In a unanimous decision, the City Council has paved the way for Pavilion 2 in Rosedale Park to now bear the name of San Antonio's own boxing hero, Robert “Pikin” Quiroga, a cherished local sports figure and the city’s first boxing world champion in his weight class. The pavilion's renaming comes as a tribute to Quiroga's legacy and as an embodiment of the pride felt in District 5, the boxer's longtime home.
The Quiroga family expressed their gratitude in a response stating, “Thank you to the Mayor and entire City Council for approving the naming of the pavilion to the Robert Quiroga Pavilion. We are honored and humbled. The legend lives on because of you. Special thanks to Councilmember Teri Castillo for spearheading this initiative.” a statement which was reported by the city's official news release. Councilmember Teri Castillo was commended by the family for her role in initiating the naming dedication.
Castillo recognized the significance of celebrating local heroes and their accomplishments, affirming, "Today City Council came together to properly commemorate the legacy of Robert Quiroga, adding his name to Rosedale Park will serve as a reminder that San Antonio and District 5 is full of champions," noted during the council meeting.
Not only a symbol of pugilistic success, Quiroga, a product of Edgewood Independent School District’s Memorial High School, defended the IBF Jr. Bantamweight Championship five times between 1990 to 1993 and was celebrated for being the first World Super Flyweight Champion hailing from the United States, a testament to his rigorous discipline and dedication to his craft, a legacy now etched in the space of Rosedale Park for generations to learn from and aspire towards.
