Rattlers reunited

A bigger-than-expected crowd of an estimated 450 to 500 Tucumcari High School alumni descended on the city over the weekend for the 50th edition of the Rattler Reunion.

Philip Box, one of the alumni board members, had a registration count of 339 through Friday, which exceeded Reunion Chairman Joe Szaloy's expectations.

"With everything considered, we're thinking 450 to 500 people registered online and in-person at the event," Szaloy said during a telephone interview Sunday afternoon, after the Reunion had wrapped that morning.

The 2020 Reunion was canceled by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and this year's version looked somewhat iffy until the state lifted health restrictions in early July.

With those factors, Szaloy acknowledged he didn't want to be lofty in his outlook for the 2021 Reunion.

Instead, reality exceeded his hopes.

"It went way above my personal expectations," he said. "My personal expectation is if we had 300, we were doing great. If we broke 300, we'd be doing fantastic from an attendance standpoint, but we far exceeded that."

"For the uphill climb you had, you've done pretty well," Mike Latham, a member of the Class of 1963, told Szaloy on Saturday at the Tucumcari Convention Center.

Indicative of the strong attendance was the Golden Rattler luncheon Saturday for those who graduated in 1970 and before, hosted by Vaquero Asador at the Quality Inn hotel. The restaurant had planned 100 people attending.

Instead, 142 showed up.

Crowds also showed at hotels and restaurants throughout the city. About 80 people participated in the Reunion's annual scramble at Tucumcari Municipal Golf Course, resulting in vehicles strewn all over the parking lot. Another 15 people took park in a first-ever disc-golf tournament at Five Mile Park.

Several attendees were determined to travel to Tucumcari for the event.

Patrick Maestas, a member of the Class of 1971 who lives in Las Cruces, said he almost didn't make it Friday after his daughter-in-law gave birth prematurely Tuesday. But his son persuaded him to go.

"'Dad, go to your reunion in Tucumcari,'" he recalled his son saying. "'If you wait 50 years, nobody will recognize you.'"

Betty White Hogan of Amarillo also arrived Friday. She is a member of the Class of 1971, though she should have graduated in 1952.

Many years after being married at 17, she took four night classes and one day class to finish her coursework. She walked across the stage to receive her diploma with other students who were much younger.

She was asked why she was so motivated to graduate.

"I didn't want my kids to outdo me," she replied, smiling.

The big event

Though Reunion organizers jettisoned the traditional catered banquet Saturday night because COVID-19 restrictions were lifted too late to organize it, the convention center remained a center of activity.

Longtime THS basketball coach John Span, plus brothers and fellow Rattler alums Mick and Stan David gave short speeches in the convention center's main ballroom after they were the Saturday morning parade's grand marshals.

The David brothers offered memories from when their family moved from Nebraska to Tucumcari when they were children.

"Tucumcari is special," Mick David, who resides in Colorado, said. "There is only one Tucumcari."

Noting Tucumcari has less racial strife than other communities, he added: "I think society needs more of this Tucumcari togetherness."

Stan David, his voice halting from emotion, said: "I'd like to thank Tucumcari for what you've been to me and my family."

Stan, who now resides in Texas, played football for the NFL's Buffalo Bills and was a safety at Texas Tech.

Span's family moved to Tucumcari form Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968 and graduated as a Rattler, then became a THS educator and coach, including guiding Rattler boys basketball teams to state runner-up finishes in 2011 and 2016.

"If it wasn't for sports, I don't know where I'd be without it," he said. "To be able to coach, and give back, has been a blessing. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change anything."

In other remarks Saturday night, Renee Maciel, who led a non-denominational service Sunday morning at the Odeon Theatre, said the most impactful moment for his family in Tucumcari was when his 40-year-old father found Jesus Christ.

"I'm so grateful to be from Tucumcari and to be a Rattler," Maciel said. "It's good to be home."

Szaloy praised them after their remarks.

"They've all become great gentlemen, and they've all given back to generations," he said.

THS wrestling coach Eddie Encinias gave a tribute to the recently deceased Johnny Anaya, a Rattlers superfan who could be counted on to attend every game.

"When we buried him, we buried a lot of Rattler pride," he said.

Future reunions

As far as the 2022 Rattler Reunion, Szaloy said he wants to bring back a "more structured" event, including the dinner, on Saturday night. This year's event had food trucks in the parking lot to provide meals.

He said other events, such as the parade, pancake breakfast, Golden Rattler luncheon and class photo sessions, would remain. He also was encouraged by attendance at the disc-golf tournament to retain that, as well.

"I would like to have more of the current Rattler students in future events," Szaloy added.

Even with the necessary changes this year, Szaloy said he seldom heard grumbling from attendees.

"The vast majority of attendees were flexible, understanding, positive ... there's not enough superlatives to describe," he said. "Everything considered, everyone was extremely appreciative and grateful and had a very positive experience."