NM Sports Hall of Fame plans reception for this year's inductees

Aug. 17—The Albuquerque Sports Hall of Fame held its inaugural banquet on March 5, 1974, honoring original inductees Roy Johnson, Bobby Unser and F.M. "Tony" Wilson.

In 2005, the Hall of Fame expanded to include inductees from all corners and edges of New Mexico — first as the Albuquerque/New Mexico Hall of Fame, then simply the New Mexico Hall of Fame.

On Saturday at the Albuquerque Convention Center, the NMSHOF will stage its 49th annual banquet — honoring inductees Cheryl Johnson, Ty Murray, Jennifer Goble Poyer, Cindy Roybal and the late Danny Villanueva.

And as the Hall of Fame approaches the half-century mark, Marty Saiz said on Thursday in a phone interview, the future looks bright — largely thanks to the stewardship of Theo Barela.

Barela, president of the Hall of Fame board, died unexpectedly in June at age 70. But he left the organization in the best financial shape Saiz has seen during his own eight-year relationship with the NMSHOF.

Largely thanks to Barela's leadership, Saiz said, the NMSHOF was able to award $2,000 scholarships to its male and female prep athletes of the year and to contribute $10,000 to ALS research.

Gene Pino, a past president of the NMSHOF board and winner of its Award of Distinction, was diagnosed with ALS in 2011.

"(Barela) was a worker," Saiz said. "... He had great business sense."

Because of the void created by Barela's death, Saiz said, the board will hold a special meeting on Aug. 28. Saiz, a past president, had left to focus on other projects but stepped in to help after Barela's passing.

Some changes are afoot.

Before Barela's tenure as president, inductees had been presented in December on the day of the New Mexico Bowl. The banquets typically would follow on a Sunday in February, March or April.

In 2022, Barela revamped the process. Inductees were announced in April, and the banquet was held on a Saturday in August. Barela said he felt there would be fewer conflicts with scholastic sports activities in the summer.

This year, the inductees were announced in June, with the banquet again set for August. The sentiment on the board entering year 50, Saiz said, is that the banquet needs to be earlier in the year.

Saturday's banquet conflicts with the University of New Mexico athletics' annual Cherry & Silver Scholarship Gala.

New Mexico State has a similar fundraising event, an "Aggies in Paradise" luau, on Friday.

A June date on a Sunday has been discussed for next year, Saiz said, with a possible return to a date in the spring in succeeding years.

After his departure from his position on the board, Saiz continued to consult with Barela on NMSHOF issues.

After Barela's death, he stepped in and resumed some of his former duties.

As for the future, he said, "We'll talk on August 28th and see what direction we want to go."

Ticket sales for the banquet are closed, but a reception for the inductees, from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday at All In Autographs, 2225 Wyoming NE, is open to the public.

More on the inductees:

JENNIFER GOBLE POYER: An all-conference performer at Eastern New Mexico University in basketball and volleyball.

Ended her ENMU playing career in 1994 as the program's leading career scorer with 1,852 points.

CHERYL JOHNSON: A three-sport star at Manzano, a state championship-winning softball coach at La Cueva and Volcano Vista and a standout racquetball player.

TY MURRAY: A rodeo and bull-riding champion with a long history in New Mexico.

The Ty Murray Invitational bull-riding event has become a staple of the Albuquerque sports calendar.

CINDY ROYBAL: A women's basketball pioneer as a member of the traveling Redheads, she went on to great success as a college and high school coach.

DANNY VILLANUEVA: After an outstanding career as a kicker at New Mexico State, he played eight years in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys before embarking on successful business career. He died in 2015 at age 77.

ANNUAL HONOREES: Ja'Kwon Hill, Volcano Vista basketball, male athlete; Ashlyn Salas, Hope Christian soccer, female athlete. Greg Brown, Volcano Vista basketball, male coach; Lisa Villareal, Volcano Vista basketball female coach.