ASU remembers

   

Senon A. "Baldy" Castillo

Track and Field Coach - 1953 to 1979

   

  

Photo of backlit cactus

  

January 31, 2009

Senon A. "Baldy" Castillo, 90, passed away on January 31, 2009. After serving in the Navy as Chief Petty Officer from 1942 to 1946 he attended ASU and graduated with a degree in education. He served as head Track and Field Coach at ASU from 1953-1979. He led his student athletes to 10 NCAA titles and coached 34 All-Americans. Twenty-four of his athletes competed in eight Summer Olympics and collected 13 Olympic medals, seven of which were gold. One of his greatest accomplishments was when his team won the Track and Field National Championship in 1977. He was an inductee in the Oklahoma State Field of Track and Field Hall of Honor, Penn Relays and Drake Relays Hall of Fame, national Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Arizona Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame and ASU Hall of Distinction. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Leona, two children, four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one sister.