Author: Jeff Madruga

“San Diego’s annual FESTA DO DIVINO ESPIRITO SANTO (Feast of the Holy Spirit) this year will feature many MADEIRA Islanders, and be celebrated in May instead of in June (as is usual). The Mordomo this year will be Capt. MANUEL ‘FRIZADO’ SILVA, born in FUNCHAL, MADEIRA, and master of the tuna clipper “SANTO AMARO”, and that vessel’s crew are expected to figure predominantly in the affair.
A cousin of Capt. Silva, Miss CONSUELO DRUMMOND will be the Festa Queen. She will be attended by Miss MARIA SANTOS, the young sister of Capt. DENNIS SANTOS of the “Sacramento”, and Miss AURELIA SILVA, sister of EDWARD SILVA, tuna man of the “THEODORE FOSS”.
Maids of the Sacred Square will be: Miss ALDORA DRUMMOND (sister of the Queen), Miss EVELYN TAVARES (daughter of Frank Tavares, fisherman aboard the ‘Navigator’); Miss HELEN SEBASTIAN (daughter of the Engineer of the tuna vessel ‘Atlantic’, John Sebastian); and Miss TILLIE ATHAIDE (daughter of Mrs. Maria Athaide, Supervising Director of the Festa banquet).
The tiny girl who each year is selected to be the ‘Tunaship Queen’ will this time be Miss HAZEL VIRISSIMO, age 7, a lovely child and daughter of Manuel Virissimo, tuna man aboard the ‘St. Therese’.
The “Boat Queen Maids” will be Miss MARY VIRISSIMO, age 8 (daughter of Sabino Virissimo of the ‘St. Therese’); and Miss ADELINE ROGERS, age 8 (daughter of the ‘Navigator’ Engineer, Mr. Joe S. Rogers).
Administrative officers of the event will be President, Capt. MANUEL SILVA of the ‘Santo Amaro’, Permanent Vice-President Capt. MANUEL O. MEDINA of the ‘Atlantic’; Secretary, Capt. MANUEL HOMEM FREITAS of the ‘Navigator’; and Treasurer, Engineer of the ‘Navigator’, Mr. JOE S. ROGERS.
Capt. MANUEL ‘FRIZADO’ SILVA and the crew of the ‘SANTO AMARO’ are MADEIRA ISLANDERS (2 Portuguese islands some 420 miles off the west coast of Africa – ed.), wherefore this year’s Festa will be an occasion in which the tuna men of Madeiran origin naturally will be prominent. The SANTOS family, owner of the ‘SACRAMENTO’, likewise hail from the Madeira’s, hence its large participation in the event. Many of the Madeira men came to San Diego from FUNCHAL, MADEIRA, which is explanation enough for the fact that there is now a large tuna boat by that name, also a San Pedro swordfish boat similarly titled, and one or two lesser craft identically named. This year’s Pentecostal Celebration will be Sunday, May 24th, with the entire Festa party expected to begin May 23rd and extend through May 26th, and nearly all of the Portuguese boats are expected to be in port here, and a wonderful time is expected.”

(*Source: West Coast Fisheries Magazine – May 1931 – Pg. 10)

*Editorial Note: The article in its entirety, including Pages 11 & 12, and photo captions, is excellent and recommended, but is too long to fit here. A copy of it will be forwarded to the Lead affiliate of this Project (Ms. Zeca Rodrigues).

***Meanwhile…, in the LOCAL Newspaper:

“FISHERMEN HOLD ANNUAL PROGRAM – Fireworks Off Point Loma Feature of Evening Events; Most of Tuna Fleet in Port – Preceding the final day of the 3-day celebration of La Fiesta to Espritu Santo (aka Festa do Divino Espírito Santo – ed.) illuminated fishing boats and a display of fireworks enlivened the anchorage off Point Loma last night for the annual observance of the fisherman’s celebration. This year’s celebration found most of the fleet in port. Two tuna clippers, the ‘PATRIA’ and ‘SAN SALVADOR’, raced from near the equator to get in on the festival, the boat’s setting a new record of 11 days travel for the run from the Galapagos Islands (approx. 2,850 distant – ed.). Today’s program will start with the parade to the Portuguese church at La Playa. Wearing of colorful costumes of their native country will feature this part of the celebrants’ activities.

