Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Southern neighbors — business and politics of Tijuana

Baseball south of border, Caliente racetrack and the infamous Hank family, Baby Rock, Bob's Big Boy, early risers at Club Campestre, TJ Cultural Center

El beisbol, after all, is about beating the Yankees at their own game.

The Sport with No Clock

Mexican baseball, like the Mexican economy, is just a half-step ahead of the creditors. The precipitous decline of the peso against the dollar has virtually destroyed the league’s ability to attract decent U.S. talent. Mexico is the only Latin country with two professional seasons. The Pacific League operates in the winter, representing the main towns along the northwestern coast. The more popular and established league plays all summer, running its games concurrently, defiantly, with the majors up north.

By John Krich, Apr. 13, 1989 | Read full article

Jorge Hank Rhon. In 1985 Hank arrived in Tijuana to become general manager of the Caliente racetrack.

Jorge Hank Finally Talks

After Gato was blown away and Vera Palestina disappeared, Hank was never willing to say much about the affair. He doesn't trust the Mexican press; and as long as Zeta kept reprinting Gato's old columns and publishing a black page on which the writer asks, from beyond the grave, "Hank, why did your bodyguards kill me?" he didn't feel he could get a fair hearing from Tijuana reporters. But Hank agreed to talk with the Reader.

Sponsored
Sponsored

By Neal Matthews, May 10, 1990 | Read full article

"...it didn’t occur to Hank’s sister or his aides that American laws might prohibit bringing a rare tiger across international boundaries."

Tyger Tyger

“A lot of people owed me a lot of money. Over the years they’ve paid me off in animals.” A man paid part of his bill with a rhinoceros that came from a Cuban zoo. These old IOUs have helped Hank acquire leopards, cougars, panthers, and tigers. Some of the animals are on display in glass cages at Agua Caliente; others can be seen roaming the infield during weekend evening horse races.

By Neal Matthews, Nov. 27, 1991 | Read full article

"The Caliente Racetrack itself remains, but the horses and the crowds are gone."

Beat a Dead Horse

In its 77 years, Caliente begat a legend. Most of its innovations are now standard practice at racetracks in North America and worldwide: the public address call of the races, the Pick-Six wager, the jockey safety helmet. It was the site where Phar Lap, the great Australian champion, ran his last race, his only race on this continent. Jockeys who became familiar names — Eddie Arcaro, George Woolf, Bill Harmatz, and others — began their careers at Caliente.

By Bob Owens, Feb. 24, 1994 | Read full article

Porno King Tied to T.J. Hot Spot

Reached by phone on May 14 at his residence in Rosarito (he also owns and rents a gated luxury condo in Tijuana, directly behind the American consulate building), Wiener denied that he owned a piece of Baby Rock (although four different sources say he told them otherwise) or of ever having owned a business in Rosarito. He claims he is out of the San Diego pornography business and that he moved to Mexico "for peace and quiet.

By Bob Owens, July 10, 1997 | Read full article

El Big

Newsburgers Hot Off the Grill

El Big, on Agua Caliente Boulevard, opposite the downtown bullring, is the 24-hour coffee shop/restaurant where politicians, cops, government spies, businessmen, and journalists gather for an unspoken waltz, an agreement that this is neutral territory where tips, plans, warnings, and information can be swapped. Dora Elena Cortés comes here because, she says, this is where "the news comes to you." Cortés ought to know. She is the chief Tijuana correspondent for Mexico City's respected El Universal.

By Bill Manson, May 13, 1999 | Read full article

Tijuana civic leaders pledge allegiance to the Mexican flag in the Minaret Room

Zero Tolerance in the Morning

Isn't this all too cozy to be taken seriously as an independently reported political debating forum? Zeta political columnist Adela Navarro Bella doesn't think so. "It's a very serious group. Serious and respectable. Businessmen from the traditional, established families of Tijuana. They try not to define themselves [politically]. They try to be open and middle-of-the-road, in the best sense. They invite speakers of all different colors. These rooms become stages for politicians to talk about their platform."

By Bill Manson, Feb. 17, 2000 | Read full article

Tijuana Cultural Center. Part of what was Cartolandia is where the cultural center stands.

This Isn’t the Same Country, This Isn't the Same Town

“A baby’s grandmother was one of the leaders of the neighborhood. When the baby’s mother was put on the truck, she was afraid of what the soldiers might do. She gave the baby to her two little girls and told them to run and hide inside the family’s shack and not come out, no matter what. The soldiers moved in with their flamethrowers. The little girls panicked and ran out of the shack and left the baby behind.”

By Abe Opincar, Oct. 10, 2002 | Read full article

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

2024 continues to impress with yellowfin much closer to San Diego than they should be

New rockfish regulations coming this week as opener approaches
El beisbol, after all, is about beating the Yankees at their own game.

