Hugh Mendez | |
Player Sport1: | Football |
Player Years2: | 1957 |
Player Team2: | Springfield (MA) |
Player Sport3: | Baseball |
Player Years4: | 1957–1958 |
Player Team4: | Springfield (MA) |
Player Years5: | 1958 |
Player Team5: | McCook Braves |
Player Years6: | 1959 |
Player Team6: | Yakima Braves |
Player Positions: | Halfback (football) Pitcher (baseball) |
Coach Sport1: | Football |
Coach Years2: | 1980–1989 |
Coach Team2: | Whittier |
Coach Sport3: | Baseball |
Coach Years4: | 1971–1987 |
Coach Team4: | Whittier |
Overall Record: | 52–44 (football) |
Championships: | Football 2 SCIAC (1981–1982) |
Hugh Brooks Mendez (1935 – 2013) was an American football and baseball player and coach.[1] He served as the head baseball coach at Whittier College in Whittier, California from 1971 to 1987. He also served as Whittier's head football coach from 1980 to 1989, winning two conference championships[2]
Hugh B.Mendez stadium was dedicated in his honor by Whittier College in 2018. Mendez was also inducted to the Whittier College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Mendez coached American football for well over a decade from the mid-1980s, 1990's into the early 2000s in several European countries including teams in the Austrian Football League, German Football League, Finland Vaahteraliiga, and in the Italian Football League.
The legendary Mendez won league championships as a head coach in multiple countries including, the 1993 Austrian Bowl title with the Feldkirch Dinos, the 1985 Finnish Maple Bowl Vaahteraliiga with Vantaa Taft, and won the first Eurobowl championship in 1986 with Taft Vantaa from Finland. Mendez also won an Italian League Championship.
Mendez also conducted coaching clinics throughout Europe, and wrote coaching books and manuals.