Year Inducted: 1984
Nominated By: Jim Blanc
Sports Competed In: Football
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete, Coach

Jim Blanc

High School:
Attended Pueblo Central H.S., graduating in 1959.

Achievements:
High School:
● Won eight total varsity letters playing football (1956-58) and baseball (1957-59) and basketball (1958-50) for the Wildcats.
● Earned three varsity letters gridiron.
● Two-time All-Conference selection in football (1957-58).
● Made the All-State football team and played in the state championship game (1958).
● Earned two varsity letters as a member of the Wildcats basketball team.
● Earned All-Conference honors his senior year (1959) and played in the State Basketball Championship game.
● Earned three varsity letters playing on the Wildcats baseball team.
● Selected for All-Conference baseball honors in 1959.

College:
Went to Pueblo Junior College for two years (1960-1961)...Transferred to Adams State College (ASC) in Alamosa, CO where he graduated in 1963.

Achievements:
College:
● Played football for two years (1960-61) earning All-Conference honors at PJC... Also was the table tennis champion at PJC.
● Played two seasons of football and baseball each (earning a varsity letter each season) at ASC.
● Two-time All-Rocky Mountain Conference football selection in 1962 and 1963.

Coaching Career:
Football:
● Asst. Coach: Pueblo County H.S. for 10 years
Baseball:
● Head Coach: Pueblo County H.S. for six years
● Suffered a severe heart attack - had a triple by-pass operation (1974).
● Returned to coaching as head coach at Vineland Middle School (1976).
● Returned to Pueblo County H.S. as Assistant Football Coach (1977).

Related Activities:
● Played recreational softball for a number of years for the Pepsi Cola A team and helped his team to four World Softball Tournaments.
● Started playing softball again (1978-83). Played in the Senior Division. Named All-League selection every year.
● Also enjoys golf and has won several teachers tournaments throughout Colorado.
● Took up playing pool in the Pueblo men's pool league for three years (1981-83)...Became one of the top pool players in the city.

Honors:
Inducted into the Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Occupation:
Teacher and coach.

Personal:
Lived in Pueblo, CO....Passed away on Sept. 27, 2020.


GPSA "V" By The Numbers

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

 1

Administrator
Mike "Mills" Vunovich (1983*p)

Athlete
John L. Veechio (1992*)
Athlete/Coach/Contrbutor
Richard John "Dick" Vinci (1996*)

Attended Pueblo County H.S.
Elizabeth Jane "Liz" Villegas (1998*p)

Attended Pueblo South H.S.
Dan Robert "Kosho" Trujillo (2011)

Basketball
Darrel "BigUn" Vaughan (2020*p)

Coach
Elizabeth Jane "Liz" Villegas (1998*p)

Volleyball
Richard John "Dick" Vinci (1996*)

2
Athlete/Coach
Darrel "BigUn" Vaughan (2020*p)
Richard S. "Rich" Vivoda (1984*)

Track
Darrel "BigUn" Vaughan (2020*p)
Richard John "Dick" Vinci (1996*)

 

3
Football
Darrel "BigUn" Vaughan (2020*p)
John L. Veechio (1992*)
Richard S. "Rich" Vivoda (1984*)

Honorees Awarded Posthoumously
Darrel "BigUn" Vaughan (2020*p)
Elizabeth Jane "Liz" Villegas (1998*p)
Mike "Mills" Vunovich (1983*p)

 

 

 

5
Attended Pueblo Central H.S.
Darrel "BigUn" Vaughan (2020*p)
Richard John "Dick" Vinci (1996*)
John L. Veechio (1992*)
Richard S. "Rich" Vivoda (1984)
Mike "Mills" Vunovich (1983*p)

 

6
Honorees Deceased
Darrel "BigUn" Vaughan (2020*p)
Elizabeth Jane "Liz" Villegas (1998*p)
Richard John "Dick" Vinci (1996*)
John L. Veechio (1992*)
Richard S. "Rich" Vivoda (1984*)
Mike "Mills" Vunovich (1983*p)

 

6
Honorees in "V" Section

Remembering Our Fallen GPSA Inductees

The Greater Pueblo Sports Association (GPSA) has announced a list of honorees that have passed since the 2022 induction ceremony on Nov. 16.

 

Dennis TrujilloDennis
Trujillo

11/28/2022
Class of 2007

Knafelc obitGary L.
Knafelc

12/19/2022
Class of 1973

Don StuttersDr. Donald
Stutters

01/20/2023
Class of 1993