Members of the crew of the big tuna clipper ‘SANTO AMARO’ are sponsors for this year’s fiesta. Captain MANUEL SILVA of the ‘Santa Amaro’ is President, and his cousin, Miss CONSUELO DRUMMOND, is Queen. Miss MARIA SANTOS, sister of Captain DENNIS SANTOS of the ‘SACRAMENTO’, and Miss ARELIA SILVA, sister of Mr. EDWARD SILVA of the ‘THEODORE FOSS’ will be the Queen’s attendant. Seven-year-old HAZEL VIRISSIMO, daughter of EMMANUEL VIRISSIMO of the ‘ST. THERESE’ is ‘Tunaship Queen’. **Permanent officials of the celebration are Captain M. O. MEDINA of the ‘ATLANTIC’, Vice-President Capt. MANUEL H. FREITAS of the ‘NAVIGATOR’ as Secretary, and Mr. JOE S. ROGERS, Engineer of the vessel ‘NAVIGATOR’, as Treasurer.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Sunday, May 24, 1931 – Pg. 18)

**Editorial Note: This local newspaper account isn’t included to be simply redundant, but for the unusual FINAL SENTENCE stating that (IMHO, and my admittedly limited exposure & education – ed.) the new (?!) “Permanent (Festa) officials”. Special notice might be that all three “Permanent” men are originally natives of the mid-Atlantic Portuguese island of Pico, Açores (1 of 9 such islands); while this year’s Mordomo (Capt. Manuel “Frizado” Silva) is from Funchal, MADEIRA (also a Portuguese Atlantic Island, but some 750 miles distant from the Açorean island of Pico, possibly (?!) suggesting some “issue” with “newer” volunteers?!? To be clear, this is NOT a proven or documented fact, much less a “defined” one; but I (personally, and only) don’t recall such a “Permanent officials” list in the previous years of this event (?!).

“Capt. MANUEL GARCIA da ROSA, skipper of the “LUSITANIA”, became more applauded than a (Charles – ed.) Lindberg when, on February 20, 1931 (in the midst of the Great Depression) he gave to San Diego charitable institutions a 5-ton / 20,000 lbs. (*listed as 10-tons in March, Pg. 19) *gift* of “undersized” tuna (i.e. 10-lbs. or less, a cannery “standard” – ed.) to distribute to the city’s poor. The fish had been refused by the canneries, which have become emphatic in their adherence to the 10-lb. regulation, and was in excess of what the fresh fish markets were able to receive. By some, it is believed that Rosa’s experience will discourage all other captains from bringing undersized fish into port.” ~ But he gave it away nevertheless. (*Source: West Coast Fisheries Magazine – March 1931 – Pg. 19)

*Note: Capt. Manuel Garcia Da Rosa’s “Lusitania” was the ‘high liner’ tuna boat of 1930 in the San Diego tuna fleet, consistently arriving with capacity loads and before his competitors. ~ (*Source: West Coast Fisheries magazine – March of 1930 – Pg. 26) He was, without question, a superb fisherman.

March 29, 1934 – “PORTUGUESE SOCIAL GROUP INCORPORATES – For promoting fiestas and social activities, Portuguese residents of Point Loma yesterday filed with the County Clerk of San Diego their Articles of Incorporation for the UNITED PORTUGUESE S.E.S. (translation: União Portuguesa – Sociedade do Espírito Santo aka. U.P.S.E.S. – ed.), a non-profit organization.
Directors were listed as: MATHEW C. MONISE, M. O. MEDINA, MANUEL H. FREITAS, FRANK J. TAVARES, FRANK P. SILVA, JOE MEDINA and ANTONIO L. MADRUGA.

(*Source: San Diego UNION newspaper – Friday, March 30, 1934 – Pg. 26)

On August 1, 1938 – “TUNA FISHERMAN DISAPPEARS AT SEA – (San Diego) – Mr. HARRY MADRUGA, son of MANUEL F. MADRUGA SR., and co-owner of the San Diego tuna boat ‘YVONNE LOUISE’, was lost overboard today while the vessel was 280 miles south of Point Loma (San Diego), according to news received by J. J. Camillo, a local seafood broker whose brother Capt. Louis Camillo is master of the tuna boat. The accident occured at 8:15 a.m. and this afternoon the ‘Yvonne Louise’ was still searching for Madruga. (He did not survive – ed.).

(*Source: San Diego UNION newspaper – Tuesday, August 2, 1938 – Pg. 17)

*Editorial Note: Although the first entry here covers the first, most rudimentary “news” of Harry Madruga’s tragic end, some three weeks later another newspaper article appeared (below), this time with some personal notation by a shoreside friend of Madruga, of what it ‘feels like’ to have to face some of the harder realities of being involved in such a difficult, dangerous business; so I include it.

