GUAM MOURNS FOOTBALL LEGEND BORDEN

By Patrick Lujan

One of the best football players to grace our fields has died.

John Borden, a wide receiver legend from the historic UOG Tritons heydays, peacefully passed away on Tuesday.

Born in 1955, Borden came to Guam in 1973 with his military family – and never left. He would go on to play for the Tritons from 1975-78, gaining all-star honors in all four years and known for his incredible hands that snatched any pass thrown his way.

In 2011, Borden was named as one of Guam’s Top 10 Football Players of All-Time at #7!

He would get his degree in secondary education in 1980 and spend the next thirty years in the halls of George Washington High School before retiring in 2010.

During that span, he would teach and coach football, basketball and cross country and was the school’s strength coach for over a decade.

Along with his storied football career (a sport he didn’t play until getting to Guam), Borden hooped it up at UOG with Guam basketball greats Joe Taitano, Tony Susuico and Pete Sanchez.

He was part of the first installment of Triton Athletic Hall of Famers in 2017.

The humble teacher leaves behind wife Susan and sons Robert and Richard.

He was 69.