The Potrillos de Mirlangas
There were only two real teams in the West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico Beer League, the Southside Dorados and the Mirlongas Potrillos (colts). All the other teams either played shorthanded or had to borrow members of other teams—sometimes even from the bleachers—just to make the minimum 8-man roster. Some of these teams were made up primarily of local high school players.
The tournaments always came down to a final game between the Dorados and the Potrillos. Some said the Potrillos were better because they had players from college teams in the region. Others said the Dorados were better if El Bambino Nava, their ace pitcher and homerun hitter, showed up. If he was in the game, few Potrillos got on base, and when he went to bat invariably either walked on base or got a hit, half of them homeruns.
The Potrillos could never beat El Bambino, but one day they struck luck.
One Friday before a long weekend, a Potrillo college boy happened to be working for an oil company where El Bambino worked as a contract welder and was left in charge by the company representative who went home early.
“How far do you want us to go?” the Potrillo asked his boss.
“It’d be great if we got ahead of schedule. Here, let me tell’em,” the boss said.
“Listen up everybody. We’re a little behind and need to get ahead before we take off for Labor Day. So you need to keep going until dusk,” he said.
Everybody nodded. And most of the workers took the announcement well, as it meant overtime pay. But it was not good news to El Bambino.
“I gotta go to Tarilas to play ball,” he said.
“He’ll be in charge. Work it out with him,” the boss said pointing to the Potrillo.
El Bambino grimaced but didn’t appeal to the college boy, for as the head welder he was a key point in the work effort.
The next weekend, the Potrillos were scheduled to play a double-header against the Dorados in Mirlangas. At practice a few days before then, the college boy told his teammates how El Bambino missed the tournament in Tarilas the previous weekend, and their manager quickly connected the dots.
“Think it can happen again?" the manager asked.
“Pos, it’s a short week cuz Labor Day. Chansa the boss will make it up with a little overtime everyday or all day Saturday, ” the college boy said.
That Saturday at the ballfield, the Dorados anxiously looked around for signs of El Bambino’s arrival. Meanwhile, the Potrillos knew why cuz their college boy was missing, too. A few Potrillos grinned noticeably at their manager.
“Something’s up,” the Dorados’ manager, Noro, said to his team just before the start of the game.
“Siról. They know something,” one of the Dorados said.
“Ignore’em and pray El Bambino gets here before the game’s over,” Noro said.
When the managers exchanged rosters at the start of the game, Noro looked inquisitively into his counterpart's eyes.
“Puro work y no play,” his rival said feigning ignorance.
The Dorados’ learned qué onda the following week at practice, when El Bambino told them why he didn’t show up the previous two weekends.
“Had to camear late. I think one of their college boys had something to do with it,” El Bambino said.
“Suuura! That’s chireando,” Noro said.
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