Lee Velarde Inducted Into the Texas League Hall of Fame

For the first 28 of the existence of the Midland franchise in the Texas League, their home turf knew just one head groundskeeper, Lee Velarde. Working at the Midland facility alternately known as Cubs Stadium (1972-84), Angels Stadium (1985-94) and Christensen Stadium (1995-2001), Velarde diligently tended the grounds there from 1972, until his retirement in 1999.

In the history of the circuit, he is one of the longest serving groundskeepers any TL team has ever had. Prior to his assignment to care for the surface at Cubs Stadium, Velarde had been in charge of caring for all of the youth fields in Midland from 1954 until the arrival of the Cubs in 1972. During his term as a Texas League groundskeeper, Society and Grounds Management magazine gave Cubs Field their Best Field award in 1976, while Lee was presented a National Maintenance Award for his care of Cubs Stadium in 1977.

A hard working family man, Velarde was also a noted amateur slugger in his youth, often hitting clean-up for the locally famous Midland Colts. Velarde is also the father of former Major League player Randy Velarde.