Veterans to be honored at Cal Farley’s boys ranch in Amarillo, Texas

Cal Farley’s Early Life

As a child Cal Farley endured many hardships to keep his family’s alive. Many called him “Shrimp” because of his physique and because of his size he learned to wrestle, as any normal child does with his or her siblings. He loved the excitement of playing baseball, which provided him with the excitement that curved strenuous duties of the farm chores. He walked for hours just to play baseball with friends at a local farm, and gain notoriety which influenced his future endeavors. At sixteen he a semi-pro baseball team offered him a spot and he was known to say, “They never got me behind a plow again.” He learned the feeling of winning in front of crowds of cheering people and the despair of losing to disgruntled crowds. In the fall through spring he wrestled professionally against local strong-men, who could not believe they were defeated by a teenager of his small stature.

 Cal’s athletic profession was put off for a while by World War I in 1917 because of his enlistment in the Army. In 1918 he was assigned to the Sixth Engineers and engaged in several battles of the conflict. Out of a 250 man regiment Cal was one of the few who survived the fighting. His commanding officers noticed Cal as a leader of men, and provided him the opportunity to promote morale building athletic events for the troops in the combat zone. Through his organizational skills he was able to build the esprit de corps of the soldiers assigned with him, and provided a release from the artillery fire. Cal’s accomplishments were many during his military service, but the one, of many events, he excelled wrestling. The matches between Cal and other unit champions provided an outlet for the doughboys to forget the war even if it was only for a little while. Soon he organized athletic programs for the allies’ occupation forces, and provided all the German children in his area a chance to learn the sport of baseball. As their coach, he provided guidance and personal philosophy through mentorship. Before leaving the military Cal won the American expeditionary force and inter-allied games to claim the championship of the third Army and upon returning to the United States Cal won the world welterweight championship. Baseball was what directed him to Amarillo, Texas in 1923 through achieving a slot on Amarillo’s semi-pro team, The Gassers.

 Although this giant of a man is portrayed in a statute at Cal Farley’s boys ranch, the many children, which continued his military heritage are not honored. Over 9000 children have left the Cal Farley’s organization since 1939 with the tools to become a productive citizen, and out of those children hundreds have served in wars from World War II to Afghanistan. It is now time to place those who have given selfless service to the military, through personal sacrifice, alongside Cal Farley.

 Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch Alumni Association seeks to help meeting the financial obligation of building a monument which will honor the military veterans of all services and wars, which were associated with the Cal Farley’s organization. Initial steps have been taken to build a Veterans Memorial to both those former residence of Cal Farley’s who have served in the military and especially those who has sacrificed their lives in service to their country. To make this goal a reality will now require a great deal of effort and funding. The memorial will provide 4×8 and 8×8 spaces for tile to honor Cal Farley’s Veterans. It will also have Pavers and Steps as part of the memorial which can be purchased by others wishing to have a part in the Memorial.

 A T-shirt booster drive has been created to help carry some of the financial burden of building this monument, close to the courthouse, at Cal Farley’s boys ranch in Amarillo, Texas. Through buying a Veteran’s Alumni Memorial Supporter’s T-shirt we can show our support for the building of this monument, and also honor all American Veterans. At this time we have raised $957 which is only a portion of what is needed to build this on Monument. Thanks to Cal Farley’s boys ranch organization and the alumni leadership, we have been able to secure an architect to designed, draft, and set the building process into motion. It is now up to the public, as American citizens, to step up and funded this much-needed project.

Thank you in advance for choosing to make a $25 or more contribution to the Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch Alumni Association “Veteran’s Memorial fund”.

Please pass the word so we can join together and make this memorial a reality. Without your support many of the veterans who have selflessly served us will go unnoticed.

Donations and Information

If you would rather make a donation and not receive a T-shirt please do so no matter the amount.  Remember every dollar counts, so just give what you can. When making your donation at the alumni website make sure the place “Veterans Memorial fund” in the “Notes” area when processing your nonprofit donation.

The website with information is http://www.calfarleysboysranchalumni.org/

The T-shirt booster drive and donation site is https://www.booster.com/cfbraa2

Any correspondence for donations can be sent to

Cal Farley’s boys ranch alumni Association

“Veterans Memorial Fund”

c/o Executive Director Bobby Sarpalius

133 Springhill Drive

Hurst, Texas 76054

Phone# 817-788-8782

email: cfbraa@sarpserv.com

All donations are 501 (c) (3) tax-deductible under the reference number 27 – 173-1105 and will go to the alumni association toward the building of the Veterans monument.

Information on Cal Farley was retrieved from the historical records of Cal Farley at www.calfarley.org