SAN ANTONIO – Family and friends gathered Saturday afternoon on the East Side to pay their final respects to former South Texas Negro League shortstop Rufus Miller.
Miller’s daughter, Khadijah Miller, said seeking so many people show up to the event and hearing their expressions of love helped her deal with the loss.
“That just meant so much to me,” she said. “I’m grateful.”
Miller grew up on the West Side and took up baseball, falling in love with the game before playing shortstop for the South Texas Negro League.
Many of his games were played at the field at Pittman-Sullivan Park.
While he rose to prominence on the baseball diamond, his legacy is enshrined in the young athletes he mentored as sports director for 23 years at Davis-Scott YMCA.
Miller is remembered by many for coaching kids to work past their challenges, investing his time and sharing his wisdom, encouraging the next generation to excel in whatever they were passionate about.
“I watched him over at the YMCA with the kids, pointing out things to help them to be better not only on the court or on the field but also better at home,” Tom Keyser said.
Keyser said he met Miller more than two decades ago on the baseball field, becoming teammates and lifelong friends.
“We played on the Rangers, the Black Sox,” Keyser said. “The last team we played on was the Monarchs, named after the Kansas City Monarch, the black Negro League team.”
Miller’s daughter said he wanted youth to be on deck when life’s opportunites called.
“This is his legacy. It’s not just me, but it’s for the whole city,” she said. “Don’t give up on yourself. Try everything; try everything even if you feel like you’re not good at it, keep trying anyway.”
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