Jack C. Hildner


Year Inducted: 2012 (p)
Nominated By: Judy Hildner (wife)
Sports Competed In: N/A
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Contributor

High School:
Attended John Muir H.S., in Pasadena, CA...Graduated in 1956...Lettered two years each as a pitcher (baseball) and tennis (singles and doubles) for the Mustangs (1955-56)...Also played football for two years (1954-55), as an offensive guard... Four-year pitcher for the American Legion Baseball team (1956-60).

Jack HildnerCollege:
Attended Hartnell J.C. in Salinas, KS...Played baseball two seasons each as a pitcher (1957-58) and offensive guard (1956-57) in football seeing limited action due to an arm injury...Transferred to the University of Missouri and pitched one season for the Tigers baseball program (1959).

Achievements:
● All-State Games committee member.
● Member of the Runyon Field Board of Directors (mid to late 1960s).
● Served on a committee to rename Pueblo Public School Stadium to Dutch Clark Stadium, helping raise money for the statue of Clark.
● Received numerous Colorado Press Association awards for editing and headline writing.
● Earned recognition from the Greater Pueblo Sports Association (GPSA) in 1984.

Contributions:
Hildner was a fierce advocate of local sports in the Pueblo community and Southern Colorado...Joined The Pueblo Chieftain staff as a sportswriter in 1964 and immediately saw the need for more coverage of high school wrestling and track...Jack took on that challenge himself as one of just two night writers for The Pueblo Chieftain...He became the overall editor when The Chieftain and Star-Journal staffs were combined in 1973 and became news editor in 1986...During his tenure as sports editor, Hildner expanded coverage of women’s sports at then-Southern Colorado State College and initiated coverage of girls sports at the high school level. Hildner encouraged reporters to talk to athletes, not just coaches, a big departure from the way sports was covered in the 1960s...Jack also stayed well past the newspaper’s 12:30 a.m. deadline to research and write many stories about the first inductees of the GPSA Hall of Fame...Hildner covered the National League baseball playoffs and World Series in 1982, the first time The Pueblo Chieftain had sent a writer to a national event of that significance...But he also relished covering Centennial High School at the 1968 state high school basketball tournament as a reporter.

Quote:
"Jack Hildner’s “behind the scene” instruction also benefited other young journalists, including GPSA Hall of Famers David Socier (1963 inductee), Judy Hildner (1997), Mike Spence (2007) and John Salas (2008). Jack Hildner showed them “the ropes” and provided them with a “special insight” into the world of the Newspapers.
-- Judy Hildner

Personal:
Lived in Pueblo with his wife, Judith...Passed away in May, 2012.


GPSA "H" By The Numbers

LEGEND: p = awarded posthumously; ^= attended first meeting; * = deceased;+ = charter member (placed after year inducted)

1
Administrator
Charles G. "Charlie" Hoffman (1994*p)

Athlete/Administrator
Charles G. Hitchcock (1983*)

Athlete/Coach/Contributor
Richard 'Dick" Hime (2022 *p)
Joseph Edward Hughes (1977*)

Athlete/Contributor
Paula Henson (2017)

Attended St. Patrick's H.S.
Charles G. "Charlie" Hoffman (1994*p)

Attended Pueblo East H.S.
Steve Henson (2002)

Auto Racing
William B. 'Bill" Hodges, Jr. (2000*)

Boxing
Charles G. Hitchcock (1983*)

Cross Country
Charles Louis "Chuck" Haering (1999*)

Statistician
Charles G. "Charlie" Hoffman (1994*p)

Swimming
Joseph "Salvy" Hernandez (1992*p)

Track
Richard "Dick" Hime (2022*p)

Wrestling
William S. "Bill" Heath (1982*)

 

2
Athlete/Official
Anthony J. "Tony" Hegler (2013)
William S. "Bill" Heath (1982*)

Softball
Paula Henson (2017)
Ruth Hulsey (1983*)

 

3
Attended H.S. Outside Colorado
Jack C. Hildner (2012*p)
John Muir H.S., Pasadena, CA
Charles Louis "Chuck" Haering (1999)
Central Catholic H.S., Pittsburgh, PA
Jack "Cactus Jack" Helmsing (1989*)
College View H.S., Lincoln, NE

Attended Pueblo Catholic H.S.
Judith Kathryn "Judy" Hildner (1997*)
Gene Hochevar (1990)
Henry Robert "Bob" Haley (1978)

Coach
Richard "Dick" Hime (2022*p)
Jack "Cactus Jack" Helmsing (1989*)
Henry Robert "Bob" Haley (1978)

Editor/Sportswriter/Owner
Jack C. Hildner (2012*p)
Judith Kathryn "Judy" Hildner (1997*)
Frank Steven Hoag, Jr. (1975*)

Official
Paula Henson (2017)
James "Newell" Hall (1984*)
William S. "Bill" Heath (1982*)

