El Paso baseball legend Frank Castillo laid to rest

Frank Castillo was one of the best baseball players to ever come out of El Paso.

Tuesday, he was laid to rest.

Castillo was just 44 years old when he tragically drowned nine days ago at a lake near his home in Scottsdale, Ariz.

During his funeral services at St. Raphael’s, Castillo, who pitched 13 seasons in the major leagues, was remembered as a tenacious competitor and a loving father to his two young daughters, Cadin and Camdem.

Just a few minutes into the Mass, the priest asked everyone to do something he said he’d never asked people to do at a funeral and that’s sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

Afterward, there was not a dry eye in the congregation of about 300 to 400.

Castillo’s brother-in-law delivered the eulogy, drawing applause when he pointed out that Castillo owned the Yankees when he pitched against them and calling him a true warrior on the mound.

“He was just a great ambassador of baseball for the city of El Paso,” said former Socorro High School coach Chris Forbes, who knew Frank. “He friended everybody, it wasn’t just his teammates at Eastwood. He would come out and throw batting practice and talk to the kids and just kind of show the kids it is possible to be a professional baseball player.”

After his playing days were over, Castillo remained a big supporter of El Paso baseball, sponsoring the El Paso Senior Baseball Classic at Cohen Stadium for years.