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Anthony Muņoz: A Chaffey Legacy
by Lailah Moridzadeh, Staff Writer On June 26, Chaffey and the city of
Ontario recently acknowledged the one and only, Anthony Muņoz, for all his hard
work and dedication in getting where he is. "He resembles the spirit of
Chaffey High in three ways: academics, community involvement, and
personality," Mr. Koester, CHS teacher and good personal friend of Anthony
Muņoz shares.
| For all those who haven't heard, Anthony Muņoz was a
professional football player for the Cincinnati Bengals and a graduate of
Chaffey High School. When Muņoz arrived as a freshman to Chaffey, his height
was astonishingly over six feet tall with a stocky build. Because of his superb
abilities, he played Varsity baseball, basketball, and was most recognized for,
football-defensive end.
While on the field, he was an extremely competitive player. "There was
no limit to what he would do to assist his fellow players to win the game. But
off the field, he had a heart of gold," Koester remembers. |
Muņoz receiving yet another
symbol of appreciation from the
community Gary Ovitt congratulates
Anthony Muņoz on gaining a bit
of immortality in Ontario
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Muņoz was well-known throughout campus but was never part of a click. He
didn't socialize with the jocks or cheerleaders. Instead, he would befriend
students who were usually distant from others.
He also made sure never to disobey the rules given by the coaches. He never
drank or went to parties and made sure to keep his teammates from doing the same
since this was a strictly enforced rule.
Muņoz's talents in sports earned him a scholarship. He moved on to USC where
he continued to be involved in sports playing on USC's football team. Later in
his life, he played professional football for the Cincinnati Bengals, which is
an interesting correlation to CHS's mascot. Bengals are a type of tiger, and
Chaffey's mascot is a tiger as well.
The usual football player's span playing professionally is two-to-three
years; Muņoz played for twelve years. He also played in eleven Pro Bowls for
the Bengals--more than any other player in history. His final year he was
inducted into the Football Hall of Fame.
| His love of playing football came to an end when Muņoz
unfortunately busted his knee cap during a game. He retired at the age of
thirty-four. He'd wisely earned a degree in business and now owns his own
business.
On June 26, Chaffey held an assembly in the GWS Auditorium to salute Muņoz.
There his jersey, number 77, which he used all four years, was retired. |
Principal Brodie congratulates Anthony Muņoz
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A local park where Muņoz grew up playing, formally known as Colony Park
located in Ontario on 5th and Mountain, was renamed the Anthony Muņoz Hall of
Fame Park.
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Anthony Muņoz having a great time
providing autographs for his fans
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A banquet was also held in his honor from 6:00-10:00 p.m. Dinner
was served at 7:00p.m., each dinner plate costing $75. All the proceeds of the
banquet were used for the Chaffey High athletic fund.
Among the people attending the banquet were Brad Budde, who will be inducted
into the College Shrine in December; Paul McDonald, who earned all American
Honors; Dave Lapman, former Bengals offensive line player; John Robinson, former
Rams coach; Ron Yary and Ron Mix, Pro and college Hall of Fame; and Rod Dedeaux,
newly named College Baseball Coach of the Century for directing the USC team to
an eleven year college world championship. |
| To make this day all the more special, Muņoz's daughter,
Michelle, and son Anthony Jr. spoke in honor of their father.
Anthony will always be a legacy for his athletic prowess in several different
sports and, for those who know him personally, for his generous heart and
winning personality. |
Anthony remembering the people at Chaffey who inspired him to
excel
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