Arizona coach Chip Hale discusses his team's participation in this fall's Vamos a Tucson Mexican Baseball Fiesta during a news conferece at the Consulate of Mexico on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
When then-Tucson Padres general manager Mike Feder took Francisco Gamez's phone call over 13 years ago, he was presented with a sales pitch to start a new baseball tradition in Tucson.
Gamez, who played professional baseball for a decade in the Mexican Pacific League, had never met Feder personally and it "was kind of a cold call," and he said, "'I think I have something that will be great for Tucson.'"
The pitch: The Mexican Baseball Fiesta, a weekend at Kino Veteran's Memorial Stadium dedicated to teams from the Mexican Pacific League preparing for the upcoming season that begins in October and ends in December.
Except there's one noticeable difference between Mexican Pacific League games and baseball games played in the U.S.
"For anyone who's been, it's a gigantic party," said Feder, who is the Vamos a Tucson Mexican Baseball Fiesta president. "The word 'fiesta' really describes who we are. We've got six different Mexican teams coming in from the Mexican winter league, and they're all professional baseball teams.
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"It's Year 13, so it's something that people have gotten used to."
It's a safe haven for "music, authentic food and great baseball," Feder said.
The Mexican Baseball Fiesta, which starts on Thursday and ends Sunday, will have Yaquis de Obreg贸n, Naranjeros de Hermosillo, Algodoneros de Guasave, Mayos de Navojoa, Charros de Jalisco and 脕guilas de Mexicali, along with the Arizona Wildcats baseball team. The UA and Hermosillo square off Thursday night to cap the double-header that starts at 5 p.m.
Since the Mexican Baseball Fiesta started in 2011, "you can see attendance increasing," Feder said.
In recent years, each game is "probably averaging over 4,000 (fans)," according to Feder. The entertainment helps with attendance, too. After the final game on Sunday night, "La Brissa," a popular band from Obreg贸n, will perform at the stadium. Feder said La Brissa "will draw 7,000-8,000 people."
"The reason being, this is a chance from the Tucson area to see something they grew up with," Feder said. "Maybe they grew up in Mexico, their mom or dad live in Mexico -- their grandma and grandpa. This is bring home to them without having to drive to Mexico to see great baseball.
"It's more than just a baseball game, it's a party."
Feder, a longtime Tucson resident who served as general manager for the Tucson Toros, Tucson Sidewinders and Tucson Padres when the minor-league baseball teams were in the Old Pueblo, joined ESPN Tucson's "Spears and Ali" to discuss what to expect at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, the evolution of the event and the future of professional baseball in Tucson. Here's part of that interview:
What are the caliber of players competing in the Mexican Baseball Fiesta?
A: "It's probably a mix between Triple-A and (European development league). You have a lot of guys that have played in the big leagues, that will play in the big leagues. You've got guys who are natives to Mexico who just play in the winter league as athletes there.
"There's a number of guys who played in the big leagues last year that have all played in the Mexican Baseball Fiesta. It really is good baseball."
For the UA baseball team, this is kind of a different environment for some of these younger players. How do you think this event benefits the Wildcats?
A: "It's more than 'kind of of a different environment,' it is a totally different environment, which is why Chip Hale loves it so much. Chip has said this is a great way to get the players exposed to something that's going to happen later in the season. If you've never been to the fiesta, there's music the entire time except for when the pitcher goes in the stretch. The person playing the music is the same guy who does it for the Hermosillo team. Chip really looks forward to it, because the young players are being exposed to guys who have played three, four or five years of professional baseball, and the styles of play are so much different in the states.
"The U of A team will have guys who throw really hard and run really well. I know Chip wants to increase the speed on the team this year. In the Mexican winter league, it's not really a speed game. It's a lot of curveballs, sliders and change-ups. I love the way Chip prepares for the Mexican Baseball Fiesta. What he does, he just absolutely blows the music out of the speakers when they're practicing, just to get them used to the environment. It's hilarious. ... The players love it and it's something they look forward to."
How has the Mexican Baseball Fiesta grown over the years? What do you envision as the end result of this event?
A: "Chip Hale, the Wildcats coach, actually sent us a text and it was kind of late and said the ASU coach would like us to consider doing it in Phoenix. We didn't do it this year. For us to do six teams this year, it's the most we've ever had. I don't know if it'll ever get higher than six. But they look forward to coming to the states and playing in great ballparks. I don't know if that'll ever change much.
"The one thing that is going to change in November, if you remember two years ago, we were going to play an international series game, which is what will be this year, the Obreg贸n Yaquis versus Mexicali in a regular season series. It's going to the first week of November. That's never been done in the United State and never been done in Mexico. The games will be televised all throughout Mexico on their pay channel, all the games are on TV. This could be the impetus to someday bringing a regular full-time team to Tucson. We're using this as a showcase."
Do you think Tucson could get a minor-league team back? Or a U.S.-based Mexican Pacific League team?
A: "I can't comment on the minor-league team. Obviously people know my background. I would love to see it. But I can't comment on it. There have been ongoing discussions about bringing a full-time team here. Obviously it's not this year, but it's something that we believe in the future could happen."
How important is it, in your opinion, to return professional baseball back to Tucson?
A: "I think it'll be really important, but it's going to be really difficult. It's hard to play a season in the summer in south Tucson at Kino Stadium. That's not meant as a criticism, but it's somewhat of the reality.
"The great days were the Tucson Toros days. I came here in 1989 and I was proud of the fact I invented 'Tuffy the Toro.' There was just an electricity.
"It was home, it was in the neighborhood, it was near restaurants.
"We'll see what happens."
Photos: Opening day of the 2023 Mexican Baseball Fiesta Photos: Mexican Baseball Fiesta through the years, ahead of 2023 return to Tucson Photos: 2022 Mexican Baseball Fiesta Photos: University of Arizona vs Obregon, Vamos a Tucson Mexican Baseball Fiesta Photos: Mexican Baseball Fiesta - Obergon vs Mexicali, game one Photos: 2018 Mexican Baseball Fiesta in Tucson Action and excitement of Mexican Baseball at Kino Complex
Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at [email protected]. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports
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