DR. SAM BATEY LEGACY CELEBRATION

4:30-7 p.m., TUESDAY, JULY 26

COLORADO SPORTS HALL OF FAME MUSEUM

EMPOWER FIELD AT MILE HIGH

Dr. Paul Plinske, the Vice President for Athletics and Strategic Partnerships at Colorado State University Pueblo, looks forward to hosting the Batey Legacy Celebration along with the men's basketball coach Matthew Hammer and Foundation CEO Todd Kelly.

RSVPs to date have been received from Chris Babbs, Barbara Batey, Brooklyn Batey, Dana Batey, Pryce Batey, Sam Batey Jr., Debbie Blair Minter, Alex Brady, Matthew Hammer, Galens Harris, Happy Haynes, Khadija Haynes, Donnis Hurd, Jeff Hurd, Naaman Jackson, Todd Kelly, Roger Kinney Virginia Lobeer, Richard Maki, Damon Morgan, Edith Morgan, Henry Morgan, Jo Ann Pegus, Paul Plinske, Alberteen Ransom, Rosalyn Reese, Mannie Reinsch, Raymond Rhambo, Dawn Salter, Lee Saunders, Lynn Simmons, Martha Simmons, Tim Simmons, Bob Sims, Lois Smith, Marc Smith, Glays Wortham and J. Wallace Wortham.  

Sam Batey was the first player to play four-straight seasons CSU Pueblo when the school was known as Pueblo Junior College before becoming Southern Colorado State College in the fall of 1963. A prep standout at Denver East, Sam and his wife Barbara served as principals in the Denver Public Schools system and both earned their doctorate degrees from the University of Colorado in the late 1990s. Sam passed away on July 19, 2021.  Barbara continues to live in Denver and is surrounded by her two children (Sam Jr. and Dana) and four grandchildren (Jordan, Brooklyn, Morgan and Pryce).  VIDEO

DID YOU KNOW - During his final two seasons at then-Southern Colorado State College, Sam Batey's rebounding statistics rank among the best-ever compiled by a state of Colorado collegiate basketball player at a four-year school.

• His 18.5 rebounding average for the 1963-1964 season tied Batey with Dick Brott from the University of Denver (1956-1957) as the highest in Colorado collegiate history.
• Batey's two-season (1963-1965) four-year average of 16.7 is the best ever compiled by a Colorado collegiate player.
• Among double-doubles for points and rebounding, Batey's 34.9 combined average (18.2 points, 16.7 rebounds) ranks second behind the University of Colorado's Cliff Meely's 36.4 (1968-1971, 24.3 points, 12.1 rebounds).

DPS ALL-CENTURY - Both Sam Sr., and Sam Jr. are listed on the All-Century Basketball team for the Denver Public School system. While Sam Sr., play at Denver East, Sam Jr., was a standout at George Washington. Sam Batey Jr. played collegiately for four seasons at Montana State Billings (1982-1984) and Regis (1985-1987). He was the leading scorer at Regis in 1987 where he averaged 12.1 points per game for Coach Lonnie Porter.