“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a coat of many colours.” Genesis 37:3, The Tanakh

From its 1903 birth to today, Miami High graduates have been inextricably connected to history either by purpose or happenstance, and like Joseph’s “coat of many colours”, our alumni and current students reflect the Magic City’s ever changing profile.

We are linked by our shared struggles and successes. Miami’s early pioneers hewing a city out of swampland. Students persevering through the Depression and two World Wars. Exiles integrating into an unknown culture. African Americans striving for fair play and economic progress. New immigrants once again learning how to meld in an unfamiliar society.

It’s a Stingaree thing.  Others wouldn’t understand.

Our graduates succeed.

Some have been instrumental in shaping the course of world history. On March 30, 1981, Jerry Parr (’48) was the Secret Service agent whose quick reaction saved President Ronald Reagan’s life. Charles Donald Albury (’38) served on both bombing missions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending World War II.

Others have been an integral part of the current technological revolution.  Ed Roberts (’59) invented the first commercially successful personal computer in 1975, the Altair 8800.  Class Valedictorian Manny Vellon (’77) helped develop the first version of Microsoft Windows.  Manny learned the use of micro-computers on, you guessed it, an Altair 8800.

Jim Dooley (’48) changed the way America’s sport, football, is played.  Chosen by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1952 NFL Draft, Dooley later became Chicago’s head coach and developed the “Dooley Shift” now known as the “nickel defense”.

In a sport where only three out of ten thousand high school athletes make it to the NFL, the 1998-1999 Stingarees, led by Coach Nigel A. Dunn, Jr., sent five. The Stings' quintet: Andre Johnson (’00), Roscoe Parrish (’00), Atari Bigby (’00), Allen Augustin ('00), and Jamaal Jackson (’99).

Not to be outdone by football, Gardnar Mulloy (’32), was the tennis world’s icon.  During his career he won five Grand Slam doubles tournaments and was a member of the winning Davis Cup team on three occasions.  He won over 127 National Championships and 25 International Titles over his 75 years of playing competitive tennis.

Cynthia Cidre ('75), 1975 MIAHI's Editor in Chief, was nominated for six Emmy Awards and an Edgar Allen Poe Award for her outstanding writing and production of the television film, A Killing in a Small Town.  She also wrote the screenplay for Mambo Kings, created and produced the television series Cane, created Dallas, and is currently the executive producer of the ABC television series Blood & Oil.

These are but a few of our fellow alumni.

Quoting  Howard Kleinberg (’51), former Chief Editor of The Miami News and prolific book author of all things Miami, including The Stingaree Century, Jorge Costales (’77) wrote in his superb blog 2thinkgood, that each one of us is a “cog in the wheel”.

It is our goal at The Stingaree to honor and highlight as many “cogs” as we can.

We hope you’ll enjoy each issue.

Rick Cabrera ‘73