Sammy Garza
Inducted 2011
Hometown: Corpus Christi
High School: Harlingen High School
College: The University of Texas at El Paso
Professional: Seattle Seahawks, Phoenix Cardinals, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Ottawa Rough Riders
Best Known for: Football
A Harlingen star who made it all the way to the NFL, Garza was a super slinger was one of the best passers in Valley history.
Born in Corpus Christi, Garza was a standout for the Cardinals in the 1980s, a mobile quarterback with a rocket arm. At a time when only one team made the playoffs the Cards were 30-10 in his career but never advanced into the postseason. But his outstanding performance in high school earned him a scholarship to The University of Texas at El Paso. There he started three years (1984-86) and recorded a 3,000-yard season, three 400-yard games, and ended his run as the program's all-time leader in total offense. He also set a Miner mark with 36 completions in one game.
Garza was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the eighth round in 1987 and saw action for the Phoenix Cardinals in two games that season, passing for 183 yards and a TD.
He made his name in Canada with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Ottawa Rough Riders during a six-year career, also spending a year with the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League. In 1993 the Valley ex paced Winnipeg to the Grey Cup championship game, and all told, threw for nearly 5,000 yards with 29 touchdowns in his career. His best effort came in 1995 as he tossed for 2,954 yards and 13 scores.
He later coached at UTEP for many years and eventually became an NFL scout for the Dallas Cowboys.