SAN ANTONIO – A retired professional basketball player, an NFL alum, a legendary pioneer in professional baseball, a WNBA difference maker, and a historic city championship football team were the honorees inducted into the San Antonio ISD Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday.
The honorees were inducted at the 10th annual ceremony on Aug. 10 at the Alamo Convocation Center.
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Following are the honorees inducted:
Theresa Diane Acosta
Perhaps the greatest student-athletic trainer ever produced at San Antonio ISD, Theresa “Terri” Diane Acosta paved the way for those in her field. The 1994 graduate of Fox Tech High School took athletic training to the highest level by reaching the ranks of professional sports. It was at Fox Tech where she was first exposed to sports-related health care. Terri served four years as a student-athletic trainer for boys and girls sports. She was a multi-sport athlete, playing basketball, cross country and track for the Buffaloes. But she found her love as an athletic trainer. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Kinesiology at the University of North Texas. After college, she became an athletic trainer at multiple colleges, including Baruch College in New York. In 2019, she landed her dream job when she was named the head athletic trainer for the New York Liberty, a team in the Women’s National Basketball Association. She was the first Hispanic head athletic trainer in the WNBA. She has worked with countless top athletes while also under the watchful eye of millions of viewers around the world. This summer, Terri will serve as the athletic trainer for the USA Basketball Women’s National Team at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Wade Key
A silent warrior on the football field, this 1964 Edison High School graduate reached the pinnacle of success by playing a decade in the National Football League. Wade Key was an SAISD product – attending Wilson Elementary School and Whittier Middle School before Edison. It was in middle school where he discovered the love for football. He played tight end for the Edison Golden Bears. At 6 feet 4 inches tall and 225 pounds, he was one of the top players on the varsity team, where he earned All-District and All-City honors. He received a football scholarship at the University of Texas at Austin. He played two seasons for the Longhorns before transferring to then Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State). For the Bobcats, he soared at tight end and helped the team reach the NAIA No. 1 ranking for multiple weeks in 1967. Key was drafted into the NFL by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 13th round in 1969. He was a mainstay for the Eagles before retiring in 1980. In his first two seasons, he played offensive tackle and then moved to offensive left guard the remainder of his career. He was an unsung hero in the trenches where he faced NFL greats such as Bob Lilly and Randy “the Manster” White of the Dallas Cowboys. Key played in 121 games, helping the Eagles make the playoffs twice. He was named to the Philadelphia Eagles 75th Anniversary Team in 2007.
Orlando Mendez-Valdez
Known as a coach on the basketball floor and a precision shooter, this 2004 graduate of Lanier High School rose to become a star athlete in his sport on an international stage. Raised in the projects on the West side of San Antonio at the Alazan Apache Courts, he used basketball as a vehicle to find success. He played four years on the varsity team, including his freshman season in 2001, where the Voks shocked many by making a deep playoff run and rolled to the Class 4A state championship basketball game. At 6 feet, 1 inch tall, Mendez-Valdez was the team’s shooting guard and a feared field general on the court. He helped the Voks make the playoffs three times during his high school career. In his senior season, he averaged 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game. He made the All-State Team and was named Player of the Year in 2004 by the San Antonio Express-News. After high school, he played one year at a prep school in Goldsboro, N.C. He received a full basketball scholarship at Western Kentucky University, where he was a shooting guard for the Hilltoppers and guided the team to reach the Sweet 16 during March Madness in 2008. He was an All-American in college and helped his team win two Sun Belt Conference championships. He played 15 years in the international professional circuit, primarily for Mexican basketball teams. The highlight of his professional career came in 2013, when he helped the Mexico National Team win the gold medal over Puerto Rico in the FIBA Americas Championship (pre-World Cup games).
“Driving up, seeing how many cars are here, I didn’t have any expectations, and I’m just nervous,’ said Mendez-Valdez. “It’s like a feeling before a game. I’m speechless, just trying to soak it all in today.”
