BASEBALL: EL SOLAR VACANTE, THE PERFECT DIAMOND

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

In 1946 most Brownsville neighborhood kids never dreamt they could make the transition from playing on the sandlot (solar vacante) to stepping on to a real diamond.

But the evolution of local youth baseball that moved from the “barrio” to the ball park did occur long before WW II.

Although there had been civic organizations before this period that were instrumental in organizing youth baseball, the origins of baseball for kids in the city were in the hands of fathers that wanted to keep their sons off the streets and on the playground.

Some individuals - like Roman Rodriguez, Timoteo Castro, Fred Cerda and Pancho Avelar - were often associated with organizing competitive baseball during this period and also helped kids to make the move from softball to hardball.

In the beginning (Big Inning), before little league, it was kids playing barrio against barrio on their home turf. Having to clear a patch of land (the sandlot) where the encounters took place was commonly done and the conditions of the field varied from neighborhood to neighborhood, but certainly were never ideal.

But who was complaining, as the “solar vacante” made for the perfect diamond?

One such neighborhood softball league had its roots under the sponsorship of Agustin P. Munivez, who invited his barrios boys that included his son Augustin Jr. to participate in organized softball. Leading the team as a coach was Timoteo Castro, who was given credit for coaching many kids before and after his long career in the military.

Absent the regalia and sophisticated equipment of today, the neighborhood boys made a smooth transition from neighborhood baseball to playing at Ringgold Park (the backstop was near the area where the Costumes of the Americas building is located today). At first, the playing field was made possible only by clearing an area large enough to play.

Later a regular diamond was born, “El Poso”, known as such because it was designed to resemble a shallow sink hole with fans viewing from above. But by then the kids had also found another home, the historic grounds at Fort Brown.

As more kids were catching “baseball fever” it was necessary to form another league, but this time, playing hardball. The league was organized by Ramon Rodriguez. The military reservation, which once hosted many a ball game during it’s heyday, was now the home park for neighboring kids.

A team worth mentioning from that era was coached by Fred Cerda. Fred constructed a winning nine that dominated the league. His team ended the 11-game season without a blemish.

At about the same time, Timoteo decided that the older boys needed a place for recreation as well. He went back to Ringgold Park and organized two leagues for boys under and over 15 years old. But the league would not have been possible without the help of the well known “El Coronel,” who was responsible for getting the playing grounds in order.

Former Pct. 2 Constable Pete Avila, who was then a batboy said: “The ‘Coronel’ was the commander-in-chief of Ringgold Park, nobody and I mean nobody would set foot on the diamond without his permission.” That was retired Colonel Frank Lockheed, we have now learned.

With two leagues in action, sometimes it was necessary to move games from Ringgold Park to the other chicken wire field at “Johnny’s Plantation,” located close to the present grounds of Luby’s on Boca Chica.

(Front row l to r: unnamed, Marcelo Gutierrez, Eli Ruth, Nuco Torres, Luis Rodriguez and Timoteo Castro, coach. 
Back row l to r: unknown, Lefty Balboa, Raymond Rodriguez, Hugonett, George Sanchez, Raymond “Monche” de Leon, and Noe Gonzalez)

Castro wanted more for his players and more he gave them. It was also then that he ventured across the river to take his Junior and Senior league boys to play in Matamoros.

But it was soon after, in 1954 that Castro joins the Air Force and so with that, his leadership in developing organized baseball and coaching career came to an end.

His involvement in forming baseball leagues was vital because there were no formal little leagues at the time of his work. He did get to see and coach a regular little league team right before his military service…

Old timers remember Castro putting in a bat boy to the plate to draw a walk: “Ok, son, it’s your turn to bat and remember, don’t swing,” said the coach. The batter was so small that the pitcher always had difficulty finding the plate, which 99 per cent of the time meant that he was good for a “walk”.

With Castro’s absence, another avid baseball fan steps to the plate…

Frank “Pancho” Avelar experienced love before baseball When Frank left his home town of Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico to seek the American dream—he found more than just a dream. As he made his presence known in Brownsville in 1946, this was also the same year that “barrio leagues” were thriving.

But Pancho was not in tune with America’s game until he discovered “Paradise” and her name was Consuelo, the love of his life.

Chelo was a darling of a softball player who wore the uniform of the Simpson Packers of the 1940s. The Packers dominated city and valley softball leagues for two consecutive years—qualifying to the prestigious state softball tournament in 1945 and 1946.

By 1948, Frank not only married Chelo but also embraced softball, as both came together. Pancho begins his softball playing career at the old “36” diamond (located then on West St Francis) but just like kids of then who were switching from softball to baseball, he too, made the change in 1956.

After one year of playing baseball, Frank was fascinated with the game, so he and Luis Valdez formed what would become a very successful and popular team, “La Tienda Amigo.” The team was one of the first and the only one to represent Brownsville in the strong “Liga Municipal de Matamoros.

Before long, “La Tienda Amigo,” under the leadership of player-coach Avelar, rose to the top of the league—bringing the crown to Brownsville with such players like: Lupe Canul, Pete Avila, Charles Scott, Daniel Garza, Benito Juarez, Luis Valdez, Tony Garcia, Juan Valdez, Homero Balboa, Rafael Garcia, Juan Perez, Donato Herrera, and Agustin Munivez,

In 1959 the Inter-American League comes to life With the support of Mayor Gene McNair and the city commission the league became a reality. The league not only attracted local and international teams, but the interest to participate in this first ever international league extended throughout the Valley.


Once all the details were in place, the games on this side of the border were played on the diamond at Ringgold Park. “’El Poso” as it was know then, was the only field in the city equipped for night baseball.

The league was such a hit that by 1961 Tomas Leal, who was head of the City Parks and Recreation Department, invited Frank to move his league to a newer and better facility. The move took the league to Lions Park, once the house of the professional Brownsville Charros. It was here that the Inter-American League grew to the point to gain a place of prominence among semi-pro leagues in this region.

The league had a remarkable 12-year run; Pancho Avelar’s Inter-American League took its final bow under his leadership in 1971. After this point, the city of Brownsville stepped in and took over the league.

There is no doubt that baseball was the focal point to all of this. But let us not forget that close beyond the fouls lines were the fans that perhaps could have found a better place to spend their hot summer nights that at the ball park. —but they didn’t.

Avelar brought not only players together but also established a very loyal fan base from both sides of river. Beyond the game, the league promoted the idea that all walls did not exist through baseball,\. Pancho created a stronger relationship between our two countries, something our diplomats have problems in doing today.

Frank and Chelo, who until recently still lived in Brownsville, formed a crack nine of their own with three substitutes—all 12 children (5 girls and 7 boys) were born with the baseball gene.