By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
When Bill Cauthorn took his final breath, Del Rio lost not just one of its own, but a pillar and true part of this community’s history.
Many people knew of Cauthorn only through his time with The Bank & Trust. He gave a lot of folks their first jobs at the bank, my sister included. Just the other day she spoke to me about how nice he was when she worked at the bank while she was in high school. No doubt there are a lot of people telling those same stories today as they remember Bill.
I can’t remember when I first met Bill. I knew his son, Sid, and his daughter-in-law, Kim, through their most important role – as parents of a trio of energetic and extremely respectful kids named Abb, Hattie and Mills. All three played sports at Del Rio High School and I know that their biggest supporters were always their family.
I remember meeting Bill for certain at one of the Running With the Bulls races that was held to raise funds and donations for the Del Rio Loaves and Fishes food bank. A little older, and a little hard of hearing, Bill was still there to greet participants, accept donations and help run things as much as he felt was necessary. Everyone treated him with respect, and he returned the favor.
What a lot of people may not know was that Bill was part of Del Rio football’s legacy. It was a legacy that continued through his son Sid during his time as a quarterback for the Rams and later through his grandson Mills, who was a wide receiver for the Rams.
He was a Wildcat, playing under coach Glenn Scallorn, and was a standout center and linebacker. His work was often recognized by the late Del Rio News-Herald Sports Editor Carl Guys, who named Bill the News-Herald’s “Player of the Week” several times during his junior and senior years at the original Del Rio High School.
He was so good that he was honored by the national prep schoolboy All-American board. He graduated from Del Rio High in 1956.
In 1956, Cauthorn earned his “Fish” letter as a freshman at Texas A&M. Then in 1957, Bill was mentioned in a United Press International article that centered around Texas A&M head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Fresh off winning the Southwest Conference championship, Bryant said he expected more out of his first team players, which included future Heisman Trophy winner John David Crow, but also singled out a crop of sophomores that he thought, “if they work hard enough they’ll be football players before the year is over.” Included in that group was Bill Cauthorn of Del Rio.
By 1958 Cauthorn had moved to running back at A&M and served as somewhat of a recruiter, convincing Del Rio High standout “Bruising” Bob Lindley to attend the college.
After graduating from A&M, Bill and his wife Kay moved to Milwaukee, but returned to Del Rio in the 1960’s. Once home, he showed he still had that football fever. He was voted in as president of the Wildcat Booster Club in 1964 and while his gridiron days were gone, his love for sport continued for decades to come.
Cauthorn and the bank would sponsor a variety of youth sports teams over the years. They helped sponsor a variety of events like fishing tournaments, with Bill often being the one to deliver the news of the bank’s involvement. It didn’t hurt that Bill was an accomplished angler as well, often competing in tournaments with the Amistad Bass Club, which he would serve as president of for a time. He also loved to hunt alongside his sons Sid and Guy.
Cauthorn, whose love of sport was fed by his participation in youth rodeo in his pre-Wildcat years, was also no stranger to the links, competing in golf tournaments for many years.
He even put his athletic prowess to the test on the basketball court, suiting up for an exhibition game against the Harlem Stars. His team also included former Del Rio football coaches Glenn Scallorn and Claude Fest, former News-Herald Publisher Ben Woodson and former Wildcats standout Al Best.
Cauthorn would return to football, albeit youth football, when he coached in the Val Verde County Peewee Football League. He was head coach of the Parochila Vikings and was assisted by Bobby Cauthorn, Donnie Mills, Wylan Cowan and Carlos Cortez.
Bill Cauthorn’s life was rich, but not in monetary standards. He was a Scout, involved in 4-H, an athlete, a family man and gave back whenever he could. He helped feed so many families in this community and did so much more that you could probably fill an entire newspaper with his accomplishments. But greatest of all, he was a Del Rioan who gave back to the community that helped raise him.
Thank you for all you did for us, Bill. Rest easy, now.
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Brian Argabright has been a journalist for more than 25 years. An award-winning writer and photographer, he has covered sports, features and much more during his career. Contact him at drnhsports@gmail.com
