PUTEGNAT DOMINATED BISD SOFT-SHOE UNDER DEL CASTILLO

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Manfred del Castillo never dreamt he would become a decorated coach.

His career in education with the Brownsville Independent School District began at Canales Elementary in 1953. By 1957, he had a list of titles – Assistant Principal/Physical Education teacher and coach at A. S. Putegnat Elementary school.

In 1956, head Brownsville High School coach, Bob Martin, (who once coached Tom Landry at Mission High School) was convinced that in order to win championships – he would have to form sport programs at the elementary and junior high levels.

It was then, that the Brownsville Soft-shoe League was born – all elementary schools participated in football, basketball, softball and track. 

“Sports gave the kids something to do after school – which led to successful experiences,” said coach del Castillo.

This was the era when television was taking its first steps into the American living room, allowing for the first time, for youngsters to witness live images of sporting events. With this, the crave to participate in sports grew.

It was the able coaching of A.X. Benavides that set the foundation and tradition of winners –  which Manfred del Castillo took over in 1957.                                                                                                            Manfred said, “I was very fortunate to work with outstanding athletes who on a daily basis demonstrated a consistent passion for the game.”

As the football season started, the boys from Putegnat were making history – every time they stepped on the field, the odds were that they would win.

The kids proved to be too much for the opposition –  taking the championship flag in grand style, but not without the uproar of foul play that came from the other side of the tracks.

“The kids were obedient and well disciplined, something that they carried on to the field – which helped them to become winners,” explained del Castillo.

“We were undefeated, and nobody scored on us” declared running back Jose A. “Cricket” Gutierrez.

In 1924, Norte Dame, had the Four Horsemen – the Hispanic-barefooted boys from Washington Park had one more horse than the Irish, they were: “Cricket” Gutierrez, Johnny Garcia, Carlos Cisneros, Lorenzo Torres and Joseph Valero.

All participated in every team sport, which in 1957-58, helped Putegnat take the crowns in football, basketball, softball and track. An accomplishment that no other Brownsville school matched.

The following is a snapshot of the many outstanding athletes from that era that walked the halls of A.S Putegnat: Tommy Lozano, Marcos Serrano, Efrain Hernandez, David Solis, Armando Gonzales, Ismael Juarez, Joe Diaz, Celso Sanchez, Tomas Canul and Richard Moreno.

The Softshoe program was discontinued after 1960, but not before Putegnat had taken 12 out of 16 championships. Was it the threat of dominance and/or the discomfort of the losers the reason Bob Martin stopped the program? Some said that it was. 

Manfred will tell you that he did not do it alone, “help was always around the corner.”

While that might be true –  it was his hard work and dedication – which produced
winners on and off the field. Manfred del Castillo retired in 1989 – after a 36-year career as a teacher and principal with the Brownsville Independent School District.