“BILL, SCALE MAN, IS SAD; FRIEND LOST AT SEA – To hundreds of San Diego fishermen, ‘Bill, the Scale Man‘ is a familiar figure; it is he who weighs the catches of the incoming tunaboats at a local cannery. Last Sunday a boat arrived – the ‘YVONNE LOUISE’, one of whose crew would never return. As she came alongside, the ‘Scale Man‘ jotted down his thoughts…

‘Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – It is a beautiful morning, and all the boys at the cannery are waiting for the ‘Yvonne Louise’. The Mexican youths throw dice while they wait. There is a shout of ‘Here she comes!’ Everyone runs to the dock. I leave the scale room and go with them, slowly. I can’t make myself believe that my good friend HARRY MADRUGA will not step ashore and greet me with his bright smile, as he always used to do. The sea has not yet given up its dead – but there is no hope that Harry will ever give a friendly answer to my greetings again. *HE WAS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS BEST AND FINEST OF THOSE COURAGEOUS, OLD-TIME PORTUGUESE FISHERMEN… The boat is alongside, the crew coming ashore. My eyes scan them all…, no, he is not there. The tears rush to my eyes, and for the first time I realize that it is true. I have lost a true and honest friend.‘

Madruga was lost overboard August 1st, off the Mexican coast.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION newspaper – Tuesday, August 23, 1938 – Pg. 9)

Portuguese-American brothers GEORGE & JOE SOARES introduce a single-engine, pontoon-equipped Luscombe AEROPLANE aboard their tuna clipper ‘LIBERATOR’, to be flown by pilot GEORGE McKUSICK, a great improvement for tuna fishing in far-off fishing grounds such as the Galapagos Islands. On this innovative maiden voyage with it’s own “spotter” aeroplane atop, the ‘Liberator’ returned to SUN HARBOR PACKING CO. in SAN DIEGO with 185 tons of tuna worth $60,000 (equivalent to $754,465 today – ed.), setting gossip along San Diego’s waterfront abuzz!
*Editorial Note 1: It is estimated that a good “lookout”/spotter up in a seaborne vessel’s crow’s nest with binoculars can scan the surrounding sea well for a radius of approximately 5 MILES, whereas one working from a small AEROPLANE some 1,000′ above the sea can scan the surrounding area for 30 MILES (!), a 600% increase! And that positive effect works both for spotting tuna *and* bait fish, greatly increasing effective time fishing and often facilitating an extra trip or two per year; as well as giving extremely helpful information about the whereabouts of coral reef that could often damage expensive and vital bait gathering nets while acquiring that essential step in tuna fishing.
*Editorial Note 2: During WWII U.S. military PLANES and BLIMPS on Anti-submarine Patrols along the U.S. West Coast sometimes aided coastal U.S. Tuna Fishermen to spot tuna and bait schools. So the Southern California tuna fishing fleet was clearly aware of the potential advantages of aerial surveillance.

*Editorial Note 3: Also, in San Pedro, CA in 1930 the (then) new tunaboat ‘WHITE STAR’ being built at HARBOR BOATBUILDING CO. at Terminal Island (in a joint venture by aviator Mr. Dave Johns and owner of the Harbor Boatbuilding Co., Mr. John Rados) had plans to carry a collapsible, onboard airplane to spot fish even before the floating vessel was launched.

(*Source: The West Coast Fisheries magazine in March issue of 1930 – Pg. 10)

See LINK BELOW: Another article (by Harold Keen!) with NICE PHOTOS, beginning Pg. 42

https://books.google.com/books?id=XvOtulltKdsC&pg=PA42&dq=tuna+clipper&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjE04_K1OiDAxWkKkQIHeDoDNUQ6AF6BAgMEAI#v=onepage&q=tuna%20clipper&f=false

“IRON WORKS UNIT TO HOLD INTEREST IN TUNA CLIPPERS (San Diego) – Formation of NATIONAL TUNA CLIPPERS, INC., a subsidiary of National Iron Works (later aka. N.A.S.S.C.O. – ed.), was announced today by C. ARNHOLT SMITH, President of the parent firm. The new organization, Smith said, is designed to enlarge the base of N.I.W.’s diversified operations by securing *PART OWNERSHIP* in tuna fishing vessels.
The new corporation will have an authorized capital of $1,000,000 (equivalent to $10,772,000 nowadays – ed.) of common stock and $1,000,000 of 6% preferred stock. National Iron Works is slated to own the outstanding common stock, which it will receive in part for its interests in three tuna clippers scheduled for early launching.
National Tuna Clippers, Inc., plans to sell $300,000 worth of its preferred stock to pay partly for the firm’s 70% interest in the vessel ‘CAROL VIRGINIA’, and to finance the purchase of a major interest in another new vessel, the keel for which will be laid in the N.I.W. shipyard early next year.”

