Sumith Prasad
In Julio Quintana’s sports drama film ‘The Long Game,’ Lupe Felan is a founding member of the San Felipe Mustangs. Even though he is not the best golf player among the five, he embarks on a journey to win the state championship with his friends and prove their worth to people who question their ability to play the sport. Together, the group wins the tournament and writes history. In real life, Lupe’s journey with the team differs from the movie’s depiction of the Mustangs’ emergence as an unbeatable golf team. More than six decades later, Lupe is the only surviving member of the group!
Lupe Felan’s Journey With the Mustangs
As ‘The Long Game’ depicts, Lupe was a significant part of the growth of the San Felipe Mustangs. He joined his friends to form the team under the mentorship of J.B. Peña while he was working at the San Felipe Country Club as a caddie. Even though the country club was where Lupe’s life flourished, he never felt he could be a player there. “Prejudice was there but it was just a part of our everyday life. It is hard to realize that now, but that was just the way it was. Our team gelled together and played a game that was essentially a rich man’s game. We belonged there as caddies but not as golfers,” he told Hi-Desert Star.
The Mustangs’ ultimate aim was the state championship. Even though they came close in 1956, the team missed the victory. In 1957, J.B. was determined to lead the boys to the crown. However, the school board that funded the group’s campaign made it clear that the finances allowed only four players to depart to the tournament in Austin, Texas. Since Joe Treviño, Felipe Romero, and Mario Lomas were regarded as the top players of the Mustangs, Lupe and Gene Vasquez had to battle each other for the fourth spot.
Lupe Felan and the 1957 State Championship
In 1957, Lupe was in his senior year, which meant that it was his last opportunity to take part in the state championship with the Mustangs. Due to this reason, J.B. wanted him on his team. However, the coach couldn’t just ignore Gene’s contributions. “I would like to have Lupe play since he’s a senior and all, but I can’t ignore the fact that on several occasions, Gene, you have played better in the tournaments we have won,” J.B. told his players, as per Humberto G. Garcia’s ‘Mustang Miracle.’ To solve the predicament, he proposed a playoff between the two, only for Gene to win the same.
After Gene’s victory, J.B. felt that Lupe lost the playoff because he succumbed to pressure. He proposed a rematch, which Gene accepted without any hesitation. Still, the senior couldn’t beat his teammate. The coach proposed another rematch. Gene again agreed to give his friend one more chance, but the latter couldn’t deliver a different result. “Despite every effort on his part, Lupe was not able to grant J. B. his wish as Gene once again turned in the better score and secured his spot on the team,” Garcia added. In the end, the Mustangs won the state championship without Lupe. However, the four of them who made it to Austin didn’t forget their companion.
After the Mustangs returned to Del Rio, J.B. and the players awarded a medal to Lupe. “We do have one member of the team who was not able to travel and compete with the team in Austin, but the boys and I feel he also deserves to get his own medal. Lupe Felan. Come up here, Lupe!” the coach proclaimed. “[…] he [Lupe] heard the team members yell out his name to the cheers and applause of all those present. He was greeted by the boys, and J. B. handed him a medal, which he accepted with tears in his eyes and looked over at the boys,” per ‘Mustang Miracle.’ He celebrated his team’s victory as a champion.
Lupe Felan is Enjoying His Retirement Today
After graduating from San Felipe High School in 1957, Lupe joined the US Marine Corps. His service to the country lasted over thirty years, during which he took part in golf competitions within the United States Army. In 1990, he retired from the force as a Master Gunnery Sergeant and went to California, where he started a new chapter of his life. He became part of the State of California’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Lupe is currently a resident of Yucca Valley, California, where he is cherishing his retirement with his wife, Esta. He still plays golf as a member of the South California Golf Association, Southern California Mexican American Golf Association, and the Marine Combat Center Golf Association.
As of 2012, Lupe had maintained a single-digit handicap. In 2012, he was inducted into the Latino International Sports Hall of Fame as a Mustang. He remained in touch with his former teammates. They, except for the late Joe Treviño, even got together and played golf in 2015. Even though he couldn’t join Felipe Romero and Gene Vasquez for the premiere of ‘The Long Game’ at 2023 South by Southwest (SXSW), he took part in several other screenings of the film. He even returned to Del Rio, his hometown, for a screening and event hosted by his alma mater, San Felipe High School.
“To see all those folks who came to see the film — there were a lot of friends and family, and it was an overwhelming show of emotion,” he said in the same Hi-Desert Star interview about the experience of returning to Del Rio. “It was a very emotional day for me because it brought back so many memories that I’d forgotten. I never expected to be honored as we were in this particular film,” he added. When The Latino Heritage Foundation arranged a screening of the movie at the White House in April 2024, Lupe Felan was in attendance. Through these events, the golfer continues to cherish his memories with the Mustangs decades after they wrote history together.
Read More: The Long Game: Did Joe and Daniela End Up Together in Real Life?
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