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The Socorro High School Baseball Program is hosted a Wall of Honor Ceremony at Chris Forbes Field on the campus of Socorro High School. The ceremony featured former Head Coach Chris Forbes and graduate Omar Quintanilla as they had their Jersey numbers retired into the Wall of Honor.
About Head Coach Chris Forbes #4, El Paso native was named Head coach at Socorro high school in 1986 coached nearly 40 years including youth and summer leagues. During his career he has lead Socorro to 16 district titles, 19 Bi- District Titles, Nine Area Championships, Six Regional Quarter Final Championships, Four Regional Semi-Final Championships, One Regional Final Championship and One State Championship.
In 2009, Forbes Coached Socorro High school to its first ever Class 5A State Championship. Has earned Eight El Paso High School Coach of the Year Awards and 2009 named Texas High School State “Coach of the Year” for the 5A classification. Coach Forbes has been inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Baseball Hall of Fame ’13, and both the El Paso Athletic and Baseball Hall of Fame’s.
Under Forbes, seventeen of his players have been named to Texas High School All State Teams, eighteen of his players have played professionally.
Coach Forbes is the All Time El Paso High School leader in wins as a Head Coach with 577 wins.
Omar Quintanilla #24 Socorro Class of 2000, Four- Time District and Bi-District champion, also led the City of El Paso in Home Runs and RBI’s.
Named the All–City Most Valuable Player and was also named to the Texas High School All-State Team. Received a Scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin where he was named the Big XII conference Freshman Player of the Year. NCAA College World Series winner and 2002 All College World Series Team selection.
Professionally, Quintanilla was drafted in the first round (33rd overall) by the Oakland Athletics in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft. Quintanilla made his Major League debut in 2005 for the Colorado Rockies and won a National League Championship in 2007. Omar also played with the 2011 Texas Rangers and won an American League Championship. Other teams that Quintanilla has played for are the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles
In attendance at the ceremony included SISD board of Trustee Gary Gandra, City of Socorro Mayor Jesus Ruiz, City of Socorro Manager Adriana Rodarte and former Socorro Stand-out Cory Falvey , (2009 Texas State High School Baseball player of the year), presented Coach Forbes into the Wall of Honor.
Here are some of the highlights of the event.