(*Source: Los Angeles Times newspaper – November 20, 1948 – Pg. )

“CABRILLO MONUMENT TO BE SETTING FOR EASTER SUNRISE RITE – Three Groups Sponsor FIRST Service at Historic Spot on POINT LOMA – For the first time in our City’s history, a SUNRISE SERVICE will be conducted this EASTER at CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT on the tip of Point Loma overlooking the Pacific. The interdenominational public service is under the auspices of: (1) the POINT LOMA BUSINESS ASSN., (2) the CABRILLO CIVIC CLUB, and; (3) the PORTUGUESE-AMERICAN SOCIAL & CIVIC CLUB (i.e. P.A.S.C.C.). Capt. W. H. Rafferty, Senior Chaplain of the 11th Naval District, will deliver the Sermon. …
… A Navy Band will play and a mixed Chorus will sing at the Cabrillo Monument service. Parking space for 1,000 cars is available and arrangements have been made with the San Diego Transit System to provide shuttle bus service to the monument from Canon and Rosecrans Sts. …
… Assisting Mr. Green will be *Mrs. DEUTILDE S. VARLEY*…”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee – Saturday, March 25, 1950 – Pg. 5)

January 8, 1952 – Truman Asked to Sit In on Tuna Tariff Battle (Washington D.C.) – The stage was being set here today for a dramatic fight in the Senate and the White House for new and increased tuna tariffs.
Battle lines are being drawn by Southern California fishing industry leaders. They claim that additional tariffs to curb increasing tuna imports are the surest way to prevent the San Pedro and San Diego tuna fleets and packers from going broke. – New Developments – In the wake of disclosures that powerful interests are attempting to block additional tuna tariffs, there were these new developments today in the capitol: President Truman has been asked to discuss the tuna tariff situation with Southern California fisheries leaders. The request for a conference was sent to the White House by Charles Carey, Director of the fisheries products division of the National Canners’ Association. IF the president agrees to a conference, he will be given a fill-in primarily on the background for a California Fish Canners Association petition to the Tariff Commission for higher duties on imported tuna, bonito or yellowtail canned in brine and bonito and yellowtail canned in oil. – *Hearing January 29 – The commission has been set for January 29 for a hearing. If it recommends increased tariffs, only the President can put them into effect. With Carey, Montgomery Philster (a San Pedro president of the California Canners’ group, and other West Coast fisheries officials) will call on the Chief Executive IF he grants them an audience. Meanwhile, Chairman Walter George (D-Ga) of the Senate finance committee, has advised Sen. Warren Magnuson (D-Wash) that a bill establishing a 3¢ per-pound tariff on presently Duty Free fresh and frozen imported tuna will be “the first order of business” when his committee reconvenses. Committee staff members estimated January 21st as the earliest date a hearing could be scheduled on the House-approved measure.

