Mexican American Hall of Fame Sports Association

Antonio Lopez

Inducted:
2019 “Wrestling”

Antonio was born in Zacatecas, Mexico. As a youth he was a catcher in baseball using the rudimentary equipment that was commonly used in “ Los Ranchos “ of Mexico. At age 10 he began organized baseball. He played Little League and then went on to Pony League earning All Star status in both

As a freshman in high school he weighed 83 lbs. He was considered too small and a liability to make the football and baseball teams, so he went out for the wrestling team and earned a JV 95 lb. position .

On the JV team that year he won 1st place at the North Bay League Novice Tournament and received “ Best Freshman Wrestler “ award. In 10th grade he had a 3rd place finish at the NBL tournament and “ Most Inspirational “ award.

As a junior in 11th grade he was undefeated in league matches, 2nd at NBL tournament and “ MVP “ along with team captain and best record. It was more of the same in 12th grade. He won every tournament, MVP at many, 1st at NBL, 1st at Div. 3 Regionals, 1st at sectionals and entered CIF State Championships undefeated ending the season with 44 wins and 2 losses.

At Mendocino Comm. College he was 5th in California Small College State Tournament and Most Valuable Wrestler at Mendocino College. He was All Golden Valley Conference his 2nd year and team MVP.

At Cal State University, Sacramento under coach Hank Elespuru he was 3rd in the Far Western Conference and qualified for the NCAA National Collegiate Championships in 1980. In 1981 he was an NCAA Division II All-American.

After having worked as a migrant field worker he moved on to elementary school counselor, jr high and high school counselor, middle school Asst. Principal, high school Principal and is currently Dean of Counseling and Student Programs at Mendocino-Lake Community College.

Among other honors in education he lists that he was named in speech by First Lady Michelle Obama at American School Counselor Association National Conference and in 1980 received a Recognition Award from our Association, the Mexican American Hall of Fame Sports Association for his accomplishments.

John Egure

aka Johnny Gonzales

Inducted:
1993 “Track & Field”

High School:
1959 – Clarksburg High School​

High School Sports:
Track & Field (4 yrs)
Cross Country (1 yr)
Football (4 yrs)

College Sports:
1959-1962
Sacramento City College
Track & Field (2 yrs)
Cross Country (2 yrs)
*1960 Northen California Jr. College Champions

Service Army:
1962 – Drafted

Adult Sports Activity:
1975-1978
Mexican American Bowling Association
1980-1984
Slow Pitch Softball
1974-1978
Track Open Meets
1982-2008
Snow Ski (Recreational)

Coaching Life:
1977-1987
Boys Youth Soccer
S.Y.S.L. (Sacramento Youth Soccer League)
Southgate Recreation (1977-1979)
Club Mexico ‘CDM’ (1980-1987)
*1985 District Champions U-16

Accolades:
1985-1990
C.C.S.L. Central California Soccer League (Merced to Williams)
Chair of Disciplinary Board

MAHF Trustee & Member:
1990-2000 – Member
2000-Today – Trustee

Aurora Leon

Inducted:
2019 “Bowling”

Aurora Leon was born February 29th 1994 in Pocatello, Idaho. As a teenager she arrived in Sacramento with her family. She attended and graduated from Sacramento High School and went on to work for the State of California after graduation. She started at the Department of Motor Vehicles. From there she went to the Franchise Tax Board and finally retiring from the Board of Equalization after thirty-five years with the state.

Aurora started bowling with Sacramento’s first Mexican American Bowling League at the Alhambra Bowl. When Alhambra closed she continued at Southside Bowl, Sunset Lanes, El Rancho Bowl and finally at Land Park Lanes.

She is one of few who can say they bowled in the same league for over 30 years.

She has served on the Board, won numerous first place women’s division trophies, supported multiple Mexican American tournaments and in 2002 was inducted into the Mexican American Bowling Organization’s Roll of Fame.

Rosalie Gonzales-Deane

Inducted:
2019 “Martial Arts”

Rosalie was born and raised in Sacramento, California. She graduated from Norte Del Rio High School and attended American River College. She worked for the State of California for 27 years.
Rosalie and her husband Larry have a blended family that includes thirteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Rosalie enjoys being around her family and friends and just having a good time with them.

She started taking Karate lessons right before her 16th birthday. She would practice at the Dojo every day for two years, except on Sundays. She earned and received her Black Belt when she was

18 years old. At that time she was the youngest and the first woman to achieve a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, the Korean style Karate in the United States.

