{"id":423,"date":"2018-12-31T12:14:32","date_gmt":"2018-12-31T12:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.etypegoogle10.com\/?p=423"},"modified":"2018-12-31T12:14:32","modified_gmt":"2018-12-31T12:14:32","slug":"1-31-2016-r-gaines-baty-scores-with-an-inspiring-biography-of-his-late-father","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.etypegoogle10.com\/?p=423","title":{"rendered":"1.31.2016\u00a0\u00a0 R. Gaines Baty scores with an inspiring biography of his late father"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Above, clockwise from upper left: book cover; Buryl Baty in El Paso yard with son, Gaines, 1954; author Gaines Baty; the last picture taken of Coach Buryl Baty (far left) and Coach Jerry Simmang (second from the far right) on Oct. 6, 1954. with the Bowie Bears team.<\/p>\n

In the first weekend since June without a football game of some type in Texas,<\/span> it seemed like the perfect time to meet the author who wrote a poignant biography of a football coach he barely knew\u2014his father.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Champion of the Barrio: The Legacy of Coach Buryl Baty<\/span> (Texas A&M University Press,<\/a> February 2015)\u2014selected by Lone Star Lit last December as one of our top Texas nonfiction titles of 2015\u2014R. Gaines Baty<\/span> describes his own journey to get to know his father, legendary Coach Burl Baty.<\/p>\n

Only thirty when he died in a tragic car accident, Coach Baty was brave beyond his years, standing up to racism and prejudice in Texas in the 1950s. Baty\u2019s life story is portrayed from the perspectives of nearly one hundred individuals who knew him, in addition to many documented facts and news reports.<\/p>\n

Gaines Baty,<\/span> an executive recruiter in the Metroplex, visited with LSLL via email for this interview.<\/p>\n

LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE: <\/span>What inspired you to write this book, Gaines?<\/p>\n

GAINES BATY:<\/span> This story has brewed inside me for my entire life. Not that I ever dreamed of writing a book, but the story\u2014the legend\u2014was there. My mother told me stories about my dad for as long as I can remember. I\u2019m sure this was her way of keeping him alive for me, and for herself, in the only way she could. As I grew older the stories began to mean more to me. I yearned to know more, and regret not asking more questions earlier. And I wanted my kids to know about this hero of mine.<\/p>\n

Over time, a number of profound events rocked me\u2014slapped me in the face\u2014 with who my dad was and what he stood for. These are detailed in the book. Then, the \u201cfinal straw\u201d came as I read the mention of my dad\u2019s name in a popular book by Jim Dent,<\/span> titled Twelve Mighty Orphans.<\/span> It occurred to me that my dad\u2019s story was as good as or better than the story I was reading, and I made the decision to write the book. This was 2007. Trust me, I had no idea what I was committing myself to. But I had to do it\u2014it was not a choice. I needed to learn more, I wanted to honor my dad, and I wanted for my kids to know the story\u2014 a family legacy.<\/p>\n

I first assumed that I\u2019d spend a few weekends talking with his friends and family and documenting the stories I heard. One thing led to another. And as I spoke to his old players in El Paso, I realized that this story was for a much greater audience than just my family. I\u2019d always considered my dad my hero. However, I was moved by the realization that he was not just hero\u2014 in fact he was a \u201clegend\u201d to many people, at every step in his life. Further, his accomplishments and his teachings were relevant for a much more universal audience than just my family\u2014and as important for our troubled world of today as they were sixty-five years ago. Early manuscript readers and my publisher agreed.<\/p>\n

Had you ever written any long piece before? Did you consider using a ghost writer? What made you decide to write the book yourself?<\/p>\n

This is my first book. I had no idea what I was committing myself to, and I quickly realized that I was in way over my head. I did consider and search for a co-writer, but the only person who would agree to take on the project quoted a price of $40,000 for his services. Of course, this seemed prohibitive at the time, but upon reflection after my eight years of long nights and weekends\u2014it might have proven to be cheaper in the end.<\/p>\n

Seriously, though, several wise people advised that this was a book that I should write. To coach myself up for the task, I read several \u201chow to\u201d books\u2026 \u201chow to write non-fiction\u201d and \u201chow to tell a story,\u201d and had the help of a couple of good editors. In the end, I just tried to keep it simple\u2014to stay out of way with my writing and let the story tell itself.<\/p>\n

It was a very interesting process, learning of my family\u2019s history and about that fascinating era. It was also very emotional, and inspiring. Sometimes I would literally cheer out loud at the keyboard. Sometimes I would cry. In the end, I am inspired and humbled by my dad.<\/p>\n

For our readers who haven\u2019t read the book, how would you describe it for them?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a story about an ordinary<\/span> boy who grew up during the depression in an ordinary<\/span> small Texas town, went to college, then took an ordinary<\/span> job. What makes it so compelling is that all along the way, he did such extraordinary<\/span> things. In the end, he transformed the lives and culture of an entire generation of young Hispanic men, their families, and their descendants. This man is a legend in this community. Of course it looks like sports book, but it\u2019s much more than just inspiring sports story. At its core, Champion of the Barrio<\/span> is a powerful story about character, heart, and\u00a0 leadership.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s back up a few years to set the stage. This \u201cboy\u201d was a great athlete, a WWII veteran, and after the war he quarterbacked the Texas Aggies against the likes of Doak Walker, Tom Landry, Darrell Royal, Bobby Layne, etc., and was drafted to play pro ball. But he chose instead to pursue his calling\u2014coaching high school football and building men. He ended up in El Paso, as head coach of Bowie High School in the Segundo Barrio (the ghetto) on the south side of town\u2014a stone\u2019s throw from the Mexican border. These kids were downtrodden, the poorest of the poor, with no aspirations, and no hope. He helped them rise above hardship and discrimination to become winners on and off the field, successful men and leaders. They recognized this influence over time, and honored their old coach in an incredible fashion.<\/p>\n

This boy, athlete, coach, and legend was my father. Tragically, he died when I was young. Through the writing of this story, I got to meet him.<\/p>\n

What a wonderfully inspiring book\u2014especially for young men coming of age. Do you do any outreach with schools regarding the book and the stories found within it?<\/p>\n

Great question. It was written with young men and women in mind. And we want to get the story out to kids who might benefit from it. To date, the following have happened or are happening in this direction:<\/p>\n