Tales in Orange and Black - #5

by Putt

I begin with another story connected to the 1953 Bobcat Team that lost to Huntsville in the state semi-final.

It must have been the "Regional" title game. It was played in Del Rio, on the Rio Grande. Some of us exes arrived in Del Rio in time to cross the border for some homestyle Mexican food. Also, some of my gang wanted to visit "Boys town" while they could. I supposed they wanted to engage in sexual activity Mexican-style, which was repugnant to me (I wasn't about to return to Austin with syphilis; and I didn't).

Refugio won the game to advance. But the game was fairly close. Refugio running back Jim Roberts had his best game of the extended season. As usual Serafin Vela also played well. I was standing with my UT and RHS schoolmate. Bill Burrow, on the sideline and Del Rio was punting on a 4th down. Serafin received the punt about the 15-yard line and began his dashing flight to the sideline where he hoped to tip-toe all the way into the end zone. Bill and I were standing about midfield on the sideline Serafin was racing on. When he passed us, a Del Rio player hit him, and the refs called Serafin out of bounds. No way, my friends. Bill and I saw Serafin stay inbounds, and we told the referee, to no avail of course.

Jim Roberts was just a sophomore in 1953; two years later he was to star on another great Bobcat team, along with James T. Lott and Johnny Joe Youngblood, transfers from Barefield, the all-Black school. Port Lavaca matched Refugio's perfect regular season until they played each other before a crowd that outnumbered 10,000, the largest ever for a game in Jack Sportsman stadium.

Refugio went on to defeat Bay City for bidistrict, then lost to Nederland in Nederland. Bum Phillips was the Nederland head coach. In 1956, Jim and his good friend Gale Oliver enrolled in A&M, College Station, where Gale played football with Bum Phillips being his position coach. Jim did well on the swimming team.

Gale Oliver was Refugio's first high school All-American. Also, he won the state shot-put crown his senior year.

Jim finished A&M and eventually became vice-President of Haggar slacks. But Jim is even more proud of having started soccer teams and coached outstanding Women' soccer players in Dallas.

Jim Roberts had his best game against Port Lavaca, scoring three TDs as I recall, taking the pressure off of James T. Lott who had a stellar season in 1955.

Against Beeville, Lott ran for five touchdowns 9n 8 totes, but to illustrate how things really were, the Beeville coach refused to vote for Lott for the 1st team All-District.

1955 Homecoming Court