Michelle Christenson/Caller-Times

Bobby Hunt (top left) relaxes with grandsons Christian Hunt (left), 3, Nathaniel Robles (center), 2, and John Robles, Jr., 4, in the dugout at Richard Borchard Fairgrounds in Robstown.

May 15, 2003
By Mike Bratten
Caller-Times

On a recent morning, as he was leaving for work at 6:45, Bobby Hunt noticed the glow of bright lights about a half-mile from his Robstown home. It was the glow from the Coastal Bend Aviators’ new stadium.

"I thought, ‘Wow, it’s looking like a real pro ball field,’" Hunt said. "It really looks good. Hopefully the people from Nueces County will back it up."

Like many Robstown residents, Hunt likes to talk baseball. He had the time of his life as a pitcher for Robstown High School’s Cotton Pickers in the late 1960s, traveling around Texas and playing in cities such as San Antonio, Weslaco and Mercedes.

Now, he and his family don’t miss a Cotton Pickers’ game. In his travels, Hunt occasionally runs into guys he played with back in the good ol’ days. And from his perspective, the new stadium has the potential to be a major league success.

"The majority of the people who sit by us at the Cotton Pickers’ games have been talking about the Aviators," said Hunt, 55. "There’s a lot of interest. Even my mom, who is in her 70s, has her season tickets.

"I hope the team gives Robstown a big boost."

A new team and an attractive new stadium cause people like Hunt to wax nostalgic. Sitting in his living room, wearing a red short-sleeve shirt sewn with the Cotton Pickers logo, his hair slicked back in a ponytail, he fondly recalls bus trips with his high-school baseball team.

"We went all over the place - to the Valley a lot, and those were long trips," Hunt said. "A lot of times it was like an adventure.

"One thing about our team that I appreciate is that we were black, white and brown. Everybody was in there, and we always got along real well."

The Cotton Pickers got as far as district playoffs when Hunt was on the team, he said. Despite being led by legendary baseball coach Cliff Gustafson, they usually lost to their toughest adversary, a team from south San Antonio.

"I think we had a good enough ball club - it was just that some other teams were also good," Hunt said with a smile. "The competition was pretty fierce."

If not for an elbow he injured from throwing curve balls, Hunt said, he might have pursued a career in the major leagues. Luckily, he also ran track and played football in high school, and that led to a scholarship to Sam Houston State University. He later attended Texas A&I in Kingsville, and is now an engineer for Verizon.

A professional baseball stadium - even a semi-pro one - may inspire Robstown players to follow their big-league dreams, Hunt said.

"Back when I was playing, you could only see pro ball on TV. I don’t think you get the same effect on TV as you do going to the field and watching them play. The stadium will probably inspire some of those guys."

"Some of those guys" may include Hunt’s three grandsons. The oldest, John Robles Jr., 4, plays the pitcher position on his Pony League T-ball team. Hunt and his wife, Lydia, try to attend every game.

The Hunts received season tickets to the Aviators’ games after signing up to be a host family for one of the team members. The player has since been dropped from the roster due to an injury, Hunt said, But the family still plans to make good use of the tickets.

"I’ll go the games just to support them," he said. "Just to be at the stadium at night, in the fresh air.

"I like to sit behind home plate and watch the pitcher and see how he throws, check out his curve ball and his speed."



Contact Mike Bratten at 886-3623 or brattenm@caller.com