For High-A Hillsboro, wholly embracing the values of Copa de la Diversión made a typical Soñadores game one of the best celebrations in the Minors.
The club’s Copa efforts were on full display during July's ¡Viva la Raza! Night.
During most Soñadores celebrations, the front of Hillsboro Park is adorned with the flags of different Latin American countries. The concourses are decorated with piñatas and papel picado. The Puro Locos Car Club, a local group known for showcasing lowrider cars, makes frequent appearances.
Last year, the club debuted a dedicated Copa mascot named Bacaanda, who is an alebrije or a spirit animal from Mexican folklore. Bacaanda is represented in the Soñadores’ logo as a coyote-like creature.
In 2022, Hillsboro was named campeón of Copa de la Diversión and received a $5,000 donation from Nationwide, the program’s official insurance partner. The victory and foundation of the Soñadores efforts stem from the partnerships the organization developed with several local Latino community organizations.
But really, the man behind it all is Iván Hernández.
Although there’s a lot -- truly, a lot -- that goes into making Soñadores night special, Hernández said the music is the most important aspect of the experience. So much so that Hernández takes responsibility for the song selection in the ballpark.
“[The crowd] likes to listen to 'La Chona' ... and all the bangers from, like, their parents' era,” said the Hops’ community development director and resident playlist curator. “[The song choices are] very meticulous. I'm very careful to make sure that the show runs smoothly.”
On July 27, Hillsboro hosted ¡Viva la Raza! Night as a celebration of Mexican-American or Chicano culture.
“Viva la raza” is a statement of pride often associated with the Chicano civil rights movement of the '60s. The Hops have celebrated Mexican-American heritage during Soñadores games before, branding it as Chicano Night or even Selena Night. But embracing ¡Viva la Raza! this time helped amplify an expression of solidarity with that community.
“We don't just have Latino nights. We have cultural celebrations,” Hernández said.
This particular Soñadores game included a visit from the Puro Locos Car Club, which displayed lowriders on the plaza in front of the ballpark, Mexican-American food at concessions and an exhibition featuring Chicano artists.
Hernández’s music choices had a distinct Chicano flavor. But there was another song, penned by Hernández himself, that added to the festivities.
“I don't know if ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ is played in other languages. But I made my own version, and it works,” he said, referring to the bilingual duet he performed with play-by-play announcer Rich Burk. “I do the Spanish parts. He does the English parts. And now, at this point, people are understanding that they can follow along in their own language.”
Perhaps drawing from the ¡Viva la Raza! spirit, Hernández said the club and fans are working on their own rallying cry for Soñadores games. That’s not quite ready just yet, though.
“There’s still some work to do on that,” he said with a laugh. “But the community accepts what we do … and people embrace that. They know that when you arrive to the ballpark, you know you're going to find a diverse, accepting environment and you're going to have a great time.”