100 Greatest: No. 9 Player - Jim Helms

The 1961 San Benito Greyhounds were a victim of their timing. If they had come along one year earlier or later, they would be remembered as one of the greatest teams in Rio Grande Valley history.

But 1961, of course, is the year the Donna Redskins brought the Valley its only state championship. While that team, led by legendary coach Earl Scott and quarterback Luz Pedraza, was winning the 2A crown, San Benito was going 12-1, beating Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen and Edinburg by a combined score of 115-28 and reaching the state semifinals, where it lost 22-15 to Nederland.

"We knew from the year before that we had good players and that we were very successful," said halfback Jim Helms, who was voted the ninth-best player in the history of Valley football in The 100 Greatest. "I think that confidence carried over into that season."

Helms, who was a junior that season, still remembers the greatness of that team and what it meant to be a part of that roster, which had two other all-staters.

"It was a lot of good players. Like you say, it was a good team and we had excellent players on it," Helms said. "I think that was the reason we had that success. Nobody was really selfish or had to be the star player. Everybody got along, and everybody contributed."

Teammate Robert Cortez, who moved on play for Texas A&M during the mid-1960s, remembers Helms having a similar attitude during his career at San Benito. Despite being one of the stars and the coach's son, there was no ego from Helms, no "me-first" attitude or ego.

All there was from Helms, who eventually was one of the most coveted high school players and went to the University of Texas, was a team-first approach combined with legendary talent.

"Jim wasn't a guy that would go around ... he didn't brag about being Jim Helms," Cortez said. "In those days, we didn't brag about those things. We just played football, and his dad (Jake) being the coach wouldn't allow him to be that way. He was pretty good about that with us. He was pretty good about that. He would always talk about being sincere and being a football player. Not going out there and flaunting anything."

That 1961 team, which outscored its opponents by a score of 314-90 during the regular season, certainly was something to flaunt. It included Helms, fellow first-team all-state team member Jerry Crow and honorable mention end Tommy Goode. That season also was a prelude to what Helms accomplished in 1962, when as a senior he scored 12 more touchdowns and rushed for 1,103 yards.

But when Helms talks about that season, he doesn't remember it the same way he does the previous one. Despite the team's talent, it failed to duplicate the '61 group's success. Instead of falling two wins short of a state title, the 1962 team failed to make the playoffs.

San Benito tied PSJA 0-0 in the final game of the season, but the Bears won the game on first downs along with the District 16-3A title and playoff berth. And 48 years later, that game still saddens Helms.

"You go back and second-guess yourself, and you wonder what you could have done different," Helms said. "You always have second thoughts about a lot of things. If you could have just done this or that, you could have gotten another penetration."

Brian Sandalow covers the Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436 or via e-mail at bsandalow@themonitor.com.

WHY THEY VOTED

Here's a summary of Jim Helms' career, which played a major part in the player's ranking at No. 9:

Jim Helms played three seasons for San Benito, from 1960 to 1962. He was an all-state first-team selection in 1961 and 1962, rushing for 1,103 yards, scoring 144 points and collecting 12 touchdowns in 1962.

Helms was a member of the magical 1961 Greyhounds team that reached the state semifinals. Because of his performance in high school, Helms was a high school All-American and one of the most sought-after recruits in the state, eventually signing with the University of Texas.

He was voted Valley Freedom Newspaper's all-millennium first-team running back. 

THE SERIES

With the 100th season of high school football in the Rio Grande Valley upon us, The Monitor will take a look at the top 25 coaches, top 25 teams and top 50 players of all time.

THE PLAYERS

1: TBA
AUG. 24

2: TBA
AUG. 23

3: TBA
AUG. 22

4: TBA
AUG. 21

5: TBA
AUG. 20

6: TBA
AUG. 19

7: TBA
AUG. 18

8: TBA
AUG. 17

9: JIM HELMS
San Benito

10: Jim Hudson
La Feria

11: Maurice Hunter
Harlingen High

12: George Strohmeyer
McAllen High

13: Roberto Garza
Rio Hondo

14: Mishak Rivas
Weslaco High

15: Tony Ellis
Brownsville Hanna

16: Bobby Ply
Mission High

17: Fred Edwards
Donna

18: Willie Crafts
Brownsville High

19: Jamaar Taylor
Mission High

20: Frank Hernandez
Mission High

21: Carlos Esquivel
Edinburg High

22: Jim Norris
Mercedes

23: Abel Gonzalez
Rio Grande City

24: John Mims
Mission High

25: Leo Araguz
Harlingen High

26: Juan Castillo
Port Isabel

27: Tommy Cox
La Feria

28: Jimmy Lawrence
Harlingen High

29: Luz Pedraza
Donna

30: Billy Garza
Brownsville Porter

31: Poppy Rodriguez
PSJA High

32: Jeremy Springer
Los Fresnos

33: Shon Flores
Port Isabel

34: Phil Hetrick
PSJA High

35: Joe Marichalar
Edcouch-Elsa

36: Alfredo Garza
Port Isabel

37: Charles LeGrange
Rio Grande City

38: Alfredo Lugo
Donna

(tie): Steve Alaniz
Edinburg High

40: Matt Gorges
Harlingen High

41: Justin Springer
Los Fresnos

(tie): Eliseo Pompa
Mission High

43: Donald Guillot
Port Isabel

44: Travis Sanders
Port Isabel

45: Gerald Lambert
McAllen High

(tie): Gonzalo Garcia
Brownsville High

(tie): John Lerma
Rio Grande City

48: Manny Gomez
Harlingen High

49: Donny Martin
Port Isabel

50: Robert Cortez
San Benito