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About The Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame

In the United States, there are Sports Halls of Fame that honor professional and amateur athletes in football, basketball, track, tennis, baseball and other sports. There are also ethnic halls of fame that recognize outstanding athletes from different groups including Italian, Jewish, Irish and blacks to name a few. But, there was not a single sports hall of fame that would recognize, honor and salute the outstanding accomplishments/achievements and contributions of our Latino/Hispanic Sports Heritage not only from the United States but also those who came to this country from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Central and South America and from the vast talent from the Caribbean Islands. The Latin-American International Sports Hall of Fame/Salon de Ia Fama Latinoamericano del Deporte was organized in Laredo, Texas in 1974. At first it was to celebrate, honor and promote local and regional individuals who had excelled at their particular sport but soon it opened the doors to include National and International Professional Athletes. It also recognizes as Sportsman of the Year individuals who continue to preserve and enhance our Latino culture, values and educational opportunities for our youth and who contribute to the betterment of the City of Laredo and South Texas. There have been since its inception an equal recognition of women athletes inductees. It was important to find role models for our youth and the organizers wanted to include all ages, regardless of sex in their programs. The Latin Hall was also created to promote economic development and stimulate business activity in downtown Laredo when local businesses are contracted to provide services to our inductees, their families and guests who visit Laredo during the annual 3-day welcome reception, media luncheon and induction banquet celebration weekend. Through the years. (1975-2014), and with limited amount of funds the organization has, had the opportunity to help the youth of our community with scholarships and other youth activity fundraisers. Plans are to have a Latin Sports International Hall of Fame Museum (downtown) (soon) which will be a first for the United States and to provide clinics (free of charge) to instruct our youth in different sports.

Mission

The Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1975 to recognize individuals with good and proper standing in the community, high morals and values and who have excelled in sports and/or have contributed to the promotion of sports and goodwill in the Latino community.


Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame

47th Annual Induction Banquet

DAVID FLORES

DAVID FLORES


Sportswriter
San Antonio Express News
Co-Author "The Whole Enchilada"
Texas High School Coaches Assn.
"Sportswriter of the Year" 2002

David Flores joined the San Antonio Express-News
sports staff in August 1979, and has covereJ a wide
range of sports at the high school, collegiate and
professional levels over the last 3 1/2 years. After
covering the Dallas Cowboys, Southwest Conference,
United States Football League, Lone Star Conference
and high schools for seven years. Flores
was promoted to deputy sports editor in April 1986.
Although his new duties limited his opportunities
to write, his passion for reporting and working on stories never waned.
In 1995, Flores was named assistant sports editor/high schools and has written a column twice
a week since then. He coordinates the Express-News' high school coverage, making assignments
and editing copy. He was name High School Sportswriter of the Year by the Texas High School
Coaches Association in 2002.
Flores also was publisher and editor of Lone Star Football magazine, which covered high schools and colleges in the San Antonio area,
in the 1980s. He co-authored a book, "The Whole Enchilada," with Ron Harms, former Texas A&M-Kingsville football coach, in 2001.
Throughout his career at the Express-News, Flores has written extensively about Hispanic coaches, athletes and issues they face at
every level of competition. In the 1980's, Flores earned statewide recognition after writing a series of stories that addressed the lack of
Hispanic athletes on Texas major college football teams. He has written features on such notable Hispani.:: sports figures as Tom Flores,
Tommy Nunez, Gabe Rivera, Inez Perez, Rene Ramirez and Nemo Herrera. In his columns, Flores has tried to chronicle the feats of Hispanic
athletes who overcame long odds, including discrimination, to become role models for future generations.
Flores, 48, was born and raised in Corpus Christi, where he graduated from Miller High School in 1973. He was on the football, basketball
and track teams, but even then, he had a keen interest in journalism. He served as sports editor of the school newspaper as a junior and
editor as a senior. Flores played football under Coach Jim Wacker at Texas Lutheran as a freshman. Flores transferred to Texas A&I (now
Texas A&M-Kingsville) in 1974, trading his football helmet for a typewriter. He worked for the A&I Sports Information Office, the student
newspaper and the Kingsville Record-News while attending A&I from 1974-77. Among other things, Flores chronicled the A&I football
team's 42-game winning streak and three consecutive NAIA Division I national titles during that span. The A&I alum joined the Kingsville
Record-News as sports editor in 1977, and was hired by the Express-News two years later. He and his wife, Frances, have two children, Lilia,
23, and Jesse, 20.