A freshly ironed black blazer on, coffee in hand, Journalism Professor Dr. Manuel Flores walked into the classroom where he taught his very first course at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) for the last time. This time, not to teach how to tell a story, but instead to tell his.
"No matter how many interviews I do I still get nervous, but I'll just start talking because I was always going to be a journalist. It was in me," Flores started off.
When Flores was just nine years old, his father passed away in a car accident that also left his mother injured. His grandfather stepped in as a mentor figure and even gave Flores his first job in journalism: a printer's devil.
"I helped my grandfather publish the paper, put it together compose the paper with lead one line at a time," Flores said.
He was paid $10 a week for this job. He used the money to help his grandmother, but also to help his mother survive.
From melting the lead used to layout the Jim Hogg County newspaper, two years later he got his first real story assignment.
"A big flood in Hebbronville, one of those crazy thunderstorms that come by in summer. There were horses, cows, every animal just floating down the creeks," Flores said.
That story was just the start. His grandfather became a correspondent for the San Antonio Express, and so did Flores at the young age of 15 through college. This is where he found a passion of his: sports writing. He covered all kinds of sports, and athletes and knew all the right lingo to get the story across.
His grandfather took him to Javelina football games, where Flores got to see Sid Blanks play. He was the first athlete of color in South Texas playing for Texas A&I at the time. He went on to play for the Houston Oilers.
"I saw the significance of it. I knew that was history being made. Even the New York Times reported on it. That taught me, if the story is big, you got to follow it," Flores said.
Flores loved attending Javelina's games. He felt the excitement of the crowd, he understood the excitement of the game.
"I got very interested in sports writing, so I became a professional sports writer. It was obvious I belonged in the press box and not on the field," Flores said.
So that's what he pursued. He earned his Bachelor's degree at Texas A&I, now TAMUK, in journalism, political science, and education. He earned a Master's from the University of North Texas and his Ph.D. from TAMUK and TAMUCC.
Flores covered every popular Texas team there was. The Houston Astros, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Texas Longhorns.
"I was there for the first game at Texas stadium. I covered the NFC playoffs, the 49ers, and the Cowboys. I was in Hog Heaven. I also covered the Cotton Bowl, the Dallas Mavericks when they were first forming and the Texas Rangers when they went professional," Flores said.
Flores was a man who did it all. Before pursuing higher education, he worked for several local newspapers, had his own radio sports show, worked in public relations, started his own television community affairs program, and was even a Vietnam Era Veteran. He was in the military for 12 years and worked mainly in the infantry. He retired as Captain.
He also was an adopted member of LULAC Council 1, advocating for civil rights in the Latino community. He spoke on the Chicano movement, making a way for other Hispanic journalists to have an opportunity to make a difference.
But he knew he wanted to tell more stories, different kinds of stories. Becoming a professor allowed him to do that.
"I wanted the opportunity to write books, primarily about South Texas, the people in South Texas, and the history. I felt there was a need for that," Flores said.
Flores wrote four books during his time in the classroom. He is currently working on his fifth book, dedicated to the pioneers of South Texas journalism. He was a professor at Del Mar, changing the journalism program there, before truly starting it at TAMUK.
In 2006, Flores joined the Javelina family once again, this time to teach. He had a goal in mind. That goal was to bring pride to TAMUK journalism.
"I want my students to have pride to do a good job. Not just for you but for your program and for your university. Because it's important for people to know we have good educators, good education and good journalism programs at TAMUK.," Flores said.
And his students have proven his goal to be achieved.
"He’s retiring but he’s still going to be around. His legacy, his lessons. I don't think we could have such a strong journalism program in South Texas without him. He’s paved the way for all of us whether he realizes it or not. He’s given us all a name and a byline," former student and colleague Aryssa Enriquez said.
Though Flores's time in the classroom may be coming to a close, his story and impact in South Texas lives on.
I will continue to work until I die for the betterment of TAMUK and the memory of A&I. I forever want my students to learn and make an impact in their world. We can't change the world, it's too big. But we can change our communities. Once a journalist always a journalist. And journalists don’t die, they just go looking for their next story. Journalists don’t retire, they just go looking for their next story. And I’ll write it. Somewhere I will write it because my next story is me," Flores said.
And with that, he took one final look around, noticing every trinket, remembering every picture, newspaper in hand. He soaked it all in, turned off the light one last time, and closed that chapter of his life with humility.
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