Review & Giveaway: Champion of the Barrio by R. Gaines Baty
In 1947, after serving in WWII and quarterbacking the Texas Aggies during the glory days of the old Southwest Conference, Texas football legend Buryl Baty was drafted by the Detroit Lions. But, the NFL wouldn’t be where he’d create his legacy. He instead became the head football coach at Bowie High School in El Paso, where he’d inspire a team of Mexican Americans from the Segundo Barrio with his winning ways and stand against the era’s extreme, deep-seated bigotry.
In this poignant memoir, Baty’s son, R. Gaines Baty, describes his own journey to know his father, portraying the man’s life and accomplishments through the perspectives of nearly 100 individuals who knew him, including many of the young men he coached and whose lives he changed. In addition to many documented facts and news reports, NFL Hall of Famer Raymond Berry provides a heartfelt and relevant foreword.
A university professor labeled this an important and historic piece of work. It is also a moving story of leadership and triumph over hardship, over discrimination, over tragedy, over one’s self.
I’ll start with a few confessions. First, I’m generally not the first to pick up a sport-related book, and while I’m aware of the Texas passion for football, my understanding of it is weak. I’m also a recent transplant to Texas, so I confess my knowledge of Texas history is inadequate. Finally, I can honestly admit that most of my exposure to Civil Rights-era racism has been largely focused on the black community. This book was eye-opening and absorbing on all three counts.
“Football is a lot like life. When you work hard and do it right, good things happen.”
As a biography, it paints a fascinating, detailed picture of Buryl Baty, as an incredible player, a soldier and a coach. It offers a well-documented look at the way he inspired and motivated the teams he led. To Baty, football was about discipline, and his expectations of his players reached into their daily lives.
More importantly, it was an eye-opening look at racism and discrimination against Latinos in that era, and how Baty’s stubborn stance against it on and off the football field truly inspired his team and a generation. Coach Baty stood up for these boys, and it is this, and how just one man changed things for the better for a group of people. More than just compelling tale of football, it is a telling a part of Texas history that should not be forgotten, and Coach Baty’s example is one that should be honored and emulated.
“How other people behave is not your fault…Don’t ever let anybody treat you like you are inferior to them. You’re just as good as they are and you have a right to go after your dreams. Nobody has the right to stand in your way.”
November 10 – 19, 2016
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11/10
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Scrapbook
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11/11
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Author Interview
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11/12
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Review
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11/13
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promo
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11/14
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Review
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11/15
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Audio Interview
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11/16
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Excerpt
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11/17
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Review
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11/18
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Author Interview
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11/19
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Review
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3 Comments
Gaines
Thank you. My hope is that this book – his story – will continue his work of inspiring people
Gaines Baty
This is a great review in that it captures and explores several of the more important dimensions of the story. This was a great man and he did great things…well-ahead of his time. Thank you Momma for your insights.
Jenn
He certainly was an inspirational man! I’m sorry you lost him at such a young age – I’m sure he would be proud of this book!