Dick Menchaca

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Dick Menchaca (January 1, 1922 – July 28, 2005) was an American boxer and longtime boxing coach. Born in Piedras Negras, Mexico, he moved with his family to Port Arthur, Texas at age ten and started boxing at thirteen. He was a two-time Golden Gloves champion and the first Texan to win the National Golden Gloves in 1940, at bantamweight, after knocking out Dick Byrd in the first round, and he defended the title in 1941. He was selected for the 1940 U.S. Olympic boxing team, but the Games were canceled because of World War II. In the Army he boxed in Europe and became the European theater champion, also winning the American Red Cross boxing championship in England. After the war, Menchaca returned to Port Arthur, worked for Texaco for 35 years, and spent more than 45 years coaching boxing for free, using donations to buy gloves and equipment for his Boxing Academy. His students ranged from age 12 to adults, and he coached amateur teams and several professional fighters. He and his wife Leola belonged to the Mexican Heritage Society, and he was a life member of the Elks. He passed away in 2005.