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Joe B. Calderon, Jr. was born on July 22, 1928 and was called home on June 12, 2005. During his 76 plus years, he lived life to the fullest. Joe grew up in the heart of old Westside San Antonio, in and around Guadalupe, S. Brazos & Laredo streets. He attended Johnson and JT Brackenridge elementary schools and Lanier Junior High School. He attended Lanier High School from 1943 until 1947 when he graduated. He was a born athlete, excelling at football and basketball in high school and other sports as a young man. While in junior high, he played baseball and was a member of different local baseball teams. At Lanier High School, he was co-captain of the football squad and member of the team that won the 1945 Class A State Basketball Championship. In recognition of his athletic abilities, his sports portraits still hang on Laniers wall of fame. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, he played soccer with Busy Bee Produce in a league that played against college teams with European players. Despite the competition, Joes team won a Texas State Soccer Championship. Joes true love and talent was for baseball. He played semi-professional baseball for the Artesia Drillers in the early 1950s. Many noticed Joes talent for baseball. On March 10, 1954, the Lights Sports Editor wrote, Joe Calderon, Jr. is debating a tough decision. Hes married and has a good job and wants to keep it. But the Rampa Oilers of the Longhorn Baseball League have sent him a good contract and a bus ticketCatching with Artesias Drillers in the West Texas-New Mexico League last year, Joe hit .278, poled 16 homeruns and battled 85 runsquite a season. While in the Army from 1954-1956, Joe played shortstop for the Fort Bliss Falcons, the Armys semi-professional baseball team. Newspaper clippings from the time describe his performance as magnificent as usual, and a multi-talented ball-player. Joe enjoyed many victories with the Falcons and he loved his teammates. Years later he would recall the time when traveling with his Falcon teammates, that he was refused service at a diner because they didnt serve Mexicans. He was proud that all of his teammates stood by him and walked out of the diner with him. Joe was recruited to play semi-professional baseball but he chose to stay in San Antonio to raise a family with Carrie, his wife. So instead of a life on the road, he played baseball from the 1950s through the late 1960s in the local Spanish American Baseball League with teams like Moonglows, Saldanas, Freds Place, Garza Finance, Terminal Market, Border Fence and others. During those years, he played on several championship baseball teams. In his later years, he loved listening and dancing to Latin and big band music, socializing with his friends, but above all, he loved golfing. Joe belonged to the Pan-American Golf Association and played golf weekly with friends. One of his proudest golf moments was recorded in the Express-News when he scored a hole-in-one on April 25, 2001 at the No. 3 hole at Riverside. So it was appropriate that Joe was golfing with friends when it was almost time for God to call him home. His golf buddies helped him when he suffered a stroke at Riverside, his favorite golf course. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Juanita Calderon and his wife, Carrie D. Calderon. His children Laura, Jacqueline, Joe III, and beloved grandson, Christopher, survive him. He is also survived by his sister Susie, brother Arnulfo, friends and acquaintances from his years of involvement in sports. Even though his children, siblings and friends will miss him dearly, they know that he is now healthy and happy, playing golf and baseball to his hearts content.ServicesVisitation will be held 5:00 to 9:00, Tuesday, June 14 at Mission Park Funeral Chapels South with a Holy Rosary recited at 7:00 PM. A Funeral Service will be 11:00 AM, Wednesday, June 15, 2005 at the funeral home with interment following at Mission Burial Park South.

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Joe B. Calderon, Jr.

July 22, 1928 - June 12, 2005