Call out for those who knew members of Mercury Senoritas softball

Inland Empire Community Newspapers • January 30, 2014 • Page A13
Al Jury wears five Super Bowl rings; was honored
at 2014 Pro Bowl Game in Hawaii
A
By Harvey M. Kahn
l Jury won't be officiating
his 6th Super Bowl this
Sunday but he did appear
on the field before the NFL Pro
Bowl Game in Hawaii last Sunday.
Jury was presented the Art McNally Award for his 37 years as an
NFL official as well as for his
community work.
Jury is a walking historical society of local, state and national
sports. He played Little League in
the mid-50's against Ken Hubbs;
was a four-sport athlete at Pacific
High in 1959; managed the 1972
Civic Athletic Club Little League
team of San Bernardino to the state
championship; and has seen every
standout athlete in San Bernardino
County in the past 55 years. He
coached Ron Lott in Junior AllAmerica Football, officiated him
in the 2000 Super Bowl and was
inducted with him into the 2009
Rialto Hall of Fame.
Jury was hired by Art McNally
as an NFL field judge in 1978
when Terry Bradshaw, Roger
Staubach and Ken Stabler were
quarterbacks. In his second pro
game, Jury can be seen on video
waving for medical aid after New
England receiver Darryl Stingley
lay paralyzed for life after a tackle
by safety Jack Tatum of the
Raiders. As a high school senior,
COURTESY PHOTO
Al Jury pictured on right finished his 37th year as official in the National Football League.
Jury was at practice when his Pacific High cross country coach
Louie Flinn was hit in the head by
a shot put and died.
Jury said officiating his first
Super Bowl in 1986 was the most
exciting time of his NFL career. It
was when the 1985 Bears destroyed New England 46-10. He
considered the Bears' Wilber Marshall second to only Lawrence
Taylor as a linebacker. Jury said
John Elway would joke with him
before Super Bowl games and
John Randall was a big smack
talker. He recalled Marcus Allen
being the target of lots of trash
talk. "Marcus would never reply.
He'd just go about his business,"
said Jury.
Jury had to retire as a field official after breaking his leg in a
game in 2004. He's worked since
as a replay official and as the NFL
Assistant Supervisor of Officiating. He squeezed in 28 years
working during the week as a CHP
officer, once saying the two jobs
had one similarity. "You don't
write tickets or call penalties on
someone who is driving one mile
over the speed limit."
Among Jury's other honors is
the 2010 NFL Referee's Association Honoree Award and being
named Grand Marshall of San
Bernardino's 45th Black History
Parade in 2013. He is a member of
the Citizen Advisory Committee
of the San Bernardino Police Department, and a board member of
the Lighthouse For the Blind. As a
representative of the NFL in early
January, he led a group from the
VFW on a visit of patient's at the
Loma Linda Veteran's Hospital.
Jury said he wears his five
Super Bowl rings but does not initiate conversation about football.
"Once they find out who I am,
people all have something to say
about football. I don't get tired of
talking about it." He sees a close
game in Super Bowl XLVIII.
"Both are outstanding teams with
a good defense. It will not be a
blowout."
The Art McNally Award was
created in 2002 by former NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. It
will be presented to Jury for his
"exhibiting exemplary professionalism, leadership and commitment
to sportsmanship on and off the
field."
Call out for those who knew members of
Mercury Senoritas softball team of Colton
M
el Salazar is looking
for the families of
those who played on
the Mercury Senoritas women's
softball team from 1945-1948.
Salazar's
mother,
Carmen
"Carmie" Lujan was a member
of the Senoritas whose team will
be inducted into the 2014 edition
of the Colton Sports Hall of Fame
in April. Besides Salazar's mother,
he has been able to confirm that
only former teammate Betty
Caldera is still surviving. He remains vigilant in his effort to contact Caldera's family. He is also
seeking the family of Luz and
Linda Arredondo, Chita Garcia,
and Ruby Garcia.
Salazar has been successful in locating the families of Estella Pimentel, Mary Rivas, Mary Soto
and Mary Rosales. The Mercury
Senoritas were the first organized
women's softball team in Colton.
They played home games at the
former Central Park, taking on opponents from Casa Blanca, Bell
Town and San Bernardino. The
Senoritas were previously honored
by the Latino Baseball History
Project.
Salazar said that the Senoritas
did not receive much publicity
during their playing days. He mentioned that a few of the Senoritas
later played on the San
Bernardino Cherokees softball
team, which was more like a current travel ball team.
"Right now, I feel that it is important to find the families of those
who played on the Mercury
Senoritas. I want them there and
to be part of the hall of fame induction ceremonies," said Salazar.
Other inductees into the 2014
Colton Sports Hall of Fame are:
Ruben Acevedo, former youth
coach and official; Tom Morrow,
former Colton High basketball
coach; and current college and
former pro baseball coach,
Colton native Stan Sanchez.
Call Mel Salazar: (909) 8899285.
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