Clio Ruiz

Clio Ruiz, a 1963 DeWitt graduate, earned twelve varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track.  The oldest of eight children, Ruiz dedicated himself to work odd jobs during the summer to afford sports equipment, giving him a greater appreciation for things.  His love of sports and competition accompanied with an extraordinary dedication allowed Ruiz to play four sports throughout high school.  As an end, he earned three varsity letters in football.  During his junior season, he helped the Panthers win the Central Michigan D Championship, finishing with a perfect 8-0 record, the school’s first undefeated team.  As a guard in basketball, he earned three varsity letters and received All-League honors as a junior and senior.  During his junior season, he had a scoring average of 14.5 points per game and averaged 20 points over a four-game stretch.  In the spring, Ruiz earned six varsity letters, three in both track and baseball.  On the track, Ruiz garnered All-League honors as a senior and was part of the mile relay team, which set a school record of 3:51.2 in 1963.  On the baseball diamond, he was an All-League starting pitcher twice, was a two-time Team Most Valuable Player, and led the Panthers to back-to-back Central Michigan D Championships.  In his senior season, Ruiz fanned 16 batters versus Diamondale and won the conference title in a rematch with league rival Fowler 15-0.  In that game, Ruiz threw a one-hitter while striking out 15, and he accounted for 19 of the 21 outs himself.  He finished his senior season losing just once in ten starts.  After graduating from high school, Ruiz continued to play and manage in both the Lansing Men’s City League and the Lansing Latin American League.