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Bobby Padilla
Florence – Bobby Padilla was excited when he got the call that he would be entering the Florence Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a Florence High Gopher football player. His nomination was for outstanding performance in high school athletics.
An article from the 1956 Arizona Republic, describing the footballs season’s preparations of championship contenders (Florence, Superior, Clifton and Eloy) states, “ … key to the Florence attack will be All Conference quarterback, Bobby Padilla, a good passer and faker. He will operate behind a trio of veterans in tackles.”
Conferences in the 1950’s were different from today. Almost all schools played each other, regardless of size and balloting, for All Conference was done statewide by coaches, not just within the conferences. The Arizona Class B 1956 and 1957 All State teams included “Bob Padilla who nudged out the state’s other signal callers for quarterback honors. The year prior to that Bob and three other teammates from the Florence football squad received honorable mention in the coaches’ selection of all conference teams.”.
As we all age, so does the paper some of our mementos are written on, but, easy to decipher. One clipping with a picture shows Bob throwing a football through a tire, with the following statement by Republic reporter, Ted Kazy, “Florence sophomore quarterback, Bobby Padilla sharpens his passing by pitching the football full force through an old automobile tire. Coach Vince Cisterna rates Padilla a top passer.”.
Bobby lettered three years in baseball, two years in track, was in FFA, Letterman’s Club four years serving as vice president his Junior and Senior years; but, with all of these sports, four years as a football quarterback, starting at age 14, earned him the honors and was his passion. He also holds the record for the most concussions per game, over a span of four years. In those days, when you came to, the coach had you count fingers and back in the game you went. The first day of practice as a Freshman, Coach Cisterna threw a shirt to him with the #52 and that was his for four years. At some point in the late 1950’s, numbers for football players were changed to single digit for the backs and quarterbacks.
When playing baseball, his toughest opponent was when, as a batter, he had to face his brother Chaco (Henry), pitcher for Hayden, who was one of the toughest in the conference.
Bob was born in Winkelman. His father died in a mining accident in Tiger when he was one year old. He was in the fifth grade when he moved to Florence with his mother and brother Art. After high school, he worked for Foxworth-Galbreath Lumber Yards in Nogales and Winkelman, and joined ASARCO in the warehouse, until his retirement. He served as president of the Lobo Athletic Booster Club, and, in 1970 – 1973, as a volunteer quarterback coach at Hayden High.
He married his high school sweetheart, Mary Ward, to whom he has been married for 57 years. They have four children: Diane (David), Sandy, Bob (Patti) and Edwina; eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
The banquet honoring Bob was Oct. 14, kicking off Florence High School Homecoming. HIs picture will hang next to that of his brother Art in the Celaya Building on the Florence Campus.
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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