the nation. Joe Batiste set an American record in the 120 high hurdles and won state high jump, long jump and hurdles championships. Fred became the state’s 1943 football player of the year and was first black football player in UA history, in 1949. Frank similarly won state championships in the sprints and long jump at Tucson High.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Palo Verde High School football-playing brothers were superb in the 1960s and 1970s. Linebacker Mark Arneson started 104 games for the St. Louis Cardinals in nine NFL seasons, and was an All-WAC linebacker at Arizona in 1970 and 1971. Offensive lineman Jim was an all-WAC guard at Arizona in 1972 and played for the Dallas Cowboys. Youngest brother Tom, a state discus champion, and all-city linebacker, signed to pay with Arizona but left the sport before he could letter.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Paul Robinson of Marana High School was a state champion hurdler/sprinter before playing football at Arizona and becoming the Cincinnati Bengals and AFL’s Rookie of the Year running back in 1967. Cleo Robinson was the top high school hurdler in the state at Marana, and later NAU, and has been a top Pac-12 football official for three decades. Jerry Robinson was an all-state basketball and football player on powerhouse Marana teams of the 1960s. Cleo’s grandson, Bijan Robinson, a sophomore football standout at Salpointe Catholic, has already been offered scholarships by Arizona and ASU.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In 1959, Tucson High grad Mel Potter reached the National Finals Rodeo in calf roping. He has gone on to be one of the leading stock producers for all rodeo competitions. His wife Wendy, also a Badger, competed in the National Finals Rodeo in barrel racing in 1970 and 1972. Their daughter, Sherri Cervi, is a four-time world champion barrel racer, possibly the best at that sport in rodeo history.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Cleveland Indians catcher Dave Duncan met his wife, Tucsonan Jeanine Richey, while in spring training at Hi Corbett Field. They would live in Tucson for 30 years as Dave became one of the most accomplished pitching coaches in baseball history. Their sons, Shelley and Chris, attended Canyon del Oro High School and then combined to play in 718 big-league games; Shelley holds the UA career home run record (55) and is a minor-league manager in the Arizona Diamondbacks system.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
John and Tom Black of Tucson High were two of the biggest names in Tucson and Arizona sports from 1935-55. John was an all-state football player at Tucson High, a three-year starter at Arizona and All-Border Conference back in 1940 and a starter on the UA basketball team. He later became an assistant coach at Arizona and then piloted Phoenix Union High to the 1948 state football championship. His younger brother, Tom, lettered at Arizona in football and basketball, was a UA assistant football coach in 1947, and coached Phoenix North High to the 1950 state football championship. John’s son, John R. Black, was a standout punter and defensive back for Arizona in 1969 and 1970. The Black brothers operated the UA’s booster club, the Phoenix Towncats, for about 15 years.
Editor's note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen has been counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.
His summer series ends today, with a list of the top 10 families in Tucson sports history:
Joseph G. Hassey was a Detroit cab driver in the 1920s who moved to Tucson for the simplest reason: a doctor suggested his asthmatic condition could be helped by breathing desert air.
Joe is probably the least likely patriarch of one of the most — if not the most — prominent sports families in Tucson history.
Joe drove a produce truck from Tucson to Los Angeles twice a week before air conditioning and long before interstate highways. It didn’t drive him to drink, but by the mid 1930s he opened the Arizona Liquor Store near downtown, later moving it to an East Speedway location.
Over the next 75 years, the Hassey family produced three of the top baseball players in Tucson history, two softball stars, the state racquetball champion, an all-city basketball player, and a key member of a state championship football team.
Can any Tucson family top that? It’s unlikely.
Joe’s son, Bill Hassey, was a first-team All-State baseball player at Tucson High in 1944, 1945 and 1946, the state’s player of the year in 1944. He played one year at Arizona, hitting .353 in 1948, and then signed with the New York Yankees.
Bill’s son, Ron Hassey, was a driving force behind Tucson High’s 25-0 state championship team of 1972. He then led Arizona to the 1976 NCAA championship and set two records that still endure: 86 RBI in a season and 223 RBI in a career. He hit .421 in 1974 and would spend 13 years as a major-league catcher.
Bill’s younger son, Joe Hassey, won the Arizona state racquetball championship in 1987. He became general manager of the Tucson Toros a year later.
Ron’s son, Brad Hassey, became an all-state infielder at Salpointe Catholic. He was a first-team All-Pac-10 shortstop at Arizona in 2002, hitting .315, and played in 459 minor-league games.
Papa Joe’s daughter, JoAnn Hassey, married Mel Byrge, a key part to Tucson High’s undefeated 1965 state football championship team and one of Tucson’s top youth softball coaches. JoAnn and Mel’s family continued the athletic success: son Brad Byrge was a major factor as Salpointe Catholic built one of the state’s top basketball powers in the late 1990s; daughter Kristy Byrge became an all-state softball pitcher at Sabino and became a starter for the New Mexico Lobos; and daughter Stephanie Byrge similarly became an all-city pitcher at Sabino, accepting a scholarship to pitch at Creighton.
