1998

It would be hard to find a Lobo letterman who has repaid his alma mater and Albuquerque more handsomely than Finlay MacGillivray.  From UNM Board of Regent member and president to manager of the New Mexico State Fair, MacGillivray played a major role in the development of the city, state and UNM.

Born in Socorro, but a Santa Fe High grad, MacGillivray took his football and baseball talents to UNM in 1938.  MacGillivray played in the 1939 Sun Bowl team and was team captain in ’39.  He graduated in 1940 and entered the Air Force in 1941, serving until 1945 with action in the Pacific, attaining the rank of major.

MacGillivray was appointed to the Board of Regents in 1954, serving until 1962.  His many accomplishments during that time included:  Reversed the prevailing de-emphasis of intercollegiate athletics; approved a lease for what would become Winrock Center; approved trade with APS for land that now houses all athletics facilities on South Campus; approved plan for building Johnson Gym on condition that a new arena – The Pit – would be built on South Campus within 10 years; approved construction of University Stadium; and agreed to proceed with original plans for the UNM Medical School.

Perhaps MacGillivray’s greatest contribution to local economic development came in his 17-year tenure as manager of the New Mexico State Fair.  His vision lifted the fair from that of county level to one of the nation’s top-ranked expositions.  The first three Albuquerque International Balloon fiestas were staged at the Fairgrounds, thanks to Sid Cutter, Tom Rutherford and MacGillivray.

Small by most standards (5-10, 165 pounds), Randy Rich made a career of being an anomaly.  Recruited out of Bakersfield (Calif.) High after a sparking running career, Rich picked up where he left off at UNM. 

Rich played four years (1972-75) as safety and punt returner, and was one of the team’s leading tacklers.  He finished with 319 tackles, the most in school history for a defensive back at the end of his UNM career, and he also tied for the career lead with 15 interceptions.  Rich was first team All-WAC as a senior in 1975.

The too-small Rich moved on to the NFL where he originally signed with the Detroit Lions.  He had the good fortune to move to the Denver Broncos midway through the 1977 season.  Rich was used sparingly but was still a member of a Broncos team that played the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XII.  After a short stint with Oakland, Rich finished his pro career as a kickoff returner and safety for the Cleveland Browns.

Rich remained in Albuquerque where he served as an executive for the Christian Broadcasting Academy and has been a major influence in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes both on the college and high school levels.

In the spring of 1953, Sam Suplizio became UNM’s first bona fide first team All-American.  Forty years later he played a major role in bringing major league baseball to Denver – the Colorado Rockies.  New Mexico’s loss was truly Colorado’s gain.

Suplizio was recruited out of Dubois, Pa., by Dudley DeGroot to play quarterback, but he would up playing centerfield for George Petrol’s baseball club.  He batted .435, .450 and .509 for the Lobos from 1951-53, which earned Suplizio a $40,000 bonus from the New York Yankees – really big money at the time.

Suplizio’s outfield speed and rifle arm so impressed the Yankees that manager Casey Stengel considered bringing up Suplizio from Birmingham and shifting Mickey Mantle from centerfield to right field.  Unfortunately, a badly broken arm after sliding into second ended Stengel’s plan and Suplizio’s dream.

Since that day, Suplizio has jockeyed a successful banking-insurance business in Grand Junction, Colo., with an ambassador’s role in baseball that Walter Mitty would envy:  He founded the Junior College World Series in Grand Junction; served as a scout, coach and instructor for Milwaukee, St. Louis, Seattle and Anaheim; co-chair of Colorado’s Baseball Commission which brought baseball to Denver and secured voter approval for the construction of Coors Field;  held major league clinics in Holland, England, Spain, France, Germany and Japan.

In the autumn of 1940, Bill Thompson left Hobbs to enroll at the University of New Mexico.  He came on a football scholarship and was a three-year letterman from 1941-43.  Thompson was second team All-Border Conference offensive tackle as a sophomore and first team as a junior.  He was team captain as a senior in 1943 and was voted one of the outstanding players of the 1943 Sun Bowl.

Thompson was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1945, but could not compete due to World War II, serving two-and-a-half years in the Navy.  He returned to Albuquerque in 1950 to enter the construction and real estate business.  Thompson became a member of the Albuquerque Tennis Club in 1958 and later became its president.  He twice won the New Mexico closed doubles championships for his age group, and volunteered his time to helping young people improve their skills on the court.

Willis Barnes spent almost half his life serving UNM athletics as both assistant and head football coach as well as a mentor to Lobo boxing, wrestling and track.  Only the legendary Roy Johnson surpassed Willis’ 34 years of service to the University.

Barnes led UNM to a 34-24 victory over Denver in the 1946 Sun Bowl.  A year later, the Lobos actually played in two bowl games, falling to the Lei Alums in the Pineapple Bowl in Honolulu and tying Montana State in the Harbor Bowl in San Diego.

Barnes served as assistant to Ted Shipkey when UNM’s 1938 club played the Sun Bowl, the school’s first postseason appearance.  Later, it was Barnes’ defense, labeled “the accordion spread,” that gave the Lobos one of college football’s biggest upsets in 1952 – a 7-0 shocker over highly touted Wyoming.

Willis first came to the UNM staff in 1938 after serving as the head football coach in Belen and as a member of the Albuquerque Police Department.  He remained with the Lobos for the next 33 years as it traversed from the Border Conference to the Skyline to the Western Athletic Conference.

Barnes passed away in 1976.

• One of UNM’s top financial donors for more than 50 years

• Donated $50,000 to the UNM Alumni Lettermen’s Association for maintaining the Lettermen’s Lounge at Hodgin Hall

• Was a chemical analyst for Crucible Steel Co. in Midland, Pa.

• Football letterman from 1939-41

Basketball

• Four-year starter at forward who led UNM to the WAC Tournament title and the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance

• MVP of the 1998 WAC Tournament

• Became Lobos’ career scoring leader with 1,836 points

• 1^st team All-WAC for the third consecutive season

Football

• WAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1997, leading UNM to a 9-4 record and its first bowl appearance since 1961

• Set single-season school records with 24 TD passes and a 153.6 pass efficiency rating

• Was responsible for 32 of the Lobos’ 45 TDs

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