footballgal
05-28-2008, 11:12 AM
Sports Fan's Paradise
By Louie Vera, The Brownsville Herald
May 24, 2008 10:37 pm
http://rgvsports.onset.freedom.com/pictures/k1ep4d-0525doubledayspanoramicforweb.jpg
Above: One of the many sets of display cases full of sports memorabilia is shown at Doubleday’s bar.
G. Daniel Lopez, The Brownsville Herald
Take one step through the doors of Doubleday's "Bar of Champions" and you'll be mired in a state of awe.
Any sports fan, new or old, will find something in co-owner's Manuel Hinojosa's myriad of sports memorabilia that'll lock your jaw down.
Located in Port Isabel, mere blocks from the Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge, Hinojosa's establishment has been around for three years but he's amassed all his invaluable collection since he was a child.
"I started out as a kid," Hinojosa said. "I followed the Yankees and collecting bubble gum cards."
An established painter and architect, Hinojosa is co-owners with his brother Rick Hinojosa who four years ago convinced him to find a place to display his collections and some paintings as well.
"He talked me into it," he said. "Opening up a place we had a couple things in mind but there were so many boxes I couldn't put it in a house. We wanted to showcase them to the people."
Doubleday's bar and restaurant has been somewhat of a hidden gem to many people around the Valley filled with autographs, jerseys, helmets and anything a sports advocate could desire.
Hinojosa, the former city manager of Port Isabel, said his establishment is open to anyone and he gets satisfaction out of people of all ages who talk about timeless history at Doubleday's.
"Sports is in a different time (now)," Hinojosa said. "A time when there were no steroids, cheating and it was just for fun. It was a place to educate the younger crowd."
For some locals though they call it a "Museum with a bar," including Joe Ibarra who has visits regularly.
"Locals love this place. You feel at home here," Ibarra said. "When Mr. Hinojosa walks in you feel his presence and he is great going around shaking peoples' hands asking if they need anything, just makes you feel comfortable."
Every step you make in Doubleday's is filled with priceless history including "America's Team," the Dallas Cowboys.
Doubleday's "Field Generals Collection," located next to the boxing ring bar, is flooded with vintage Cowboys collectibles includ-ing multiple signatures from Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson's Apex brand jacket, Walt Garrison Sports Illustrated cover magazine and a vintage Pepsi bottle with the score of Dallas' first championship in 1971 over the Miami Dolphins. The list goes on.
Nathan Dam, a 24 year-old that works at the UTPA Coastal Studies department, as well as the Beach Watch, spoke of his first ex-perience at Doubleday's.
"Initially I was blown away," he said. "I thought this is the greatest place in the world."
Nearly every stitch of the wall is covered with something special. On the "ringside" bar there are pictures and magazines of Muhammad Ali including gloves signed by arguably the greatest fighter in boxing and right next to it is Joe Lewis' championship belt.
On the left side of Doubleday's is what you could call a mini-Cooperstown where you can go back in time looking at pictures, paintings, jerseys, bats of some of the greats including Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, and Nolan Ryan.
Bartender Omar Ruiz has been working there for nearly three years and said the environment has really brought him into the sports spectrum.
"Before I was here I never really followed sports," Ruiz said. "Now I don't miss a game. It's great here interacting with the cus-tomers and with the locals its like one big family."
http://www.rgvsports.com/sports/hinojosa_2298___article.xml/sports_doubleday.html
By Louie Vera, The Brownsville Herald
May 24, 2008 10:37 pm
http://rgvsports.onset.freedom.com/pictures/k1ep4d-0525doubledayspanoramicforweb.jpg
Above: One of the many sets of display cases full of sports memorabilia is shown at Doubleday’s bar.
G. Daniel Lopez, The Brownsville Herald
Take one step through the doors of Doubleday's "Bar of Champions" and you'll be mired in a state of awe.
Any sports fan, new or old, will find something in co-owner's Manuel Hinojosa's myriad of sports memorabilia that'll lock your jaw down.
Located in Port Isabel, mere blocks from the Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge, Hinojosa's establishment has been around for three years but he's amassed all his invaluable collection since he was a child.
"I started out as a kid," Hinojosa said. "I followed the Yankees and collecting bubble gum cards."
An established painter and architect, Hinojosa is co-owners with his brother Rick Hinojosa who four years ago convinced him to find a place to display his collections and some paintings as well.
"He talked me into it," he said. "Opening up a place we had a couple things in mind but there were so many boxes I couldn't put it in a house. We wanted to showcase them to the people."
Doubleday's bar and restaurant has been somewhat of a hidden gem to many people around the Valley filled with autographs, jerseys, helmets and anything a sports advocate could desire.
Hinojosa, the former city manager of Port Isabel, said his establishment is open to anyone and he gets satisfaction out of people of all ages who talk about timeless history at Doubleday's.
"Sports is in a different time (now)," Hinojosa said. "A time when there were no steroids, cheating and it was just for fun. It was a place to educate the younger crowd."
For some locals though they call it a "Museum with a bar," including Joe Ibarra who has visits regularly.
"Locals love this place. You feel at home here," Ibarra said. "When Mr. Hinojosa walks in you feel his presence and he is great going around shaking peoples' hands asking if they need anything, just makes you feel comfortable."
Every step you make in Doubleday's is filled with priceless history including "America's Team," the Dallas Cowboys.
Doubleday's "Field Generals Collection," located next to the boxing ring bar, is flooded with vintage Cowboys collectibles includ-ing multiple signatures from Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson's Apex brand jacket, Walt Garrison Sports Illustrated cover magazine and a vintage Pepsi bottle with the score of Dallas' first championship in 1971 over the Miami Dolphins. The list goes on.
Nathan Dam, a 24 year-old that works at the UTPA Coastal Studies department, as well as the Beach Watch, spoke of his first ex-perience at Doubleday's.
"Initially I was blown away," he said. "I thought this is the greatest place in the world."
Nearly every stitch of the wall is covered with something special. On the "ringside" bar there are pictures and magazines of Muhammad Ali including gloves signed by arguably the greatest fighter in boxing and right next to it is Joe Lewis' championship belt.
On the left side of Doubleday's is what you could call a mini-Cooperstown where you can go back in time looking at pictures, paintings, jerseys, bats of some of the greats including Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, and Nolan Ryan.
Bartender Omar Ruiz has been working there for nearly three years and said the environment has really brought him into the sports spectrum.
"Before I was here I never really followed sports," Ruiz said. "Now I don't miss a game. It's great here interacting with the cus-tomers and with the locals its like one big family."
http://www.rgvsports.com/sports/hinojosa_2298___article.xml/sports_doubleday.html