Since 1949, the Rusk Athletic Club (RAC) has supported education and sports through various athletic endeavors.
One of RAC’s most successful and longest-running events is the Latin-American Fast Pitch Softball Tournament.
This year was the RAC’s 66th annual tournament and for Ayala it was a trip down memory lane as he ran into old teammates and friends.
Ayala was preceded into the hall of fame by his brother Steve Ayala and former teammates Alex Anzaldua, Pete Avila, Felix Buentello, Benito Mayorga and Jesus “Chuy” Perez.
“I was really surprised when they called and notified me that i was getting inducted into the Hall,” said Ayala, owner of Pepe’s Restaurant in Harlingen. “It’s definitely an honor for me especially since I am now in this hall of fame with my brother, Steve.”
Steve Ayala was inducted in 2003 and passed away a year later.
Ayala credits Steve and older brother Albert for introducing him to softball as well as a quite successful and fruitful career that’s led to his enshrinement into the Rusk Hall.
“I never dreamed that I would be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Ayala said. “I’m still very close to many of my old teammates and they were all there for me when my brothers and mother passed away.”
Ayala began playing softball in 1963 as a seventh grader with brothers. But Ayala would soon emerge from the shadows of his siblings and become a legend in his own right, making a name for himself in the fast pitch softball circuit in Texas and across the country.
Ayala played with three teams throughout his career including the Brownsville Comanches, Lopez Supermarket and the Brownsville Hustlers.
It was with the Hustlers where he made lifelong friends like Joe Vela, who drove from Brownsville to introduce Ayala on Sunday.
Vela donned a green throwback jersey with the namesake of Ayala’s popular restaurant in Harlingen: Pepe’s.
After retiring from the sport, Ayala continued to contribute to the sport by sponsoring a team for five years.
Over the years, Ayala has also been a strong and avid supporter of the community and local sports teams from youth leagues to varsity.
A walk through of his restaurant will attest to it as his walls are littered with sponsorship posters of everyone from swimmers to cheerleaders.
Ayala was joined at the induction ceremony by his brother Steve’s family and former teammates like Pillin Torres and hall of famers Perez and Anzaldua.
“He was a solid hitter and could always be counted on to get on base and bring in runners,” Anzaldua said.
Ayala spent the weekend in Houston catching up with old teammates and friends and reminiscing about old games.
“I did it for the love of the game and that was instilled in me by my brothers,” Ayala said.