She then became an instructor and taught self-defense. She says the entire experience was rewarding beyond description.

Richard Savala (Mr. K.O.)

Inducted:
2019 “Boxing”

Richard “Trino” Savala earned his name as a fighter, and from his father’s name as a fighter. He was born in Woodland, Ca. in 1960 to Mary and Trino Savala Sr. From their father, Richard and his brothers, were left with a legacy of fighting and a reputation that they all continued.

Richard turned professional in 1979 knocking out Johnny Saucedo in the 4th round of his first fight. He had 16 more K.O.’s in the next 4 years picking up the nickname “ Mr. K.O “. At the height of his career he became the California State Jr. Lightweight Champion. Opportunities began to open up for Savala, yet not all of them led to a golden path. His surplus of talent was faced with a growing deficit of discipline, which became harder and harder to overcome. His boxing career began to give way to a world of drugs, crime and living on the edge. By the mid 1980’s he was a long term resident of the prison system and the sophisticated gangs within served to reinforce all the self-destructive habits he had picked up on the outside.

But, he managed to reach for faith in God to pull him in a new direction and discovered a new determination to find a real purpose with the help of a parole officer, a 12 step program and old friends from the boxing community, including Tony “The Tiger “ Lopez. For the better part of the last 20 years Richard has been a bail bondsman and a youth counselor, working in the areas of gang prevention and drug and alcohol counseling. He uses his own past as an asset to teach and steer the next generation on the right path.

He also reconnected with his childhood sweetheart, Carmen Gonzales, with whom he is now happily married. He is also a recent inductee to the California Boxing Hall of Fame.

Trino Savala

Inducted:
2019 “Boxing”

Trino was born August 8th 1942 in Monterey County, Ca. His mother, Dolores, was a farm worker and his father, Santos, was in the Air Force. He took up the sport of boxing while growing up in Yolo County. He won numerous amateur bouts including the Golden Gloves. To support his wife, Mary, and his first son Richard he started his professional career. His first fight, October of 1960, he beat Chico Hernandez by decision and went on to win 8 consecutive fights. He suffered his first defeat at the hands of Joe Castalano. On July 11th 1961 he faced hard punching Jesus Pimental, a knockout artist from Mexicali, Mexico. He handed Pimental his first loss.

On April 10th, 1965 he was K.O.’d by Ricardo “Pajarito” Moreno, from Zacatecas, Mexico, who had a record of 53 wins, all by knockout, and 8 losses. Trino suffered a concussion in that loss and retired from boxing. After that he began to train boxers at the L street arena boxing gym in downtown Sacramento. In 1968 he was caught in a fire at the gym. He was badly burned, suffered brain damage from smoke inhalation and was bound to a wheelchair.

Before the fire he had trained all three of his sons. His oldest son, Richard, became the California State Jr. Lightweight champion. Mario was the North American Boxing Federation Flyweight champion and youngest son Danny won the Golden Gloves, National P.A.L. tourney and many more titles. There was also cousins George, Eddie and Henry all of whom won Golden Gloves titles.

At one point in Trino’s career he was named boxer of the year and biggest prospect by boxing’s Ring Magazine.

His wife, Mary, cared for him till her death in 2003. Trino passed away a year later in 2004.

John Bonillas
aka John Mora

Inducted:
2007 – “Track & Field”

High School:
1961 – Clarksburg High “Comets”
(Blue & Gold Forever)

High School Sports:
Track & Field (4yrs)
Cross Country (3yr)
Football (3yrs)
Tennis (1yr)

College:
1974-75
Cosumnes River College

Service – Navy:
1961-1966 – Enlisted

Adult Sports Activity:
1968-85
Slow Pitch Softball
1970-1980
Tennis (Recreational)
1975-1978
Mexican American Bowling Association
1974-1978
Track Open Meets
1975-1985
Soccer Outdoor
2005-2006
Soccer Indoor
30 plus years
Basketball (Recreational)

Coaching Life:
1977-1987
Boys Youth Soccer
S.Y.S.L. (Sacramento Youth Soccer League)
Club Mexico ‘CDM’ (1980-1987)
*1985 District Champions U-16
Girls Youth Soccer
Southgate Recreation (1990-1998)
Florin Recreation (1990-1998)

Accolades:
2007 – Current Gym Member

MAHF Trustee & Member:
2007-Today – Member