Hooked on Hounds – Greyhound Hair Club

The Greyhound Hair Club

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

There’s the San Benito Greyhounds, and then there’s life. Hector Avila doesn’t differentiate between the two, because – to him – they’re one in the same.

Maybe that’s why the 50-year-old self-proclaimed “El Greyhound Mayor” and spokesperson for the Greyhound Hair Club – this week’s Hooked on Hounds candidate – went as far as to quit his job to ensure that he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to watch the Battle of the Arroyo.

The year was 2007, and Avila, who at the time was working a nice, cozy job at a company that shall remain nameless, couldn’t get time off for one particular evening. It wasn’t just any night, however. This was the night of the Battle of the Arroyo, and he hadn’t missed the annual grudge match between the San Benito Greyhounds and Harlingen Cardinals since he started attending games in 1969.

“I did everything in my power to get that night off,” Avila said in defense of his inevitable decision. “I actually quit my job so I wouldn’t miss the game.”

Don’t judge him just yet.

Avila continued, “There were other variables as to why I put in my two weeks’ notice, but that (missing the Battle) was just the final straw. Besides, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because those were the last few months my mother was alive and we actually lived with her there at her house, which is the house we have now.”

Okay, so maybe it was a bit much to quit a job in favor of a high school football game, but that’s just Hector Avila. Actually, that’s the epitome of the Greyhound Hair Club. What may be considered irrational to some makes complete sense to the club.

Take founder Juan Uribe, a Brownsville native who converted to Houndism (Haven’t you heard that it’s like a religion now?) in the early 1990s. It’s not that Uribe was a traitor to his community. Avila simply likened Uribe’s conversion to the message conveyed in those nifty bumper stickers. You know, the ones that read: “I wasn’t born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could.”

Same logic applies.

Now that you’ve been taken deep into the club’s psyche, it may be easier to not necessarily dismiss the rest of their antics, of which you’re about to learn, but chalk them up to a sense of pride and passion.

These are the guys that show up to the Greyhound home games in purple wigs, hence the hair club reference coined by KSBG Channel 17 commentators Fernandez Rosa and Henry Valle. Their faces are also painted in purple and gold, and they’re loud. Very loud.

“We start chants and get after the refs…yeah, we’re a rowdy bunch,” Avila said unapologetically.

Along with Avila and Uribe, other club members include Hector Salas, Peter Salazar, Jr., Tomas Rodriguez and his son Isaiah Rodriguez, Matthew Salazar and Adolfo E. Toriz. Avila’s wife Betsy and daughter Cassandra Leanne are also members. Together, this group of nine Greyhound go-getters – maybe not the same lineup – has been making other fans look bad since 2004.

“It all started from the one who always wanted to get dressed up: Juan Uribe,” Avila said. “He talked about it in 2004, when we were having a real good season, and he said, ‘We gotta do something!’ I talked about it to my friend Tomas, told him we were gonna get our faces painted and wear wigs.”

It wasn’t as easy as he thought. In search of the perfect shade of Greyhound purple, Avila and the gang had to spray paint the wigs, but that required a little skill, believe it or not. “We didn’t know we needed primer, for example,” Avila said with a chuckle.

As far as the face paint is concerned, everyone had their own take on how it should look. Some used the zigzag design, others went half purple and half gold. Avila? He went with Ace Frehley of KISS, naturally.

News: What was it like the first time the club revealed themselves in public?

Avila: It was a home game at the old stadium, even though I can’t quite remember which game it was, I do remember questioning myself once we got in. Everyone was staring at us, but then there were people there who wanted to get pictures and put them on their webpage. So it was fun.

News: What’s so special about the Greyhounds?

Avila: Speaking for myself, it actually came from my brother and going with him to football games with his wife. I was 7 at the time, and ever since then I was hooked. San Benito used to have the old style Green Bay helmets with the big G, and they wore gray pants. It’s just something I like and feel passionate about. My mom used to tell us we were obsessed, and we were. We couldn’t wait for the game and then the parade they would have afterwards downtown.

News: What’s your more memorable year of watching the Greyhounds?

Avila: Probably 2004. That stands out quite a bit. Actually, no…I take that back. It has to be the 1995 season without a doubt, because that’s when we finally beat Harlingen.

News: How much does the club dislike the Harlingen Cardinals?

Avila: On a scale of 1-10, we’re at about 11, as far as hatred is concerned. I remember being a little kid and standing near the sideline where a Cardinal player was trotting during warm-ups, and he put his finger up to tell us they were #1. So that seed of hatred was planted early. I thought, “What cockiness!” I couldn’t stand that and never forgot it. I’m sure they probably feel the same way about us.

News: So if the Greyhound Hair Club wins the autographed helmet in the first annual Hooked on Hounds fan contest, who’s going to keep it?

Avila: “We’re probably going to share it.”

Editor’s Note: Before the end of the year, fans featured in Hooked on ’Hounds will be rounded up. You can vote on your favorites to participate in the First Annual San Benito News Hooked on ’Hounds competition. To recommend a fan to feature, email editor@sbnewspaper.com.

Read this story in the Nov. 4 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.