Judging from the local newspaper, Santa Fe led an active local sports life in 1941. Sports minded men and women participated in several organized leagues for bowling, softball, baseball and basketball. But high school athletics was the sports fan’s major interest, particularly the games between the cross-town rivals –the Santa Fe High School Demons and the St. Michael’s High School Horsemen -- a deep and abiding rivalry that went back to 1924 when the city’s only two high schools first began competing.
In 1940, St. Michael’s High School assembled the greatest Horseman basketball team in history. The Horsemen squad was anchored by the most excellent Buster Hiller and Sammy Ortiz as forwards, Stanley Gallup and Bobby Rutherford as guards and Tom Irigoyen at center. The Demons were strong as well, boasting Lavon McDonald and Billy Burrus at forward, Chester Clemens and Clyde Faucett at guard and David Livingston at center.
In the first regular season game between the ancient rivals in January 1940, the Horsemen scored fast and often but the Demons held on close behind, chasing the Horsemen 14-11 at the half. The Demons put on a rough defensive game, so rough that the two Demon guards fouled out in the 4th quarter. But, by the end of the third quarter, Demon defense was simply academic. Horseman star Buster Hiller was on fire, scoring 19 points, with teammate Sammy Ortiz in for 8. The final score was Horsemen 32, Demons 17. By the scoring standards of the day, the Horsemen simply crushed the Demons.
In the second Horsemen-Demon match-up a month later, the Demons deliberately put up a “Stop Hiller” defense but it failed spectacularly. The Horsemen scored at will. Buster Hiller hit again for 19 points, Sammy Ortiz hit 10 and, right off the bench, Bobby Digneo hit 6 points. The Demons demonstrated no discernible offense, were unable to get inside and posted embarrassingly low shooting percentages. Demon high point man was Clyde Faucett with 5 and big David Livingston, the Demons’ highly vaunted scoring star, scored only 2 points. The Demons went down in flames, 42-19.
Notwithstanding their lopsided losses to the Horsemen, the Santa Fe High School Demons were formidable that year and it was inevitable that Santa Fe High and St. Mike’s would meet in the final game of the state championship tournament in 1940, hosted by Raton.
Naturally, the two teams from Santa Fe met each other in the big final game for the 1940 State High School Basketball Championship. It was an intense physical game with neither team giving quarter. The score was tied seven times, always the Horsemen playing catch-up to the Demons. But in the final minutes, the Horsemen shooters started to connect, and the Horsemen suddenly found themselves ahead 25-24. And, with just 25 seconds to go, the Horsemen had possession of the ball. Victory seemed assured.
Then, Demon Myral Delph shocked the Horsemen when he stole the ball, flew down the court all alone, and performed a picture-perfect lay-up. The only problem was that the ball refused to drop. Instead, the ball whirled around the rim 2 or 3 times and came right back out.
The all-important rebound fell to a Horseman who promptly heaved it down-court to a solitary Sammy Ortiz, standing a few feet from the basket, who made the easy shot, sealing the Horsemen win at 27-24.
Santa Fe went wild in celebration. It was, after all, the first time a Santa Fe team had ever won a state championship. Fans escorted the champions in from Raton in an auto caravan reportedly miles long. There were gaudy trophy presentations, city proclamations and banquets honoring the team by everyone from the Alumni to the Civitans. And five Horsemen players made all-state.
For the city’s high school sports fans, 1940 was glorious. But for the St. Michael’s High School Horsemen, it was the beginning of a long strange journey. It began with an invitation to play in the National Catholic High School tournament, an honor for a tiny Catholic boys school and an opportunity for national recognition. But, in order to play, St. Mike’s would have to join the national catholic high school association and, under the rules of both organizations, resign from the state high school association. This the school did, and off the team went.
The Horsemen did very well at the national tournament, winning everything up to the finals and then losing a close championship game to Central Catholic from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Thus, in 1940, the St. Michael’s Horsemen won second place among all catholic high school basketball teams in the nation. Having honorably concluded the 1940 season, St. Michael’s High School prepared for 1941.
A few months after the conclusion of National Catholic tournament, St. Michael’s High School applied to rejoin the state high school athletic association, expecting to be accepted as a matter of routine. The School was shocked when, without any explanation, the state association flatly denied their request. There were talks, there were letters, then tempers flared and, finally, the lawyers were called in. Predictably, there were rounds of meetings, then hearings, then a final appeal to the highest court in the state.
The matter was finally settled by the New Mexico Supreme Court which ordered the association to promptly reinstate St. Michael’s High School. But with all the legal wrangling, that decision had been almost a year in coming. In the meanwhile, St. Mike’s had missed an entire basketball season, not permitted to play other high schools. The school had formed a team anyway and the Horsemen played several independent schools, some of them as far away as Texas, and picked up several wins against City League teams.
And the Horsemen missed several games of the 1941 football season, as well. In fact, when St. Michael’s association membership was formally reinstated in late October 1941, it was just in time for the Capital City Football Tournament. An untested Horsemen team still managed to beat the Demons, 7-6, at Magers Field and take home a gleaming first place trophy.
Interestingly, the Demon football squad had such a good season in 1941 that they were invited to Denver to play against Colorado’s top teams, an opportunity St. Michael’s High School missed, thanks to the uncooperative state athletic association. In a signature display of sportsmanship and generosity, St. Michael’s High donated its share of the concession proceeds from the city tournament to Santa Fe High School to help finance the Demons’ trip to Denver.
The Horsemen Fight Song
Give a cheer for dear St. Michael’s
And forever sing its name
For the team that’s on the gridiron
Is extending on its fame.
Come on, boys, put that ball over
Get it there with plenty of fight.
Three cheers for all the Horsemen,
For the Blue and for the White.
Rah! Rah! Rah!
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