Year Inducted: 2025
Nominated By: Taylor Voss
Nominated as: Athlete, Contributor
Before High School:
● Catcher for three years playing in the Old Timers Baseball League (1953-56).
● Basketball guard on the St. Leander's grade school team for one season (1956-57).
● Played in Pueblo Recreation Programs as a Softball catcher for 14 years (1953-67).
High School:
Attended Pueblo Catholic High School (1957-1961)...Played four years (1957-61) on the Shamrocks football team (guard/tackle) and three years (1957-59) as a guard on the basketball team.
Achievements:
High School (Baseball):
● Varsity starter, was the only freshman on the Varsity starting squad (1958).
● First-Team All-Conference, First-Team All-City (1959).
● Pueblo City Batting Champion (1960).
● First-Team All-Conference, First-Team All-City (1960).
● Carried a .469 Batting Average (1960).
● City Leader in Most Home Runs, Most Hits, and Most Runs Scored (1960).
● City Co-Leader in Most Stolen Bases (1960).
● Parochial State Championship vs. Denver Mt. Carmel (1960).
● Pueblo Catholic High School MVP (1961).
● First-Team All-Conference, First-Team All-City (1961).
● At the plate, Whalen carried a .400 Batting Average (1961).
● Played two years of Semi-Pro baseball for the Pueblo Rockwool Indians (1960-62).
● Played catcher for five seasons for American Legion (1957-62)
● American Legion State Championship vs. Aurora.
● Whalen was a power hitter and was adept at stealing bases.
High School (Football):
● First-Team All-Conference, First-Team All-City, First-Team All-State, State Championship vs. Denver Mullen (1959).
● First-Team All-Conference, First-Team All-City, First-Team All-State, Parochial State Championship vs. Regis (1960).
● First-Team All-Conference, First-Team All-City, First-Team All-State (1961).
● Denver Post Football Roll of Honor (1961).
● Co-Captain for Pueblo Catholic High School(1961).
● Played for the South squad in the All-State game, defeating the North squad (1961).
● Had the speed of a running back (10.1 seconds in the 100-yard dash), but the temperament of a lineman and linebacker.
High School (Basketball):
● Played in the State Championship game (1957).
Achievements:
Softball (1953-67):
● In Whalen's first state championship softball final, played in a thirteen-year-old division as a 9-year-old boy.
● Played in four State Softball Championship Finals in total.
● In one particular state championship game, Frank's team was trailing 6-2 going into the last inning. With the bases loaded, Frank hit a grand slam home run to tie the game. In extra innings, he hit a triple to score three more runs, and his team won the championship game 9-6.
● Frank had many game-winning contributions.
College:
Enrolled at the University of Colorado...Earned a baseball scholarship and played one season as the Buffaloes catcher (1961-62).
Contributor:
Youth Programs:
● Five-year donor for Pueblo Baseball Mill (2019-24).
● Donor volunteer for the Frank Whalen Home Run Derby (2019).
● Donor and content contributor for the Baseball Mill Online Training Platform - an online website for parents and coaches to access hitting drills and \training programs (2024).
Personal Affiliations/Achievements:
● Whalen is an avid golfer and has served as President of the Colorado City Men's Golf Association.
● Continues to take an interest in Pueblo County sports.
● Active member of the Rye and Pueblo communities, and continues to be a passionate supporter of the activities of local sporting teams.
● Been a supporter and generous donor to many local nonprofits in the Pueblo community, including Sangre de Cristo Hospice & Palliative Care, Catholic Charities of Southern Colorado, and he is also a longtime donor to the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon and the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Related Activities:
● Whalen is a passionate and active donor for the Pueblo Baseball Mill youth baseball and softball facility. This facility has served over 400 youth athletes per week over the last five years.
● Frank's numerous contributions have gone towards purchasing much-needed equipment for the Pueblo Baseball Mill facility, as well as towards funding scholarships for athletes who are unable to pay for lessons.
● The inspiration, donor, and namesake of the 2019 Frank Whalen Home Run Derby was held at the Runyon Field Sports Complex. Over 100 athletes participated in the home run derby, with over 500 people in attendance, and the Governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, attended the event, where he threw out the first pitch.
Personal:
Frank is a life-long (80 years) resident of Pueblo and is married to Mary Beth... They have three grown children, Erin, Patricia, and Frank Jr.