January 11, 1952 – TUNA CHIEFS MEET TO MAP QUOTA PLEA – Request to Limit Imports to Be Presented Before Tariff Commission Hearing January 9th – Leaders in Southern California’s tuna industry, endangered by heavy imports of duty-free Japanese and Peruvian tuna, met yesterday in San Pedro to complete plans to present requests for tuna import quotas before the Tariff Commission hearing in Washington D.C. on January 29th. Dr. W. M. Chapman, Research Director of the American Tunaboat Association, an organization of San Diego tuna clipper owners, outlined the industry’s strategy. He said the Tariff Commission will be asked to recommend legislation calling for limitation of tuna imports from 15 to 20% of the total 1951 tuna market in this country. – Quota Necessary – He said that such a quota is necessary if the Southland tuna industry is to stay in business. He pointed out that the industry has ranked 4th or 5th among ALL industries in the State. He said the Southern California pack represents $113,000,000 (equivalent to $1,128,133,455 today – ed.) in new wealth annually. Dr. Chapman said the government commission will be asked, too, to set up temporary import quotas pending their further study of the situation and a permanent arrangement as to quotas. The House of Representatives at it’s last session passed a bill levying a duty of 3¢ cents per pound on imported frozen tuna. – Goes to Senate – The Senate is expected to pass on this bill soon, according to Dr. Chapman. He noted that strong opposition to both the proposed tariffs and quotas on imprted tuna has turned up in recent months. He said the opposition is led by Brayton Wilbur, a San Francisco fish importer, and Nick Bez, a Seattle cannery operator and fishing crony of President Truman. Dr. Chapman said they have established a lobby in Washington D. C. against the two protective measures. He said that he doesn’t believe the State Department will offer serious opposition to the proposals. Dr. Chapman will leave for Washington D.C. in a few days to help present the Southland industry’s proposals. Other tuna leaders at yesterday’s meeting who will make the trip also include: Mongomery Phister, President of the Calfornia Fish Canners Asscoiation; John Real, Manager of the Fisherman’s Cooperative Assn. of San Pedro; Anthony Sokolich, Secretary of the Internation Fishermen’s Union; William Wagner, President of the Small Fishboat Owners’ Assn., and John Calise, Secretary of the Seine and Line Fishermen’s Association.

January 31, 1952 – Tuna Fleet’s Tie-up Hikes Poultry Cost – The tie-up of the San Diego tuna fleet is increasing the cost of raising POULTRY in the county, said Ralph Sexauer, manager of the San Diego Co-Operative Poultry Association today. Sexauer said members of his organization use between 200 and 250 tons of tuna meal a month as part of a balanced feed. Now that this tuna meal is not available the poultry raisers are forced to use the more expensive herring meal from Canada.

April 17, 1952 – New Tuna Fleet Slowdown Seen – A renewed slowdown in operations of the San Diego tuna clipper fleet was imminent today. HIGH SEAS TUNA PACKING CO. (in Point Loma) announced it is ordering it’s boats to remain in port, after unloading catches, one day for each 15 tons delivered from a previous voyage. The purpose is to prevent an accumulation of inventories such as caused a tie-up of the entire San Diego fleet for several months last year. – Seek Prompt Action – Meanwhile, Mayor John Butler announced that a delegation of local industry leaders will go to Washington D.C. soon to advocate prompt action by Congress on a proposed tariff which would levy $60 per ton (i.e. 3¢ per lb. – ed.) on fresh and frozen tuna imported from Japan and South America. The industry contends that it is being choked by these low-priced imports.

June 10, 1952 – San Diego Tuna Plant Reopens – Ending a 6-month shutdown, VAN CAMP SEA FOOD CO.’s big tuna cannery was reopened today to process fish delivered from the southern banks. Glenn Copeland, Plant Manager, said the extent of operations will depend on competitive conditions, including the volume of tuna imported from JAPAN and SOUTH AMERICA.
In recent months all Van Camp boats had unloaded at the company’s Terminal Island cannery. Reopening of the San Diego plant means that all local tuna packing houses are again open after a long period of idleness.

October 23, 1952 – Jap Tuna Exports ‘On the Increase’ – Washington D.C. – Japanese export of fresh and frozen tuna to the United States, in competition with Southern California fishing fleets, are rising steadily, the Interior Department’s Fish & Wildlife Service reported today. To back up it’s statement, the service quoted August exports of 11,788,180 pounds to this country, compared with 9,552,549 in the same month last year. Below lists a summation of the article, comparing the increases/countries by the same time range:

JAPAN
Fresh/Frozen tuna: From 30,158,749 to 38,871,457 lbs. (+28.8%) compared as above.
Tuna in Brine: From 2,827,141 to 11,671,623 (+312.8%) compared as above.
Canned tuna in Oil: 69,881 (August ‘51) to 339,274 lbs. (+385.5%), despite a 45% ad valorem duty (Note: ad valorem is Latin for “according to value” – ed.).
Tuna in Oil: 1,903,726 to 2,669,958 (+40.2%) compared as above.
*Note: A U.S. State Dept. reported a dispatch from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo that read, “the Japanese government now officially has authorized the 6,000-ton boost in a self-imposed quota limiting exports of fresh/frozen tuna to the United States. The quota now is 18,000 instead of 12,000 tons, Neville reported. There have been reports that Japan was about to shove the quota upward.”

COSTA RICA
Fresh/Frozen tuna: From 484,574 to 603,442 lbs. (+24.5%) compared as above.