Tennis
Paula Henson (2017)
Steve Henson (2002)
Joel Walter "Bear" Herzog (1996*p)

Track
Christopher C. Haering (2008)
Freda Ann Hancock (1998)
Joseph "Salvy" Hernandez (1992*p)

 

5
Contributor
Paula Henson (2017)
William Joseph "Bill" Hybl (2010)
Judith Kathryn "Judy" Hildner (1997*)
Frank Steven Hoag, Jr. (1975*)
O'Neal Hobbs (1974*)

Athlete
Walter Leo Hill (2012*)
Roger Alan Hargraves (2006*p)
Joel Walter "Bear" Herzog (1996*p)
Joseph "Salvy" Hernandez (1992*p)
Dennis Hagaman (1975*p)

Attended Pueblo South H.S.
Christopher C. Haering (2008)
Mark C. Haering (2008)
Jim J. Harrison (2006)
Joel Walter "Bear" Herzog (1996*p)
Brian Hochevar (1993)

 

6
Baseball
Richard "Dick" Hime (2022*p)
Walter Leo Hill (2012*)
Roger Alan Hargraves (2006*p)
Jim J. Harrison (2006)
Brian Hochevar (1993)
O'Neal Hobbs (1974*)0)

 

7
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
Anthony J. "Tony" Hegler (2013)
Roger Alan Hargraves (2006*p)
William B. "Bill" Hodges, Jr. (2000)
Charles G. Hitchcock (1983*)
William S. "Bill" Heath (1982*)
Joseph Edward Hughes (1977*)
Dennis Hagaman (1975*p)

Honorees Awarded Posthumously
Richard "Dick" Hime (2022*p)
Jack C. Hildner (2012*p)
Roger A. Hargraves (2006*p)
Joel Walter "Bear" Herzog (1996*p)
Charles G. "Charlie" Hoffman (1994*p)
Joseph "Salvy" Hernandez (1992*p)
Dennis Hagaman (1975*p)

Basketball
Richard "Dick" Hime (2022*p)
Anthony J. "Tony" Hegler (2013)
Walter Leo Hill (2012*)
Christopher C. Haering (2008)
Jim J. Harrison (2006)
Brian Hochevar (1993)
Gene Hochevar (1990)


8
Attended Pueblo Centennial H.S.
Richard "Dick" Hime (2022*p)
Walter Leo Hill (2012*)
William Joseph "Bill" Hybl (2010)
Freda Ann Hancock (1998)
Joseph "Salvy" Hernandez (1992*p)
James "Newell" Hall (1984*)
Mike William Housh (1983)
Ruth Louise Hulsey (1983*)

11
Athlete/Coach
Christopher C. Haering (2008)
Mark C. Haering (2008)
Jim J. Harrison (2006)
Steve Henson (2002)
William B. "Bill" Hodges, Jr. (2000)
Charles Louis "Chuck" Haering (1999*)
Freda Ann Hancock (1998)
Brian Hochevar (1993)
Gene Hochevar (1990)
Mike William Housh (1983)
Ruth Louise Hulsey (1983*)

Football
Anthony J. "Tony" Hegler (2013)
Walter Leo Hill (2012*)
Christopher C. Haering (2008)
Mark C. Haering (2008)
Charles Louis "Chuck" Haering (1999*)
Brian Hochevar (1993)
Gene Hochevar (1990)
Charles G. Hitchcock (1983*)
Mike William Housh (1983)
William S. "Bill" Heath (1982*)
Dennis Hagaman (1975*p)

 

18
Honorees Deceased
Jack C. Hildner (2012*p)
Walter Leo Hill (2012*)
Roger A. Hargraves (2006*p)
William B. 'Bill" Hodges, Jr. (2000*)
Charles Louis "Chuck" Haering (1999*)
Judith Kathryn "Judy" Hildner (1997*)
Joel Walter "Bear" Herzog (1996*p)
Charles G. "Charlie" Hoffman (1994*p)
Joseph "Salvy" Hernandez (1992*p)
Jack "Cactus Jack" Helmsing (1989*)
J. Newell Hall (1984*)
Charles G. Hitchcock (1983*)
Ruth Hulsey (1983*)
William S. "Bill" Heath (1982*)
Joseph Edward Hughes (1977*)
Dennis Hagaman (1975*p)
Frank S. Hoag, Jr. (1975*)
O'Neal Hobbs (1974*)

 

32
Honorees in "H" Section

 

REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN GPSA INDUCTEES

The Greater Pueblo Sports Association (GPSA) has announced a list of honorees that have passed since the 2023 induction ceremony on Nov. 15.

 

 

Daniel RosalesDaniel
Rosales

12/13/2023
Class of 2002

Everett C. ThalhamerEverett C.
Thalhamer

12/23/2023
Class of 2014

Bob GrahamBobby Max
Graham

02/26/2024
Class of 1990

Joe BonaquistaJoe
Bonaquista

07/16/2024
Class of 1977