The Sport with No Clock

Mexican baseball, like the Mexican economy, is just a half-step ahead of the creditors. The precipitous decline of the peso against the dollar has virtually destroyed the league’s ability to attract decent U.S. talent. Mexico is the only Latin country with two professional seasons. The Pacific League operates in the winter, representing the main towns along the northwestern coast. The more popular and established league plays all summer, running its games concurrently, defiantly, with the majors up north.

By John Krich, Apr. 13, 1989 | Read full article

Jorge Hank Rhon. In 1985 Hank arrived in Tijuana to become general manager of the Caliente racetrack.

Jorge Hank Finally Talks

After Gato was blown away and Vera Palestina disappeared, Hank was never willing to say much about the affair. He doesn't trust the Mexican press; and as long as Zeta kept reprinting Gato's old columns and publishing a black page on which the writer asks, from beyond the grave, "Hank, why did your bodyguards kill me?" he didn't feel he could get a fair hearing from Tijuana reporters. But Hank agreed to talk with the Reader.

Sponsored
Sponsored

By Neal Matthews, May 10, 1990 | Read full article

"...it didn’t occur to Hank’s sister or his aides that American laws might prohibit bringing a rare tiger across international boundaries."

Tyger Tyger

“A lot of people owed me a lot of money. Over the years they’ve paid me off in animals.” A man paid part of his bill with a rhinoceros that came from a Cuban zoo. These old IOUs have helped Hank acquire leopards, cougars, panthers, and tigers. Some of the animals are on display in glass cages at Agua Caliente; others can be seen roaming the infield during weekend evening horse races.

By Neal Matthews, Nov. 27, 1991 | Read full article

"The Caliente Racetrack itself remains, but the horses and the crowds are gone."

Beat a Dead Horse

In its 77 years, Caliente begat a legend. Most of its innovations are now standard practice at racetracks in North America and worldwide: the public address call of the races, the Pick-Six wager, the jockey safety helmet. It was the site where Phar Lap, the great Australian champion, ran his last race, his only race on this continent. Jockeys who became familiar names — Eddie Arcaro, George Woolf, Bill Harmatz, and others — began their careers at Caliente.

By Bob Owens, Feb. 24, 1994 | Read full article

Porno King Tied to T.J. Hot Spot

Reached by phone on May 14 at his residence in Rosarito (he also owns and rents a gated luxury condo in Tijuana, directly behind the American consulate building), Wiener denied that he owned a piece of Baby Rock (although four different sources say he told them otherwise) or of ever having owned a business in Rosarito. He claims he is out of the San Diego pornography business and that he moved to Mexico "for peace and quiet.

By Bob Owens, July 10, 1997 | Read full article

El Big

Newsburgers Hot Off the Grill

El Big, on Agua Caliente Boulevard, opposite the downtown bullring, is the 24-hour coffee shop/restaurant where politicians, cops, government spies, businessmen, and journalists gather for an unspoken waltz, an agreement that this is neutral territory where tips, plans, warnings, and information can be swapped. Dora Elena Cortés comes here because, she says, this is where "the news comes to you." Cortés ought to know. She is the chief Tijuana correspondent for Mexico City's respected El Universal.

By Bill Manson, May 13, 1999 | Read full article

Tijuana civic leaders pledge allegiance to the Mexican flag in the Minaret Room

Zero Tolerance in the Morning

Isn't this all too cozy to be taken seriously as an independently reported political debating forum? Zeta political columnist Adela Navarro Bella doesn't think so. "It's a very serious group. Serious and respectable. Businessmen from the traditional, established families of Tijuana. They try not to define themselves [politically]. They try to be open and middle-of-the-road, in the best sense. They invite speakers of all different colors. These rooms become stages for politicians to talk about their platform."

By Bill Manson, Feb. 17, 2000 | Read full article

Tijuana Cultural Center. Part of what was Cartolandia is where the cultural center stands.

This Isn’t the Same Country, This Isn't the Same Town

“A baby’s grandmother was one of the leaders of the neighborhood. When the baby’s mother was put on the truck, she was afraid of what the soldiers might do. She gave the baby to her two little girls and told them to run and hide inside the family’s shack and not come out, no matter what. The soldiers moved in with their flamethrowers. The little girls panicked and ran out of the shack and left the baby behind.”

By Abe Opincar, Oct. 10, 2002 | Read full article

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Angry Pete’s goes from pop-up to drive-thru

Detroit Pizza sidles into the husk of a shuttered Taco Bell
Next Article

Summit Fellowship wants to be a home of belonging

Unitarian Universalism allows you to be exactly who you are in the moment
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.