PERU
Fresh/FrozenTuna: From 319,511 to 297,574 lbs. (-6.9%) compared as above.
Canned bonito: From 320,042 to 899,090 lbs. (+180.9%) compared as above.

November 22, 1952 – Hearings opened in Washington D.C. on Higher Tuna Tariff – San Diego tuna men claimed the U.S. State Department was making it tough by encouraging JAPANESE IMPORTS to come in. But other canners – especially in the Northwest and East – retorted that the San Diego canners wanted a complete monopoly and that Japanese tuna helped the market.

December 29, 1952 – Tuna Troubles – A survey by San Diego Union reporter John Springer (also published in the San Pedro News-Pilot) prompted by the fact that 30 tunaboats have been lost or damaged this year. Some have been lost to fire, others to storm or other mishap; but together at a loss of $5,800,000 (equivalent to $56,657,725 today – ed.).
But the boat losses are only the spectacular part in the industry’s trouble, Springer found in talking to 22 prominent insurance men, bankers, union officials, fisheries experts, skippers, fishermen and boat builders.
The MAIN thing, writes Springer, is the avalanche of duty-free fresh and frozen tuna, and dutiable tuna canned in oil or brine.
The imports have cut into the American market so much that Springer estimates that San Diego’s overall operations are down 30% this year. As a result, canneries have limited trips for tuna clippers, morale and earning of boat owners and fishermen have dropped, and the value of boats has skidded. As earning fell, some of the experienced fishermen have taken other work, and some boat owners have lost their craft through foreclosure of mortgages.
Springer attributes some of the tunaboat losses to low morale leading to carelessness and lower boat maintenance standards due to less earnings. The answer to the problem is a protective tariff so that American-caught and canned tuna can be competitive in price with the imported stuff.

*Editorial Note: The importing of fresh/frozen tuna into the United States from Japan increased from 9,000,000 lbs in 1948 to 80,000,000 this year (an increase of +788% in 5 years).

“S. D. TUNA CLIPPER SEIZED BY ECUADORIAN PATROL – Seized by an Ecuadorean Patrol Boat on July 31st while operating in South American waters, the 260-ton SAN DIEGO tuna clipper ‘SUN PACIFIC’ yesterday was escorted into the port of Manta.
The ‘Sun Pacific’s Captain ROMAN LUZ, radioed to his home port that he was 16 miles offshore at the time of the seizure. Managing owners of the ‘Sun Pacific’, which has a crew of 14, are Mr. ANTONIO TAVARES and Mr. JANOUS MARKS (Fleet Captain of the WESTGATE-SUN HARBOR Company).
Officials of the AMERICAN TUNABOAT ASSOCIATION (A.T.A.) immediately asked the U.S. State Department to protest against the seizure.
Gustav Ycaza, Ecuadorian Consul here, said he had not been advised of the seizure, but commented that the ‘Sun Pacific’ had not received a fishing license from his office this year.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee – Friday, August 1, 1952 – Pg. 2)

1954 – “PORTUGUESE HONOR SINGER AT DINNER – Amália Rodrigues, one of Portugal’s leading singers, was an honored guest at a banquet last night at a banquet hall last night in the U.P.S.E.S. Hall, 2818 Addison St. (now aka. Avenida do Portugal – ed.). Miss Rodrigues, who took time out from a tour of American cities to visit San Diego, was applauded by more than 350 persons (full capacity) at the dinner, hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Armando E. & Mary E. Santos, of 3568 Quimby St. The Portuguese songstress, called the ‘Queen of the Fado’ – or ‘Blues’ – in her native land, was accompanied here by Mr. Jaime Santos and Mr. Moreira Santos, guitarists who are touring with her.”

(*Source: San Diego EVENING TRIBUNE newspaper – Wednesday, February 10, 1954 – Pg. 26)

*Editorial Note: While Amália did not ‘perform’ per se at our local U.P.S.E.S. Hall, she is nevertheless much beloved and likely the most famous Portuguese female celebrity *ever*. — For the record, famed fadista MARIZA also has been in San Diego, performing beautifully at Humphrey’s on Shelter Island; and Californian fado singers have also performed in our Hall, most recently (June 30, 2023) when singers David Silveira Garcia, Angela Brito, and Amanda G. DaRosa (with musicians Helder Carvalheira, Manuel Mendes and Alcino Carvalheira, on [in order] Guitarra Portuguesa, Guitar, and Bass) performed spectacularly well here also.