More? Papa Joe’s son Tom Hassey, an accomplished golfer, started a sports-talk program on 1400-AM, which still ranks among the best of its kind in Tucson history.
The competition as “best sports family’’ in Tucson history is fully unofficial and the ranking of one man — me. Any of the 10 in my rankings could be No. 1 or close to it. But I’ll go with the Hasseys. Here’s the top 10:
Ron Hassey declined scholarship offers from USC and ASU to play for the Wildcats and lead them to their greatest four-year period in history, 1948-52.
Here’s the impressive countdown: Norm Patton coached Marana High to state basketball championships in 1969, 1970 and 1972. He then coached Pima College’s men’s basketball team — he was its first coach — to 111 victories over eight years, including its first ACCAC championship in 1980.
His daughter Vickie was an integral part of Marana’s 1982 state basketball championship team. Another daughter, Kelly Fowler, led Marana to the 1980 state softball championship game, and then coached Canyon del Oro High to 2005, 2011 and 2017 state softball championships. His youngest daughter, Patty Shearer, played on two state championship basketball teams at Marana and coached Catalina Foothills to the 1997 girls state basketball championship.
Norm’s granddaughters, Kenzie Fowler and Mattie Fowler, were state softball players of the year at Canyon del Oro, both winning state championships and having accomplished college careers at Arizona and Nebraska.
Lefty pitcher Alex Kellner won 101 major-league baseball game and played in the 1950 All-Star Game. His brother Walt also reached the major-leagues after dominating Southern Arizona baseball. Walt’s son, Frank, an all-state shortstop from Catalina, played in seven minor-league seasons, five of them for the Tucson Toros. Walt’s son Joey was a relief pitcher for Arizona’s 1980 NCAA championship team.
In the 1980s, Marion Bates became an all-state defensive back at Amphitheater High, signing with USC. Middle brother Michael became the top sprinter in Arizona, winning five state titles, and rushed for more than 3,000 yards. He won the 1992 bronze medal in 200 meters at the Barcelona Olympics and was a five-time Pro Bowl player in the NFL. Youngest brother Mario set the state record for rushing at Amphi, 4,836 yards, became an All-Pac-10 runner at ASU and played seven NFL seasons.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the Batistes were the top athletic family in Arizona and among the best in the nation. Joe Batiste set an American record in the 120 high hurdles and won state high jump, long jump and hurdles championships. Fred became the state’s 1943 football player of the year and was first black football player in UA history, in 1949. Frank similarly won state championships in the sprints and long jump at Tucson High.
The Palo Verde High School football-playing brothers were superb in the 1960s and 1970s. Linebacker Mark Arneson started 104 games for the St. Louis Cardinals in nine NFL seasons, and was an All-WAC linebacker at Arizona in 1970 and 1971. Offensive lineman Jim was an all-WAC guard at Arizona in 1972 and played for the Dallas Cowboys. Youngest brother Tom, a state discus champion, and all-city linebacker, signed to pay with Arizona but left the sport before he could letter.
Paul Robinson of Marana High School was a state champion hurdler/sprinter before playing football at Arizona and becoming the Cincinnati Bengals and AFL’s Rookie of the Year running back in 1967. Cleo Robinson was the top high school hurdler in the state at Marana, and later NAU, and has been a top Pac-12 football official for three decades. Jerry Robinson was an all-state basketball and football player on powerhouse Marana teams of the 1960s. Cleo’s grandson, Bijan Robinson, a sophomore football standout at Salpointe Catholic, has already been offered scholarships by Arizona and ASU.
In 1959, Tucson High grad Mel Potter reached the National Finals Rodeo in calf roping. He has gone on to be one of the leading stock producers for all rodeo competitions. His wife Wendy, also a Badger, competed in the National Finals Rodeo in barrel racing in 1970 and 1972. Their daughter, Sherri Cervi, is a four-time world champion barrel racer, possibly the best at that sport in rodeo history.
Cleveland Indians catcher Dave Duncan met his wife, Tucsonan Jeanine Richey, while in spring training at Hi Corbett Field. They would live in Tucson for 30 years as Dave became one of the most accomplished pitching coaches in baseball history. Their sons, Shelley and Chris, attended Canyon del Oro High School and then combined to play in 718 big-league games; Shelley holds the UA career home run record (55) and is a minor-league manager in the Arizona Diamondbacks system.
John and Tom Black of Tucson High were two of the biggest names in Tucson and Arizona sports from 1935-55. John was an all-state football player at Tucson High, a three-year starter at Arizona and All-Border Conference back in 1940 and a starter on the UA basketball team. He later became an assistant coach at Arizona and then piloted Phoenix Union High to the 1948 state football championship. His younger brother, Tom, lettered at Arizona in football and basketball, was a UA assistant football coach in 1947, and coached Phoenix North High to the 1950 state football championship. John’s son, John R. Black, was a standout punter and defensive back for Arizona in 1969 and 1970. The Black brothers operated the UA’s booster club, the Phoenix Towncats, for about 15 years.
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