By RAUL GARCIA JR | The Mercedes Enterprise

It has been 40 years since the Mercedes Tigers baseball team captivated fans with its remarkable 1986 season. The Tigers advanced all the way to the State Finals, finishing as state runner-up and returning home as hometown heroes.

That year the team went (14-2) in District, and (22-8) on the season.

“We were just “clutch” when the game was on the line somebody stepped up,” Carlos Pimentel, the starting pitcher for the Tigers said. 

Some of the 1986 team players were flipping through the pages of the 1986 Mercedes Enterprise newspaper editions that covered their sensational season on the diamond. The season began and ended with dominance through tournament, district games, all the way through the playoffs, until falling short of the Texas High School UIL Class AAAA State Finals title to Brenham High 6-1.

“It brings back a lot of memories looking at the pictures,” Rene Guajardo said. “This particular game against Uvalde High we had an error that may have cost us the game but Rick Arguellas came through and saved the game with a home run and that ball is still in orbit right now,” Guajardo explained about one of the games he’s never forgotten. 

The RGV Sports Hall of Fame (RGVSHOF) will recognize multiple teams for its Hall of Honor. These are: 1986 Mercedes High baseball, 1991 Mission High girls cross country, 1991 La Villa girls cross country, 1978 and 1979 Brownsville Pace girls cross country plus the 1977, 1982 and 1985 Brownsville Pace boys cross country teams.

“It’s going go to be an honor just to be alive and to live it with my great teammates and family and now grandchildren, and I feel blessed to be able to get that and for what we accomplished, and I feel very happy about that, and to enjoy that day and moment of being honored,” Arguelles said when asked about being inducted as a team into the Hall of Honor.

All of the teams being inducted this year won a state title, were state runner up or finished third in state.

“It’s a humbling experience, and a tribute to the team we had that year,” Pimentel said. “Eight of the nine starters were seniors, so we all grew up together as teammates and brothers. You don’t see that in the moment, but as you get older you come to appreciate it even more. It worked out that way and that was the plan.”

This year’s class will bring the Hall of Fame’s total membership to 312. Inductees are selected by a vote from the RGVSHOF Board of Directors and past Hall of Fame inductees.  

Founded in 1985, the RGV Sports Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit organization, the mission of which is to showcase men and women who have brought honor and recognition to the Rio Grande Valley through their participation in sports as an athlete, coach, official, trainer, journalist or other sports-related position.

The group to be inducted this year includes Robert Mangum of Edinburg (football), Anyssa Olivarez of Mission (track & field), Toby Nivens of McAllen (baseball), Pablo Almaguer of Weslaco (track & field), Dr. Sonia Trevino of Mission (volleyball), Celso Gonzales of McAllen (golf), Joe Pena of Brownsville (football) and Patrick Arney of McAllen (soccer).

“This is an amazing class,” RGV Sports Hall of Fame President Paula Gonzalez said. “Each one has made a strong contribution to the history of sports in the Valley. It will be an honor to induct them on June 20.”

The RGV Sports Hall of Fame’s 38th annual banquet will be held at 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 at Mission Event Center in Mission. Buy Tickets HERE