John “Mule” Miles (posthumously)
Regarded as one of the greatest baseball players ever to come from San Antonio ISD, this 1940 alumnus of Wheatley High School was a true pioneer in the sport. At an early age, Miles discovered the love for baseball. While in high school, he was a star in baseball and basketball. “Wheatley was a special school,” Miles once said. “I learned a lot from my teachers. They made you study. They were tough but fond of their students. They took an interest in us.” In 1942, he was selected as part of the nation’s first African American flying training program – the famed Tuskegee Airmen. He worked on planes flown by historic Black aviators who became known as “Red Tails” in World War II. He returned to San Antonio and worked at Kelly Field. He was a mechanic and played baseball for the Kelly Air Force Base Bombers. During those years, Black players were prohibited from playing with whites in professional baseball. In 1946, a scout from the Negro League saw him play and invited him to try out. He made the team and played third baseman and outfielder with the Chicago American Giants of the Negro League from 1946-1949. He was nicknamed the “Mule” by his manager Candy Jim Taylor after hitting two home runs in one ball game. Taylor commented that Miles “hit like a mule kicks.” He was legendary for hitting 11 home runs in 11 straight games, a major league record. Miles played alongside baseball greats Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige.
1979 Wheatley/Brackenridge High School Football Team
The 1979 Wheatley/Brackenridge Eagles were one of the greatest high school football teams SAISD has ever produced. The 1979 Eagles soared by winning the San Antonio City Championship in Class 4A, the state’s largest UIL classification at that time. No other SAISD football team has accomplished that feat since. The 47-member team, composed of 24 seniors, compiled a 9-3-1 overall record. The “Cinderella” Eagles started the season 1-1-1 before turning it on and rolling to a district title. In the playoffs, the team upset Lee High School 16-14 to win the bi-district championship. The Eagles stunned John Jay High School in a thriller 21-20 to win the region crown. In the third-round quarterfinal game, the Eagles hosted Alice in front of 15,000 plus fans at Alamo Stadium where the two best teams in South Texas went head-to-head. In the end, the Eagles bowed to Alice 29-20. The 1979 Eagles produced five All-City first-team players, a district record that still stands. All-City players included Kenny Roberts (offensive tackle), Marty Martinez (defensive tackle), Sidney Graham (defensive back), Eddie Martinez (linebacker) and Tom Collins (offensive guard). Head coach was Joe Rendon. Top assistant coaches included Charlie Pena (offensive coordinator) and Cecil Lara (defensive coordinator). “SAISD had been knocking at the door,” Coach Pena said. “But couldn’t break the lock that North East and Northside had. (In 1979) we busted both locks.”
“To see them now and to see them finally seeing themselves, not as players, but enshrined players, I think that means a lot to me. Finally,” said fellow Wheatley teammate Charlie Pena.
About the SAISD Athletic Hall of Fame
Established in 2014 in collaboration with the San Antonio ISD Foundation, the SAISD Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes alumni who have made a positive impact in sports, either through excellent athletic achievements or excellent athletic program contributions. Since its inception, 47 honorees have been inducted into this prestigious hall.
A timeless and elegant bronze plaque commemorating the honorees will be on permanent display on the Hall of Fame Wall located on the visiting team’s side of historic Alamo Stadium. Additionally, inductees will receive a commemorative plaque to keep.
Nominations were received this past year and selection was made by a committee. Eligibility requirements for the SAISD Athletic Hall of Fame include:
- Student-athletes who graduated from an SAISD high school at least 10 years ago. Nominees could be considered posthumously.
- Administrators who served at the high school level for a minimum of 20 years or as a high school administrator and coach for a minimum of 15 years, of which at least 10 years must have been as an administrator.
- Coaches who served at the high school level for at least 20 years. Primary consideration was given to their achievements at this level and secondarily to those at the collegiate or professional level.
- Contributors in such areas as sports media, sports medicine, sports official, sports announcer or supporter. Nominees were considered primarily on the merits of their contributions to high school athletics and must have been involved in high school athletics for a minimum of 20 years.