Rudolph Alvarado discussed his new biography, The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita on NPR’s Weekend America on Saturday, May 3. The interview served notice that Alvarado's biography is more than a "niche market" book. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT
Los Angeles, CA, May 5, 2008-Rudolph Alvarado discussed his recently released biography, The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita on National Public Radio’s Weekend America on Saturday, May 3. The interview was archived on the show’s website along with photographs of Hernandez. Joe Hernandez was the race caller at Santa Anita Park from the time the pristine thoroughbred race track opened on Christmas Day 1934 until January 27, 1972. In all that time Hernandez never missed a single call. His streak ended at 15,587 races called in a row.
The program, which is hosted by Desiree Cooper, featured Hernandez’s call of Seabiscuit’s win in the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap, as well as his last call when he fainted at the microphone. A variety of topics surrounding Hernandez’s life were discussed. “By the time the interview is over,” commented Alvarado before the discussion, “people will certainly know that the book is much more than a biography written for a ‘niche market.’ When you throw in the mystery surrounding Joe’s birthplace and his early life, his apparent complicated–and perhaps troubled–personality, his deep faith in God, and the false history he created for himself throughout his career the story becomes a multi-layered tale that any reader expects from a good book.”
Alvarado’s biography comes with a CD of Hernandez’s most memorable calls and is available at www.voiceofsantaanita.com. Alvarado’s interview on Weekend America coincided with the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby, a race that Hernandez called live for racing fans at Churchill Downs in 1950. A recording of Hernandez’s dynamic call of Middleground’s victory was eventually produced and copies were distributed to over 60,000 racing fans throughout the United States.
Since its release in March, Alvarado's biography continues to impress crtics and readers alike. The book has been recommended by The Los Angeles Times and the Daily Racing Form.Mike Willman, the Marketing Director at Santa Anita Park, described the book as “simply tremendous.” Regarding the book, Dr. Ralph Shaffer, Professor Emeritus in the Department of History at California State Polytechnic University, stated that he felt the book was worthy of an Eclipse Award and then added, “I've just finished reading one of the most fascinating volumes on horse racing to come along in several years. While it's still early in 2008, it will be hard for some other racing-related book to nose our Rudolph Alvarado's meticulously researched biography on the great Santa Anita race caller Joe Hernandez. The detective work Alvarado put in to track down Joe's birth family, as related in an early chapter, would be unbelievable were it not true. Moreover, Alvarado has not simply told the life story of the pre-eminent race caller of the twentieth century, he has placed that story in the context of the emerging roll of Mexican-Americans in this nation's history, for whom Hernandez was in many ways a role-model…. The Horse Racing Hall of Fame until now has not found a place for race callers. Alvarado has certainly made a case that Joe Hernandez belongs there.”
Website Link: http://www.voiceofsantaanita.com | 
Digg it
