RFK’s Frankie Ruiz to play baseball at Blackburn College
Robert F. Kennedy senior Frankie Ruiz has committed to Blackburn College to continue his baseball career. The Thunderbirds catcher is set to head to Carlinville, Ill., after graduation, but his journey to get to this point goes beyond high school, as it has been nearly a decade in the making.
Ruiz has been playing baseball throughout his childhood, as he was interested in the sport as early as he can remember.
“I’ve always thought baseball was fun. Growing up it was my top sport over anything else.” Ruiz said. “I just always felt it was easy, you know? It was something I loved to do, and it was fun. I think that’s why I love it.”
Always having love for the game drove Ruiz to take baseball seriously at a young age, beginning sessions with trainer Bill Gentry when he was 10 years old. “Once I met Bill Gentry I started taking things seriously because my parents had to pay for that training. And I’m just grateful that I got that support so early on.”
Once Ruiz began training he felt he made improvements as a player, but it was the personal connection with his trainer that has left the biggest impact.
“I remember at one point times got hard for my family, and Bill spoke with us and worked with me for no cost,” said Ruiz. “And he kinda took me under his wing as a second son, and that made our bond so much stronger. I’m just grateful having met that man.”
With support from his parents and trainer, Ruiz entered the travel ball circuit when he was 11 years old. He was primarily a member of the Bakersfield Rockets, but played with multiple teams depending on who was playing at a given time.
However, once he got into high school he joined the Pacific Stars, where competing began to matter at a whole new level. “On the Stars we were going up against competition that wanted it a lot more than before. It was scout ball so everyone was hungry and wanted to prove themselves.”
At the time he joined the Stars he also began his playing career at Kennedy. Choosing Kennedy for proximity reasons, Ruiz competed for the Thunderbirds for the past three seasons. In his years with the team they have had increased success each consecutive season, going from 6-18 his freshmen year to being 9-2 at the time of stoppage last year due to COVID-19.
Now entering his senior season and committed to play baseball in college, Ruiz says he actually feels a relief of pressure compared to other years.
“I feel that a lot of the pressure is off, because I’ve worked day in and day out thinking I have to get an offer or something of reassurance.” Ruiz said. “And now that I have this I can just go out and have fun with my team.”
Aside from the offer he is also looking forward to his upcoming season for other reasons, with his longtime friend and former Delano High School pitcher Casey Jasso Jr. joining the Thunderbirds program.
“I feel that the team chemistry is going to be there this year. Especially because me and Casey go way back, and we’ll have our former squad back together.”
As one of the few high school seniors who get a senior season and having a guaranteed future in college, Ruiz definitely thinks of himself as fortunate. And he is not shy when it comes to who he thanks for his position in life.
“I have to thank my parents because of how supportive they’ve been. I feel like everything they’ve done shows how proud and supportive they are of me.”
Delano’s spring sports season begins March 15, with practices for baseball, softball, track and field, golf, and tennis all beginning.
March 8 was the proposed start date for baseball, softball, boys and girls golf, tennis, track and field, and swimming in the Delano Joint Union High School District, the board of trustees agreed at its last meeting.
The board approved general requirements for all sports including face coverings, physical distancing, informed consent forms signed by parents, testing, hygiene and equipment sanitation, hydration, and limitations.
Reduction in travel was a focus of district Superintendent Jason Garcia as he noted Arvin and Shafter of the Kern High School District will not be allowed to compete outside of that district and would not compete in their South Sequoia League. That leaves Cesar Chavez and Robert F. Kennedy, both of Delano, plus Wasco, McFarland and Taft. Garcia suggested that Delano could join the group but said that competing in Taft would be too great a distance. “We want minimal bus drives,” he said.
Key to the problem is that to bus student athletes and comply with social distancing would allow only 13 people on a bus. A trip for 30 athletes, for example, would require THREE buses, not just one.
Delano is a member of the East Yosemite League with Porterville and Tulare schools, but DHS will elect to compete with SSL schools, which are closer in proximity to Delano.
Scholarship applications from the Delano Youth Foundation should by now be available from counselors at Delano’s three public high schools.
There are to be two scholarships given at each of the three schools. To apply, students should have at least a 3.5 grade point average and no F grades during the most recent semester.
Deadline to apply is Friday, April 9.
Longtime community leader Alice Luque-Duarte turned 90 in early February. Family placed signs in front of her 7th Avenue home to herald the event.
Born Feb. 6, 1931, at California Ranch northeast of Delano near Richgrove, parents Jose and Martina Quesda Luque moved to Delano in 1936. Alice was married November 1954, and she and her husband, who died in a ranch accident in 1981, had daughters Virginia, Victoria and Anna.
Grandchildren are Matt Armendariz and Yvonne, children, Savannah, Quentin, and Xavier; Allyson Mendoza, husband Rick and children Aubrey Nachor, Alyvia, Aven Recio; David Benjamin Armendariz and children Alina and Elliot; Mirissa Kao and children Justin, Ashlyn and Emalyn and great-great-grandchild Aria Morales. Alice’s siblings are sisters Rosario Contreras, Linda Lopez, and husband Danny, and brothers Joe (Maria), Alex and William (deceased) and John and wife Virginia.
Alice graduated from Richgrove Elementary, Delano High in 1948, and from cosmetology school in 1950. She was a dental assistant for four different dentists, in 1958 began a career working as a credit reporter and collection specialist, and in 1964 began employment with Bank of America until retirement in 1987 after 23 years.
