The legacy Joe Rodriguez left behind for Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley is undeniable.
His coaching career began in 1957 in Brownsville, after shining as an athlete at Edinburg High and Pan American College.
That career blossomed into helping athletes, students and programs in Brownsville for more than 50 years. Rodriguez is a member of many local and state halls of fame as both a coach and athletic director.
Rodriguez led the Brownsville High Eagles’ baseball team to the 1965 Class 4A state championship game and the 1966 state semifinals. His 1969 football team won a district championship and reached Round 2 in the playoffs. After a successful coaching career, Rodriguez went on to serve as BISD’s athletic director and on the board of trustees, and he was influential in bringing regional soccer tournaments to the Valley.
“I have all the respect in the world for Coach Joe Rodriguez as a leader, a visionary, and crusader for all athletes and coaches in the Valley,” Brownsville ISD athletic director Gilbert Leal said in a statement. “Joe Rodriguez made running the largest school district in South Texas look easy. Evidence of his legacy are all over Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley today. I will always remember his weekly calls to check in on me. His spirit and legacy will live on in Brownsville ISD Athletics forever.”
Rodriguez died Tuesday at the age of 85. He mentored and inspired many past and current standouts in the RGV sports world. Seven members of the RGV Sports Hall of Fame who hail from Brownsville can be linked back to Rodriguez’s legacy.
Charles “Charlie” Vaughan, RGVSHOF class of 2004, was drafted out of high school and pitched for the Atlanta Braves, becoming only the second RGV native to reach the major leagues at the time. Tony Barbosa, 2005 inductee to the RGVSHOF, was drafted by the California Angels and played Triple A ball and in the Mexican League.
Vaughan credited Rodriguez with convincing his father to let him pass up an offer to play for the Texas Longhorns and pursue the MLB. The pitcher watched his older brothers play for Rodriguez, and he “wanted so much” to play for a coach he knew was influencing lives. Vaughan called Rodriguez an inspiring individual, both on and off the field, who always stood up for others.
“He just had a knack for being fair and being challenging and being a guy you want to play for,” Vaughan said. “He had a way of making you feel like he was there for you all the time, and that meant a lot to me. Later in life, I kept hearing about the scholarships that he got not only for the athletes that played for him, but the thousands and thousands he helped raise for students throughout the school district. He just loved the (BISD).
“I give him tons of credit for (the state tournament years) because he knew how to get the most out of a rag-tag bunch of guys,” he continued. “My father, in his own subtle way, was telling scouts I was going to Texas. Coach Joe knew where my heart was, and he helped talk to my dad and got him to let me sign with a professional team. That was huge because he really stood up for me. He was just a wonderful leader for high school athletes.”
Barbosa and Arnoldo “Arnie” Alvarez became branches on Rodriguez’s successful coaching tree. Barbosa coached at Brownsville Pace and Brownsville Porter, and Alvarez led Mercedes to the Class 3A state title game in 1974. Alvarez also coached at Porter, Los Fresnos, PSJA High, Weslaco High, and Texas Southmost College/University of Texas at Brownsville, where he also served as athletic director.
Johnny Olvera, RGVSHOF class of 2014, played football for Rodriguez at Brownsville High. Rodriguez helped the pitcher/outfielder get a tryout with the Texas Longhorns, which turned into a scholarship and a successful college career under Cliff Gustafson.
Olvera spoke fondly about Rodriguez and the good he did for so many throughout his life. He thanked the coach for giving him and countless others something simple, but meaningful: a chance.
“I remember the day he called me into his office when I was a sophomore and said, ‘I’m going to give you a shot at running back,’” Olvera said. “After that chance that he gave me, the rest is history. … We grew close enough that when he wanted something done, I was able to get it done for him. He knew I just needed the chance, and he gave it to me.
“Coach had the kind of heart that he would help people in need. And the best part about that is he never said a word about what he did,” he added. “He didn’t go around bragging that he helped X, Y and Z. … It’s kind of like he had some kind of calling. He just had to help people that needed his help. That’s what stands out the most for me.”
Longtime Brownsville Rivera football coach and former BISD athletic director Tom Chavez, RGVSHOF class of 2017, also was impacted by Rodriguez. In 1969, when he was just 22 years old, Chavez was hired by Rodriguez to be the defensive coordinator at Brownsville High.
A young man from New Mexico, Chavez didn’t have any family in Brownsville. Rodriguez took him in and made him a part of his. They quickly created a strong friendship that lasted a lifetime and influenced Chavez’s career path.
“He put me in a good position coming down here and I kind of followed his footsteps, becoming athletic director and stuff like that,” Chavez said. “He was a player-type coach. He treated them like they were his own. I learned that from him. If you treat them like your own and with respect, they’ll play for you.
“We spent a lot of time together. He was like a brother. We went to basketball games, football games, college games. We went to about 44 Super Bowls,” he added. “He and his wife, Emma, were the first people we met in Brownsville. He took my family in, baptized my daughter. It was an awesome run, and it’s hard (to lose him).”
Desi Najera, former Eagles quarterback and 2019 inductee into the RGVSHOF, was one of 10 members of Rodriguez’s iconic ‘69 team who played college football, spending two seasons at Texas A&I University.
Najera and many of the Brownsville High players remained close with each other and their coach. Rodriguez put together reunions, including one last February, which led to many of his former athletes considering Rodriguez a friend.
“He was a great mentor. He was always helping people, trying to see the positives in individuals,” Najera said. “He was a great friend. He was a great man to be around, and I really enjoyed every moment I got to spend with him and I’m going to miss him. … I know he was a believer — he used to take us to a local church before games, and whoever wanted to get off would go in for a few minutes — and I pray that he rests in peace.”
