Joe Cortez​

Joe Cortez’s victory total ranks number one in the history of San Antonio high school basketball. He coached for four years at Peacock Military Academy and 36 years at Central Catholic High School compiling an overall record of 823 wins and 443 losses.​

A graduate of Central Catholic, he played on teams that won two TCIL state basketball titles and he was an All-City and All-State honoree. He was the first Hispanic basketball player at the University of Texas and graduated from St. Mary’s University. He later toured Europe and the Middle East with the Harlem Globetrotters’ opposition team. Cortez’s basketball teams at Central Catholic won 10 TCIL state championships and 23 district championships. The Buttons won City Championships in 1965, ’66 and ‘75. He also compiled a 300-210 record as head baseball coach at CCHS and as the football coach in 1961 he led the Buttons to a district title. ​

He also coached basketball at Trinity University, the professional league in Mexico, the Mexican National Team and the Spurs Basketball Camp. He has been inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame, the Central Catholic Marianist President’s Alumni Hall of Fame and the National Hispanic Heritage Hall of Honor​