Changes

{{Infobox person

{{Infobox person

  | name=Crispin Eliseo "Doc" Sanchez​<br>

  | name=Crispin Eliseo "Doc" Sanchez​<br>

(Pioneer of Hispanic education in south Texas)

(Pioneer of Hispanic education in south Texas)

  | birth_date=December 15, 1925​

| birth_date=December 15, 1925​

  | birth_place=Gonzales, [[Texas]], [[United States|USA]]​

  | birth_place=Gonzales, [[Texas]], [[United States|USA]]​

  | death_date=March 18, 2008 (aged 82) ​

  | death_date=March 18, 2008 (aged 82) ​

*In [[World War II]], Sanchez was a tailgunner in a B-17 Flying Fortress and flew thirty-five air missions over [[Germany]].​

*In [[World War II]], Sanchez was a tailgunner in a B-17 Flying Fortress and flew thirty-five air missions over [[Germany]].​

}} ​

}} ​

'''Crispin Eliseo Sanchez''' (December 15, 1925 &ndash; March 18, 2008) was a south [[Texas]] trailblazer in the fields of [[Mexican-American]] [[education]] and sports.​

'''Crispin Eliseo Sanchez''' (December 15, 1925 &ndash; March 18, 2008) was a south [[Texas]] trailblazer in the fields of [[Mexican-American]] [[education]] and sports.

==Background==​

==Background==​

Sanchez (first name pronounced CHRIS PEEN) was born to Pedro R. Sanchez (1893–1984) and Guadalupe V. Sanchez (1896–1977) in Gonzales in southeast Texas. In the era of [[segregation]], he attended a one-room school for [[Hispanic]] children. A halfback, running back, placekicker,, and punter, Sanchez was the first Mexican American to play high school [[football]] at Gonzales High School. His excellence at first base in [[baseball]] led to his drafting by the [[St. Louis Cardinals]], but he declined the offer and instead followed his mother's advice to enter college. For a time he played with the semi-professional team, the former Gonzales Apaches.<ref name=wire>"Sanchez carried LJC athletics on his shoulders," ''The Laredo Morning Times,'' March 19, 2008.</ref>​

Sanchez (first name pronounced CHRIS PEEN) was born to Pedro R. Sanchez (1893–1984) and Guadalupe V. Sanchez (1896–1977) in Gonzales in southeast Texas. In the era of [[segregation]], he attended a one-room school for [[Hispanic]] children. A halfback, running back, placekicker,, and punter, Sanchez was the first Mexican American to play high school [[football]] at Gonzales High School. His excellence at first base in [[baseball]] led to his drafting by the [[St. Louis Cardinals]], but he declined the offer and instead followed his mother's advice to enter college. For a time he played with the semi-professional team, the former Gonzales Apaches.<ref name=wire>"Sanchez carried LJC athletics on his shoulders," ''The Laredo Morning Times,'' March 19, 2008.</ref>​ ("Apaches" is now the name of the Gonzales High School teams.<ref>''The Gonzales Inquirer,'' December 27, 2007.</ref>​

("Apaches" is now the name of the Gonzales High School teams.<ref>[http://www.gonzalesinquirer.com/articles/2007/12/27/news/sports/sports01.txt Gonzales Inquirer Online<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>)​

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During [[World War II]], Sanchez joined the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, the forerunner of the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]]. He was part of the Hell's Angels with the 303rd Bomb Group and was a tail gunner in a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. He flew thirty-five air combat missions. During the pivotal [[Battle of the Bulge]] in December 1944, he provided air relief to [[Allied]] ground troops in [[Belgium]] with two .50-caliber [[machine gun]]s.<ref name=wire/>​

During [[World War II]], Sanchez joined the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, the forerunner of the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]]. He was part of the Hell's Angels with the 303rd Bomb Group and was a tail gunner in a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. He flew thirty-five air combat missions. During the pivotal [[Battle of the Bulge]] in December 1944, he provided air relief to [[Allied]] ground troops in [[Belgium]] with two .50-caliber [[machine gun]]s.<ref name=wire/>​

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==Educational career==​

==Educational career==​

Sanchez taught sixth grade at Ryan Elementary School for the Laredo Independent School District. One of his pupils was Tony Sanchez (no relation), the Laredo business tycoon who in 2002 became the first Mexican American in state history to win the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] gubernatorial  , but he was defeated by the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Rick Perry]]. Sanchez recalled Tony Sanchez as "the only redheaded [boy] in my class... freckle-faced, and reminded me a lot of [[Tom Sawyer]]."<ref name=wire/>​

Sanchez taught sixth grade at Ryan Elementary School for the Laredo Independent School District. One of his pupils was Tony Sanchez (no relation), the Laredo business tycoon who in 2002 became the first Mexican American in state history to win the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] gubernatorial  , but he was defeated by the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Rick Perry]]. Sanchez recalled Tony Sanchez as "the only redheaded [boy] in my class... freckle-faced, and reminded me a lot of Tom Sawyer."<ref name=wire/>​

 

Sanchez also procured his master of education from TSU. In 1964, when the doors of J. W. Nixon High School opened in Laredo, Sanchez became the assistant principal. In the summer of 1969, he traveled to Evanston, [[Illinois]], to study toward a doctorate degree in educational administration through [[Northwestern University]]. When Sanchez returned with his [[Ph.D.]] in hand, he accepted an offer from Domingo Arechiga then the president of Laredo College, formerly known as Laredo Community College, to become the dean of student services.<ref name=wire/>​

Sanchez also procured his master of education from TSU. In 1964, when the doors of J. W. Nixon High School opened in Laredo, Sanchez became the assistant principal. In the summer of 1969, he traveled to Evanston, [[Illinois]], to study toward a doctorate degree in educational administration through [[Northwestern University]]. When Sanchez returned with his [[Ph.D.]] in hand, he accepted an offer from Domingo Arechiga then the president of Laredo College, formerly known as Laredo Community College, to become the dean of student services.<ref name=wire/>​

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==College athletic director==​

==College athletic director==​

Sanchez doubled as the Laredo College athletic director and oversaw the creation of [[basketball]] (since disbanded) and baseball teams. One year LCC basketball was ranked No. 1 in the United States and the players were featured in ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' magazine, recalled Sal Otero, former sports editor of ''The Laredo Morning Times.''<ref name=wire/>​

Sanchez doubled as the Laredo College athletic director and oversaw the creation of [[basketball]] (since disbanded) and baseball teams. One year LCC basketball was ranked No. 1 in the United States and the players were featured in ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' magazine, recalled Sal Otero, former sports editor of ''The Laredo Morning Times.''<ref name=wire/>​

 

Alberto Patricio Cardenas, Sr., who worked with Sanchez at both Nixon High School and in the counseling department at Laredo College, recalled that Sanchez was "always advocating for the rights of the students." [[José Roberto Juárez]], Sr., of Laredo, the LCC academic dean at the time, credited Sanchez for strengthening the college's counseling and athletic departments: "We worked together many years, and he was very cooperative in terms of handling any student problems."<ref name=wire/>​

Alberto Patricio Cardenas, Sr., who worked with Sanchez at both Nixon High School and in the counseling department at Laredo College, recalled that Sanchez was "always advocating for the rights of the students." [[José Roberto Juárez]], Sr., of Laredo, the LCC academic dean at the time, credited Sanchez for strengthening the college's counseling and athletic departments: "We worked together many years, and he was very cooperative in terms of handling any student problems."<ref name=wire/>​