Jim Bond (Posthumously)
Jim Bond spent his boyhood and teen years growing up in Los Alamos, New Mexico. His pitching techniques were polished by the tutorship of long-time pitching guru, Bun Ryan.
The New Mexico junkballer played fastpitch softball during his formative years and became very well known in that state's playing annals.
Upon his move to Pueblo in the early 1970's to work at the Pueblo Army Depot, Jim was picked up by Pueblo's renown Pepsi-Cola fastpitch softball team. Bond played in two International Softball Congress World Tournaments with Pepsi-Cola in Kimberly, Wisconsin in the 1970 and 1972 tournaments.
In 1985, he joined the Pueblo Suns team and pitched in the ISC World Tournament in Kimberly, Wisconsin.
This humble pitcher played in big tournaments and small, local tournaments. It did not matter to Jim as long as he got to play the game he loved.
In his later years you could have seen Bond pitch for such notable teams as State Inc., Pueblo Custom Cash Registers, and the Perfect Image team sponsored by his good friend Tony Aguilar.
Working for Pioneer Mutual Insurance Agency, Jim became that company's sponsor of its softball team.
Edward "Homer" Benavidez
Playing and coaching softball in the Avondale and Pueblo communities for over fiye decades, Edward "Homer" Benavidez is the epitome of Pueblo Softball.
Edward's career began as a youngster in Avondale playing on recreational baseball teams as a catcher, then moving on to Excelsior Junior Higll School and Pueblo County High School. He helped the Hornets to the State High School Baseoill Championship in 1959.
Moving on to fastpitch softball, Homer played first base in the many leagues in Pueblo including the Independent, El Rey, City, and Church Leagues. His nickname is derived from his powerful hitting skills. Each time Benavidez came to bat, it was expected that he would take the ball out of the yard.
Some notable teams that he played on were North Avondale Bar, Pueblo Lounge, Lawrence Club, Bamboo Night Club, El Nopal, and Del Rios.
You could always find Homer playing slow-pitch softball at the Sports Garden. Edward's passion and dedication for the game was passed on to his fellow teammates and family members.
Discipline, teamwork and friendships that were formed are said to last a lifetime.
Ruth Hulsey
Ruth Hulsey's athletic career began at the elementary and junior high school recreation programs. As there were no organized women's sports teams when she entered the halls of Centennial High School in 1944, she gained notoriety as a member of the school's R.O.T.C. Rifle Team. She was the fifth place medalist in the 1947 National Rifle Association's Meet in Denver, Colorado in both men's and women's divisions.
Ruth began playing softball as a young teenager and was recruited by the Pueblo Army Depot's women's softball team named the "Podettes". She was the catcher and the team traveled throughout the state to tournaments by way of an old Army bus.
Many area teams picked Hulsey up to pitch in big tournaments and she later became a first baseman. After playing in one World A.S.A. Tournament in Toronto, Canada, she turned to the professional ranks playing for the Salt Lake City Shamrocks for two seasons in 1953 and 1954. The Shamrocks played the Western United States circuit. Upon graduation from Colorado State Teachers College in 1951 and Denver University, she began her teaching career with Pueblo School District No. 60. Ruth was a Physical Education teacher at Keating and Freed Junior High Schools and then moved on to Centennial High School.
When Title Nine girls' sports began competition in 1971, she began coaching girls swimming, girl's tennis, and girls track. She was the first girl's gymnastics coach at Centennial High School when the sport was introduced in 1971.
An inductee into The Greater Pueblo Sports Association Hall of Fame in 1983, today Ruth remains an avid runner, jogger, golfer, and a firm believer in physical fitness. Ruth passed away on Nov. 4, 2021. Click HERE to view Hulsey's Obituary
Pat Whitmore-Allsup
The daughter of military parents and moving around the country numerous times, Pat Whitmore-Allsup settled in Pueblo in 1941. Her softball career started in 1944 playing catcher for the Thatcher School boy's team.Pate then became a member of Pueblo's first organized girl 's softball team, Pueblo Rollerland, in 1945.
While attending Centennial High School, Whitmore-Allsup played first base on the 1946 freshmen boys' baseball team. After high school graduation, She played with Denver's Tivoli Brewers and later with Capitol Chevrolet. Both teams qualified for national tournaments in Portland, Oregon and San Antonio, Texas. In 1953, Pat was named to the All-American team following the national tournament in Portland Oregon.
Along with fellow inductee and teammate Ruth Hulsey, she played on the professional circuit with the Salt Lake City Shamrocks.
A career spanning eight years with the Amateur Softball Association, Whitmore-Allsup was a mainstay on the "Podettes" team from the Pueblo Army Depot. Her mother Catherine was the team manager leading the "Podettes" to State Championships in 1948, 1949, and 1952.
Pat went on to become a physical education teacher, Counselor, and Dean of Students with Pueblo School District No. 60 over a thirty-year span. A talented volleyball referee and Director of Programs at Pueblo Community College, she was inducted into the Greater Pueblo Sports Association Hall of Fame in 1985.
Along with teammates Ruth Hulsey, Pi Sanford, and Shirley Paige, they became the spark that ignited organized women's softball in Pueblo.
Art Escobado
Art Escobado's athletic career found him playing running back on the Huerfano County High School football team. Upon graduation he joined the United States Air Force. Escobado excelled as a pitcher and infielder on the Air Force baseball team and as a starting pitcher on its fastpitch softball team. Art was named to the All-Pacific Air Force Team and he played in the military's Softball Championship Tournament in Nagoya, Japan.
Upon his return to Pueblo in 1951, he played semiprofessional baseball on the Broderick and Gibbons team and also found time to pitch for numerous fastpitch softball teams in the Pueblo area.
Escobado became the first president of the newly formed Independent League which played its games at Bessemer Park.
In 1980, along with his sons Artie, Michael, anci Phillip, Art formed the Aztec Fastpitch Softball Club. Over a span of ten years, the Aztecs played in five International Softball Congress World Tournaments. His teams brought Pueblo National acclaim as a contender on the national level.
His sponsorships and community activities are numerous including the Latino Chamber of Commerce, the Eastside Community Center, G.I. Forum, and Bishops Diocesan Financial Committee.
Today, Art owns the Azteca Apartments in Belmont which aids the elderly with their housing needs. Art passed Away on jan. 21, 2022. Click HERE to view Art's Obituary