November 19, 1960 — 61 Years Ago-The Gallup Cathedral “Panthers” and the Jal “Panthers” Played For the New Mexico State Football Championship In Gallup
1960 Jal Football Team in front of the El Rancho Hotel
By Ronnie Null #17 on the Jal Panther team and brother of Perry Null-Long-time resident of Gallup Gallup’s El Rancho Hotel has hosted among others John Wayne and Ronald Reagan, but on November 18, 1960, 23 Jal Panther football players, two coaches, and 5 cheerleaders were guests. All week-long Jal football coaches Harold Wickersham and Ernie Shotton had “drilled” into our heads that the Cathedral Panthers were “HONEST TO GOD STUDS.” So, with the inevitable task of playing the “POWERFUL” Cathedral Panthers on Saturday afternoon, we were aware of the challenge facing us. Jal’s Gary Martin remembers vividly that during the ‘first quarter the Cathedral players hit him so hard that they broke his face mask.” Things only got worse for Gary—in the second quarter, while wearing a borrowed helmet, once again he was smashed by tough Cathedral Panthers so “hard that his helmet split right in half.” Gary screamed in the huddle that “I have never in my life been hit so hard.” Gary credits Bill Garcia, Cathedral’s middle linebacker, along with several other “200 pound” Panthers for destroying his headgear. Later Bill and Gary were friends at New Mexico Highlands University. 54 December 2021
