Charles “Charlie” Vaughan
Inducted 2004
Hometown: Brownsville
High School: Brownsville High School
Professional: Atlanta Braves
Best Known for: Athlete – Baseball
b. October 6, 1947
Vaughan was the very definition of a pitching phenomenon, making the major leagues at age 18 in 1966 and winning a ball game for the Atlanta Braves in his first start, striking out seven against Houston that September 1966.
Vaughan was a dominant left-handed fireballer who helped Brownsville High to the state finals in 1965, striking out 203 batters that season with an amazing 0.39 ERA alongside fellow mound star Tony Barbosa. Vaughan fanned 20 batters in a no-hitter against district rival McAllen High in 1965 and was practically unhittable in high school.
He passed up a scholarship to The University of Texas to play professional baseball, and was drafted by the Braves on the fourth round of the 1965 MLB Draft, rising to the big leagues after just 14 months in the minors. Though a series of injuries would curtail his career, Vaughan became the second Rio Grande Valley native (at the time) to make it to the Major League Baseball level after Ted Uhlaender.