There will be some interesting symmetry today when Fort Worth Paschal celebrates the 1950 UIL City Conference State Championship baseball team in a ceremony as part of its 125-year anniversary shortly before the current Panthers host Fort Worth Arlington Heights at 1 p.m.
Paschal won the title 60 years ago by defeating its crosstown rival Yellow Jackets 2-1. The Panthers were led by Joe Hardgrove on the mound, who gave up only three hits and struck out 12.
Hardgrove, who returned to Paschal to coach during 1959-60 seasons after earning All-Southwest Conference honors at Texas A&M in 1955, will be one of 13 players from the championship squad expected to be in attendance. He may, however, be the only person in the stands with a conflict of interest. His grandson Truett plays first base for Heights.
"When my grandson comes up to bat, I'll root for him," Hardgrove said. "But the rest of the time I'll be rooting for the Panthers."
Several players moved on from Paschal to become college stars and play professional ball, including Al Paschal, who was an All-American at TCU before spending several years in the Detroit Tigers' organization and was inducted into the TCU Letterman's Association Hall of Fame in 2007.
Go Joe Hardgrove!
meleicayou 3 months ago