Willie Cardoza, Chandler College Head Coach and former WPK player, dies at age 56
Sad news in the WPK world today (February 15th, 1982) as former WPK second baseman and long-time Chandler College Head Coach Willie Cardoza has lost his life at the age of 56, reportedly from a heart attack as a result of untreated hypertension.
Cardoza was already at an advanced age as a professional ballplayer at the time of the establishment of the WPK and therefore only played one season with the El Paso Dawgs at the age of 39 before retiring from the game.
But starting in 1974 he was the head coach of the Chandler College Crawdads baseball club in Chandler, Arizona. While Cardoza's 8-year collegiate coaching career produced a winning record just slightly over .500 and no collegiate championships for the Crawdads, he did have an excellent reputation for teaching hitting techniques and for helping his young players develop strong fundamentals and baseball mechanics.
At the time of his death his carried 200 pounds on his 5'10'' frame and those who knew him well said that he was committed whole-heartedly to leading his team and helping prepare his kids for big league careers perhaps to the point of neglecting his own well-being and health. It may have contributed to his pre-mature death, but at least it can always be said that he died having spent most of his life fully involved in the sport that he passionately loved.