Los Aficionados de Los Angeles was founded in 1949, which makes it 'The Oldest bullfight Club in the United States' - a natural result of the proximity of Los Angeles to the Mexican border and the Mexican culture that has always been an integral part of the consciousness of the area. The club was originally a social affinity group that got together - twice a month for the first decade or two - at various restaurants in the city. Eventually, its purpose was more formally defined as "the establishment in Los Angeles of a non-political non-profit association for the advancement and understanding of the art of bullfighting."
Soon after the project was initiated to document the history of the NATC and each of its member clubs, we realized that there were massive gaps in our archives. The ups and downs of the club, the fluctuations in membership from hundreds down to dozens and back again, and the numerous Secretaries over the more than 40 years of the club's existence resulted in the failure to conserve complete files of the minutes and newsletters, and everything prior to 1981 has disappeared. Until we can locate the missing archives, the following brief highlights summary will have to suffice.
In the early years, the bi-monthly meetings revolved around the taurine activities along the border, which featured the legendary figures of a golden epoch. More often than not, our guests would include the matadors who were currently appearing in Tijuana and other taurine luminaries. During the '60's, after the opening of the second plaza de toros in Tijuana, Plaza Monumental, our guests at one meeting were the empresas of both plazas - Dr. Alfonso Gaona and Major Jose Salvador Lopez Hurtado. Eventually we settled into our current meeting place, El Chiquito Restaurant in Burbank, where the back dining room has become our permanent 'clubhouse,' decorated with our photos, posters, and memorabilia.
Some of the achievements of which we are most proud include the Taurine Exhibition we mounted in the lobby of the Global Marine Building as part of the City of Los Angeles Bicentennial Celebration in 1981. An extensive collection of taurine paintings, drawings, carteles, trajes, and memorabilia specific to 18th and 19th century Los Angeles were displayed.
On July 20, 1985, at a ceremony attended and addressed by elected officials from city, county, and state government, we dedicated the bronze plaque instigated, coordinated, and donated to the city by Los Aficionados de Los Angeles and installed in the Old Plaza at the foot of Olvera Street and across from the church of Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles. The plaque commemorates the era when Los Angeles was still a part of Mexico and the Plaza was the site of bullfights during the 1830s and 1840s, continuing for a few years even after the city became part of the United States.
Los Aficionados de Los Angeles has been Host Club for five NATC Conventions - all held in Mexico: 1983 in San Miguel de Allende, Gto.; 1984 in San Luis Potosi, S.L.P.; 1985 in Tlaxcala, Tlax.; 1989 and 1991 in Aguascalientes, Ags.; and five resident members of Los Aficionados are counted among the Past Presidents of NATC.
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