Photo by Eva Rainey.
When Wallace Elementary’s beloved ESL teacher Frank Gomez announced he’d be retiring in June, devoted students and their families decided to help him go out in style. The school’s baseball field was refurbished and named in his honor, and a retirement party attracted almost 200 admirers, including several former students, now grown.
Graduating sixth graders arranged for Gomez to throw out the first pitch at Monday night’s baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field. Wearing an official jersey emblazoned with “Mr. G” and the number 27 to represent his 27 years of service to students at Wallace, Gomez’s pitch glided smoothly across the plate.
Teachers and students alike have been singing Gomez’s praises for years, but he developed an especially ardent following after the school shooting in Uvalde. Gomez attended Robb Elementary as a child and still has relatives in Uvalde, and he collected donations for families affected by the shooting and visited his hometown to deliver messages of support and consolation.
Gomez hasn’t specified how he’ll spend his days after retirement, but he enjoys growing vegetables in his garden and making salsa and chili with his fresh ingredients. Thank you and best wishes, Mr. Gomez!
Mr. G throws out the first pitch.
Photo by Frank Gomez.
