H.R. No. 730
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Valentino M. Luna was posthumously recognized by the
Austin History Center in conjunction with its exhibit Mexican
American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County; and
WHEREAS, Honoring the important contributions made by
Mexican Americans to Central Texas, the Austin History Center and
its association joined with the Austin Public Library to organize
the show, which ran from August 21, 2010, through January 16, 2011;
Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County
celebrated the pioneering achievements of 32 remarkable men and
women and provided the public with an opportunity to learn more
about their lives; and
WHEREAS, One such individual, Valentino Luna, was honored for
his achievements in sports; a stellar boxer, Mr. Luna was born in
Austin on February 14, 1930, and first took up the sport at the age
of 16; his talent developed quickly and he entered the Golden Gloves
state tournament after only two bouts; before he turned
professional, he held the amateur titles of Austin Golden Gloves
Champion, Texas Golden Gloves State Champion of 1947 and 1949, and
Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Champion, in addition to being
the National Golden Gloves runner-up of 1949; and
WHEREAS, In 1983, Austin boxers named him the best boxer to
come out of Austin; a hard-hitting southpaw, he was known for his
strong counterpunch and long reach, and his victories were called
"Valentine's Massacres"; he retired from professional boxing with a
record of 21-2 but stayed active in the sport, sharing his knowledge
and expertise as boxing coach at the South Austin Recreation
Center; and
WHEREAS, Through his outstanding accomplishments, Valentino
Luna made a positive difference in his community, and his legacy is
a source of pride and inspiration to many people; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Valentino M. Luna, a
Mexican American Trailblazer of Austin and Travis County.
Rodriguez
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 730 was adopted by the House on March
17, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House