by Rene Torres
 |
| 1945 Brownsville War Eagles |
‘
When Bob Martin(actually Roberto Martinez as Rene mentions later) came to town in the spring of ‘44 to coach the Eagles, he inherited a battered and bruised team that had won one, tied two and had given up 477 points in the previous two seasons.
But Coach Martin was the shot in the arm the Eagles needed as, in only one year, he led them to a surprising successful season, finishing the 1944 campaign at 7-3.
The whole community anxiously waited for the 1945 season as they felt Martin would unveil a new offensive strategy and a more powerful team than the previous year and that he did.
The 1945 Brownsville Golden War Eagles (as they were called then) implemented the “T’ formation to dominate the opposition and the Eagles had a record-breaking year finishing the regular season with a 10-0 record.
In the first game of the season the Eagles took to the road and defeated the powerful Weslaco team 26-0, despite which the Panthers eventually went on to win the 40-A crown.
The Brownsville boys used trickery on offense and solid defense to demonstrate to friends and foes that they were the team to beat in 16-AA.
Electric Score Board installed
 |
| Tucker Field Scoreboard |
As the War Eagles prepared for their 1945 home opener against San Antonio Burbank, the students were also deciding who to crown their football sweetheart.
The whole community was excited about the Eagles and so was the Brownsville Lions Club.
The club had spent $350 to adorn Tucker Field with an elaborate electric score board, but announced that although the telephone-operated board might not be ready for opening night, it certainly would be ready for the Kingsville match-up.
One of the board’s operators would walk back and forth on the sidelines and furnish telephonic information to the other operator at the board.
According to the Lions Club: “the score board made it easier for the fans to follow the game."
And speaking about fans, another of the silver hair boys of 1945, the late Frank Parker, recalled those fall days of football, saying; “We packed them in. The bleachers were always full.”
1945 Home Opener at Tucker Field
The Ward family of Brownsville played a significant role before and during the game.
 |
| 1945 Football Queen Rosie Ward |
The football contest was not the only feature of the night as the coronation of Ms. Rosie Ward as football queen was also a celebrated moment for her running back brother Albert and cheerleader sister Barbara.
The San Antonio Burbank game was a non-conference event scheduled before the Eagles started district play.
The San Antonio team ran right smash into a human wall as the hometown boys displayed finesse on both sides of the line to conquer the Alamo boys 37-13.
Next for the War Eagles was San Benito, who was also undefeated and untied; a match of the titans in San Benito.
The Eagles had to fight for everything they got as the San Benito backs, ends and tackles seem to be every where, especially star running back Carl Otsuki and Manuel Corsi.
But by the second quarter, on a field of marsh and soggy grass, the Eagle defense tightened up.
By then, the slippery ball made no difference as the Brownsville crew once and again took the leather across the goal line in the third stanza.
When the last whistle blew Brownsville took San Benito to the cleaners 13-0.
With three consecutives wins, Brownsville would now prepare for its stiffest opponent,the Kingsville Brahmas.
Both teams were selected late in August as the top two contenders for the 16-AA title.
Newspaper reports indicated that the game would attract the biggest crowd in Brownsville and Valley football history.
Tucker Field was a busy place even before the game started as new box seats were installed, and additional reserved bleachers were designated along with more ushers and law enforcement to direct traffic.
Wow! Was there excitement or what?
According to Paul Gilmore, the former starting end for the War Eagles, but no longer with us: “Yes! These were fun and exciting times.”
The Friday lights were not even warm when the Eagles started scoring at will against a supposedly formable opponent.
The scoring came easy and before it was all over the War Birds had 37 points on the board to Kingsville’s 7.
On defense the Eagles were described as one the best forces in South Texas football.
An Eagle fan from back then said, “It was amazing to see how the Eagle blockers stopped Kingsville cold.”
The Golden War Eagles continued their winning ways; blanking Corpus Christi Academy 52-0; crushing Robstown 35-7; walloping La Ferias 64-0 (non-conference); beating Edinburg 28-7; stomping McAllen 29-0; and smashing Harlingen 32-6
When end of the season polls were out, the “War Eagles” were ranked 9th in state of Texas, with their bi-district opponent, San Antonio Jefferson rated 11th .
Boosters follow Eagles to San Antonio
Ardent Eagle fans made plans for special bus excursions and yet others were making the trip to San Antonio by car, plane and train.
The Eagles were going to have hundreds of boosters backing them up. Large caravans were seen making their way to the Alamo city to see a game that the Eagles were given a 50-50 chance against Jefferson.
School officials also decided for six commercial buses to carry students to San Antonio—with a return trip immediately after the game.
The buses accommodated up to200 students paying five dollars each.
At the ticket box, fans were paying 1.20 for reserved seats, with special tickets for students and faculty at 60 cents each.
Who were the Mustangs? Well, they had perhaps the best backs in the state.
The highly favorite club was led by quarterback Kyle Rote (who later was an all-American at S.M.U. and a super star with New York Giants) and perhaps the fastest running backs in Texas; Rheiner Cody, Pat Knight, and Walton Lipke.
Jefferson had defeated the Brownsville bunch 74-0 and 57-0 in San Antonio’s Alamo Stadium back in 1942 and 1943.
After that game the Herald wrote, “The tumult and the shouting died—suddenly.
The Golden War Eagles of Brownsville unbeaten and untied Champions of District 16-AA for 1945, fell from the Texas gridiron sky—struck by a blast from the roaring guns of the Jefferson Mustangs Champions of 15-AA.”
With at least 13, 000 fans watching the game—the Alamo eleven out scored the Eagles 26-7—thus becoming the first team to stop the vaunted “T” formation and by doing so ending one of Brownville’s greatest football seasons.
The Eagles that were selected to the All-Valley AA first team were: Lawrence Pompa, end, Gonzalo Garcia, tackle, Marshall Alford, N. B. Jones, and Albert Ward, backfield.
Those that made it to the second team included: Paul Gilmore, end, Jimmy Coulter, guard and Tommy Hollon, back.
It pays to be a winner…
The Eagles not only brought the greatest winning season in 15 years, but also the most successful financially, in Brownsville High School history.
When the ’44 season ended the athletic fund had $7.75, but after the 1945 season that balance grew to historical levels.
Actual total receipts for the season were $29,145.65 and after reimbursements of $21,131.85 the sports department had cleared a net profit $8,011.20—which according to the consumer price index would today have a buying power of about $92,000.
The Brownsville-Jefferson tangle in San Antonio brought in the most money $4,657.67;
Next most profitable was the encounter with Kingsville which brought a cool $3,815.05 followed by the Edinburg and Harlingen games in which both brought in just over
$3,300.
“Never in the history of Brownsville High School has a football season ended on such a highly successful financial note,” said Mrs. E.C. Myers, then secretary for the district and keeper of the books.
Whether at the sandlot, the playground or on the field, it always pays to win—because winners make the rules and losers follow them.
NOTE: Bob Martin’s real name was Roberto Martinez. Why the name change?
Photo 1: 1945 War Eagles starting line-up front row l to r: Lawrence Pompa, Gonzalo Garcia, (selected as a Little All-American at Southwest Texas State), Jimmy Coulter, Frank Parker (played at UT-Austin before an injury ended his football career), Jimmy Hunter, Bob Putegnat, and Paul Gilmore.
Back row l to r: N. B. Jones, Albert Ward, Marshall Alford (played at Baylor) and Tommy Hollon.
No comments:
Post a Comment