RGV Sports Hall of Fame Program 2022

Larry Caldwell

Hometown: Mission, Texas

High School: Mission High School College: Rice University

Sport Best Known For: Baseball & Football

An all-around talented athlete, Larry Caldwell earned 13 letters before graduating from Mission High in 1967. He found success in basketball and track but really stood out in football and baseball. As a junior, he played quarterback for the Eagles and switched to running back his senior year, when he finished second in the Valley in scoring. He was named All-Valley his junior and senior years and earned Second Team All-State as a senior.

In baseball, he was a talented outfielder with speed and defensive prowess. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 1967 major league baseball draft by the Houston Astros.

Caldwell’s upbringing was a big help. His father, Earl Caldwell, pitched 29 years in professional baseball and won more than 300 games (including minor league play in the Valley). He enjoyed stints with four different major league teams, even once striking out Red Sox Hall of Famer Ted Williams. Caldwell’s father was inducted into the RGV Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Caldwell focused on college instead of a pro career though, and accepted a football scholarship with Rice University. He played baseball for the Owls his freshman year but turned his attention strictly to football afterward.

He showed versatility on the gridiron, playing quarterback and running back for the Owls. As a senior, he switched to wide receiver, often playing the slot in passing formations. He even lined up at tight end despite weighing just 210 pounds.

Caldwell went into the construction business and now lives in Arizona.