History exhibit spotlights 1962 Colt League World Series Champions of Hidalgo County

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Museum of South Texas History is presenting a spotlight exhibit titled, “The 1962 Colt League World Series Champions from Hidalgo County."

The news release said the exhibit was inspired by Leonardo “Leo Najo” Alaniz, a Mission native drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1925.

Alaniz's success encouraged children across the Rio Grande Valley to pick up a bat and glove and dream of making it to the Major Leagues.

This resulted in a boom in little league baseball in South Texas. In 1962, Hidalgo County provided support in forming the all-star team of fifteen and sixteen-year-old boys looking to win for South Texas. That group of boys would become the 1962 Colt League World Series Champions.

The museum will display the three championship trophies, a baseball bat, newspaper articles, photos, a baseball signed by the winning team, and items on loan from some of the players.

The exhibit opens Tuesday, Aug. 20, and will close Sunday, Sept. 1. A reception will be held with some of the players on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with free admission until noon that day. 

For more information on this exhibit call Curator of Exhibits Jenarae Bautista or Archivist Melissa Peña at (956) 383-6911.