In 1957, a group of teenagers from the Texas border city of Del Rio inspired change in their community through golf. Now, their story is being told on the big screen.

What You Need To Know

  • ‘The Long Game,’ starring Jay Hernandez, Dennis Quaid and Cheech Marin, premieres in theaters April 12

  • The film follows five Mexican American San Felipe High School students who caddy at an all-white country club in Del Rio in the 1950s and are barred from playing at the club’s golf course because of their ethnicity
  • What ensues is a story of hardship and overcoming obstacles to achieve greatness, despite a lack of access to a game that is known for its exclusivity

"The Long Game," starring Jay Hernandez, Dennis Quaid and Cheech Marin, premieres in theaters April 12. The film was directed by Julio Quintana and premiered at SXSW in 2023, where it won an Audience Award.

The film follows five Mexican American San Felipe High School students who caddy at an all-white country club in Del Rio in the 1950s. Despite being employees, the boys are barred from playing at the club’s golf course because of their ethnicity.

The group includes Joe Treviño, Gene Vasquez, Felipe Romero, Mario Lomas and Lupe Felan, who are played by actors Julian Works, Gregory Diaz IV, Miguel Angel Garcia, Cristian Gallegos and José Julián.

Around the same time, JB Peña, World War II veteran and school superintendent, finds out he also isn’t allowed to play at the golf course for the same reason.

Peña, played by Hernandez, then recruits the boys to form their own golf team at their school, which he will coach with the help of Frank Mitchell, the town’s resident golf pro and fellow veteran played by Quaid.

What ensues is a story of hardship and overcoming obstacles to achieve greatness, despite a lack of access to a game that is known for its exclusivity.

Del Rio native Humberto G. Garcia first told the story in his 2010 book “Mustang Miracle.” In an interview with the San Antonio Report in February, Garcia said the boys had to scavenge discarded golf clubs from the trash or from a creek at the golf course in order to have the tools to play the game. They even built their own golf course just so they could have somewhere to practice.

The team’s hard work and determination paid off when they went on to compete at the 1957 Texas State High School Golf Championship.

Their legacy lives on today. According to PGA of America, the Mustangs were inducted into the Latino International Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 for their historic victory.

Click here to find showtimes for “The Long Game” near you.