She was on Delano High class reunion committee 1952 to 2014, president of Cecil Avenue PTA, Delano Business and Professional Women’s Club for which she was named 1967 Woman of Achievement, Latin-American Citizens Association which she served as secretary, member of Sociedad Progresista Mexicana honored as flag bearer at the state convention, first woman member and president of Delano Toastmaster Club, 8-year board member of Kern View Mental Hospital, president for three terms of Bank of America retirees Kern Golden Empire chapter, chosen Soroptimist Woman of Distinction, committee member of Jacona and Tanguancircuaro Sister City committees, and secretary of Arida, Japan, Sister City committee.
She was a 1969 member of Delano Vision 2000 committee, member of city of Delano committee planning a new jail, and member of Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Inc. and its president 1966 to 1968. She was honored as Neighbor of the Week by Channel 17 during Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Week, volunteer for Habitat for Humanity house built on 11th Avenue, and in 2008 was the only volunteer with Delano Police Department Senior Citizens on patrol.
For 20 years she volunteered with the Delano Chamber of Commerce, and in 2016 was chosen Chamber Volunteer of the Year, and has the annual award named after her. She was Harvest Holidays Grand Marshal, was treasurer and capsule chairman for Delano’s Centennial event. She was inducted in 2017 into Delano Union School District Hall of Fame, in 2018 was president of Delano Harvest Holidays Association, for 10 years volunteered for Delano City Walk, was speaker coordinator for Career Day at La Vina and Cecil Avenue middle schools, and is a member of St. Mary’s Church. She has also volunteered at the local hospital.
Personally, I first met Alice when she began work at dentist Dr. Clifford Loader, where my late mother was employed.
The remainder of the Cesar E. Chavez High School 4.0 and above students for the fall semester is listed below. The first half of the honored students appeared in last week’s column.
Add on scholars Angel Uribe, Bryan Esquivel, Roberto Ramirez, Michaela Ramiscal, Adriana Ramos-Ballesteros, Jimena Aguilar Gaitan, Natalie Aguilar, Stephanie Amber Aninion, Mia Avila, Coral Ayon, Valeria Ayon, Brenda Barajas Padilla, Christopher Dan Caasi, Areena Campos, Alexis Cantu, Andrew Caraan, Luis Correa, Katherine Cruz Infante, Yaneli Currichi Garcia, Joel Fernandez, Noelia Flores, Francisco Garcia, Andrew Hernandez Ceja, Daniela Lopez, Krystal Lugo, Cassandra Melgoza, Jorge Miranda, Kylee Moreno, Sarai Ozuna, Julissa Pedroza, Marcela Ramirez Fernandez, Daniela Ramirez, Harlyn Raquedan, Perla Salazar Lara, Deysi Sanchez, Isaac Sanchez, Juan Velardes, Lesly Velazquez Aguilar, Mariela Arredondo, Angel Basurto, Juan Carlos Centeno, Hilary Cortez Valenzuela Nicholas Elizondo, Nyissa Gamboa, Yamilet Gomez, Jose Herrera, Nathalie Herrera, Dave Bryle Layiam, Dina Lopez, Mikayla Lopez, Oscar Pineda, Justin Almares, Adilene Baca, Van Kyle Marie Balacuit, Viviana Beltran Garcia, Nicolas Beltran, Cade Campos, Caroline Cano, Itzel Carlos, Jasmin Castaneda, Crystal Ceja Herrera, Adrian Ceja, Daniel Marko Fiel Coloma, Jennifer Cortez Zendejas, Dalilah Cruz Arzate, Josha De Villa, Cristian Duran, Tyler Evans, Melanie Garcia, Evelyn Garza, and Nikki Gill.
The rest of the 4.0 list for CCHS is Crystal Gonzalez, Matthew Gonzalez, Charlize Margareth Guerrero, Natalie Guerrero, Leizel Guieb, Angel Gutierrez, Joanaa Guzman Caribay, Yosef Hassan, Fatima Citialli Heredia, John Carlo Igayac, Jasmin Kato, Albert Labasan, Jeivann Lafradez, Favien Larios, Xavier Leos Lopez, Audree Lim, Breanna Lopez, Renz Mangohig, Natalie Martinez Ortega, Ariana Martinez, Klarissa Martinez, Emily Mata Sanchez, Jacob Josh Micu, Sabrina Navarro, Ian Walter Nodora, Miah Ochoa, Pedro Oliveras, Cielomar Olvera Jimenez, Samantha Parrilla, Juan Perez, Kalea Popoy, Christian Gutierrez, Mark Joseph Arellano, Citaly Chavira Ramirez, Patrick Raquedan, Lauren Wai Rigucira, Bryann Ramirez, Ivan Ramirez, Xyrel Oscel Ramiscal, Leslie Ramos Ballesteros, Jeremy Regalado Frias, April Jane Retamal, Jose Reyes, Deon Reyez, Uriel Rivera, William Rivera, Joseph Ruesga, Daniel Silva, Ernesto Solis Chavez, Analya Solorio Alcantar, Ximena Sotelo, Harshan Sunner, Billie Anne Usita, Vansh Vansh, Emilia Rose Veloya, Luis Guillermo Villasenor, and Jessica Zaninovich.
Congratulations to La Vina Middle School student Armindev Bhatti, who gained first place in the Serious Interpretation Solo event for grades 7-8 in Kern County’s Oral Language Festival.
The president’s stimulus package should easily have gained public support with probably more than half the population gaining funds from the stimulus.
Nobody seems concerned about the debt that will saddle current young people years down the road. Also, locally the price of gasoline has risen by 30 cents or more in just a month after the inauguration.
It is easy to give away someone else’s money, but you can be sure that citizens who did NOT receive money will be those who will be paying the bill.
Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday morning so tonight turn your clocks FORWARD one hour and lose an hour of sleep.