The Leadership
Another element of my research surrounds the leadership of the PHY athletic club. These were men who had returned from fighting in World War II, like my grandfather, and spent their time and energy in building up a sports league for youth level players living in the West Side community. These men had left the heavy Mexican community in which they grew up and experienced a different, broader world in the military. So when they returned, they went to college on the government funded GI Bill, and then sought to become part of the American fabric including getting their children involved in the most American of sports, baseball.
Fernando “Nando” Arellano Sr. Fernando passed away in August of 2011 who was actively involved in the San Antonio community with youth development through sports. The most important of legacy, the obituary, proudly describes Mr. Arellano’s leadership in the PHY. Throughout his working career, Mr. Arellano received numerous awards and recognitions in sports and recreation and was regarded as a man of high moral character and standards. Due to his work with youth programs, the City of San Antonio and Bexar County dedicated a little league field at Rosedale Park and soccer field at Rodriguez Park in his name. In 1932, he founded the Prospect Hill Yellow Jackets (PHY) athletic club where he eventually served as the organizer and president of PHY Little League in the mid to late 1950’s.
Lupe Z. Guevara, born in San Antonio, passed away in April of 2019 and also participated with PHY Little League along with soccer, and pop warner football leagues. As stated in her obituary, Lupe was one of the Presidents of the Prospect Hill Ladies Auxiliary when her husband, the late Joe M. Guevara, was coach and later the President of the PHY baseball league in the 1960’s. Lupe is the mother of Jerry Guevara, whom I was able to interview and collect archival photographs including one of the Yellow Jacket pop warner football cheerleaders. Jerry’s sister, Debbie is pictured, who was active with this program during the late 1960’s.
It is clear the leadership of the PHY athletic club had a profound positive impact on the upbringing of the youth who participated in organized recreational sports. The men and women such as Fernando Arellano Sr. and Lupe Z. Guevara devoted significant time and energy as well as the PHY Women’s Auxiliary who ran the concession stand raising money to support the league.