He truly was a champion. Buryl Baty, a tall, handsome former Texas A&M star quarterback, took over the football reins of the southside school and turned the Bears into proud champions. His teams finished first in the district in two of the four years he was at the helm and was favored to make it three of five the year of his death.
He and assistant Jerry Simmang were killed when a young driver of a big truck fell asleep and crashed into their car head on. Another assistant, Fred Rosas, who was asleep in the rear seat, suffered horrendous injuries but survived.
HERE’S HOW the book is described by the publisher, Texas A&M University Press:
“Buryl Baty was a winning athlete, coach, builder of men and an early pioneer against bigotry. “In 1950, after serving in the second world war and then quarterbacking the Texas Aggies during the glory days of the old Southwest Conference, Baty became head football coach at Bowie High School in El Paso. He quickly inspired his athletes, all Mexican Americans from the south side ghetto, the Segundo Barrio, with his winning ways and his personal stand against the era’s extreme, deep-seated prejudice to which they were subjected.
“However, just as the team was poised to win a third championship, an unthinkable tragedy turned their world upside down. Years later, these former players formally recognized Coach Baty’s lasting inspiration and influence by dedicating La Bowie’s stadium in his name and inducting him into the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame.
“IN THIS POIGNANT memoir, R. Gaines Baty also describes his own journey to get to know his father. Coach Baty’s life story is portrayed from the perspectives of nearly one hundred individuals who knew him in addition to many documented facts and news reports. NFL Hall of Famer Raymond Berry provides a heartfelt and relevant foreword, and Gene Stallings, Ray Sanchez, Alexander Wolff, Roger Staubach, Kent Hance, Nolan Richardson and others have endorsed the book.
”A university professor labeled this an important and historic piece of work. It is an inspiring true story of leadership and triumph.”
THE BOOK is available now for pre-purchase at www.Amazon.com and www.Barnesandnoble.com, or at a physical Barnes & Noble location, for delivery in mid-to-late February, 2015. Supply is limited. For more information, see www.ChampionoftheBarrio.com.
Gaines Baty sent me an advanced manuscript of the book and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I lived through those sorrowful days of the accident. I was a young sports writer at the El Paso Herald-Post and in charge of covering high school sports. I wept when I heard the news of the accident. So did other El Pasoans. Buryl Baty was a friendly, highly intelligent, polite man one couldn’t help but like.
I have a special memory of him. He’s the one who nicknamed me “Ray.” My byline in those days read “By Ramon Sanchez.” Ramon is pronounced rah-mon. Coach Baty was new in town and not too versed on Spanish pronunciation so when he called for me at the office in 1950 he pronounced rah-mon as ray-mon.”
The sports editor at the time, Bob Ingram, smiled, tuned to me and said, “It’s for you, Ray,” emphasizing the word Ray.
The nickname quickly caught on, especially with the non-Spanish speaking population of El Paso, and I was forever more to be known as Ray.
I like it and it makes me remember this extraordinary coach and wonderful human being.