Elfego Baca [1865-1945] Page at 'Readers of the Purple Sage'

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Elfego Baca
[1865-1945]

          Elfego Baca was born 10 February 1865 in Socorro, New Mexico. He was a lawman in several jurisdictions across New Mexico, and established a reputation for bravery by surviving a siege by a gang of cowboys in 1884. During the 36-hour 'Frisco Shootout' in Reserve, New Mexico, as many as 80 cowboys fired 4,000 shots at the adobe home where Elfego was cornered; he killed four of his attackers and wounded eight others; when the cowboys ran out of ammunition and left, Elfego walked out of the adobe unharmed.
          At the age of 16 [1881], Elego broke his father out of the Valencia County jail in Tomé, New Mexico.
          Later in life, he was an attorney and politician. Old timers said he went around the town of Albuquerque, New Mexico in a flowing cape, with a mean-looking bodyguard at his side. He died at the age of 80 on 27 August 1945.

In modern times, a Disney TV series & feature film starring Robert Loggia added to the legend.
Rudolfo Anaya has written a series of detective novels set in modern Albuquerque, New Mexico about Elfego's fictional great-grandson, Sonny Baca, who carries Elfego's pistol; Sonny calls Elfego El Bisabuelo, which means 'great grandfather'. (Anaya includes several tales of Elfego's friendship with outlaw Billy The Kid in those books.)

"The Real Elfego Baca" article in New Mexico Magazine by George Fitzpatrick
"As his story played out on television screens, we reflected on the New Mexico lawman, lawyer, and politician’s colorful life"
read the April 1960 article

Sonny Baca mystery novels
by Rudolfo Anaya

	"Zia Summer" [1995] Sonny Baca investigates the brutal, ritualistc murder of his cousin, whose husband is a candidate for mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Univ NM Press 9x6 pb [5/2008] for $14.00 Warner mass pb [10/96] out of print/many used Warner hardcover [6/95] out of print/many used
	"Rio Grande Fall" [1996] Though supposedly killed in a flash flood {in "Zia Summer"}, evil Raven returns for revenge and jeopardizes tourist dollars during Albuquerque's gigantic fall Balloon Fiesta by killing a visiting balloonist. Univ NM Press 9x6 pb [9/2008] for $12.21 Warner mass pb [11/97] out of print/many used Warner hardcover [9/96] out of print/many used
	"Shaman Winter" [1999] While Sonny Baca is recovering from injuries (sustained in "Rio Grande Fall"), evil Raven invades Sonny's dreams and kidnaps the mayor's daughter. Warner mass pb [4/2000] out of print/used Warner hardcover [2/99] out of print/used
	"Jemez Spring" [2005] After Sonny is asked to help solve the death of the governor (drowned and half-boiled in a spa), terrorists threaten to set off a dirty-nuke bomb in a pristine wilderness, and evil Raven may be behind both schemes. mass paperback not published (8/2008} Univ NM Press 9¼x6¼ hardcover [2/2005] for $19.95

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	"Law and Order, Ltd.: The Rousing Life of Elfego Baca of New Mexico" [1928] by Kyle Crichton Sunstone Press 9x6 facsimile edition pb [6/2008] for $20.48 Rio Grande Press hardcover [1/70] out of print/rare Ayer Co. Publng hardcover [6/74] out of print/used New Mexican Publng Corp first edition hardcover [1928] out of print/rare
	"The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca" [Disney miniseries Oct 1958 to March 1960] ten episodes directed by Christian Nyby & starring Robert Loggia Disney Home Video color VHS [undated] out of prodn/scarce "Elfego Baca" miniseries credits at IMDb
	"Elfego Baca: Six Gun Law" [Disney 1962] made from "Nine Lives" footage, released as a feature film outside U.S.A. Disney Home Video color VHS [undated] out of prodn/scarce full credits at IMDb
	"Walt Disney Treasures - Legendary Heroes: "Elfego Baca" [1958-60] and "The Swamp Fox" [1959-61] Buena Vista / Disney color DVD set [12/2005] 2 disks for $27.99 "Elfego Baca" miniseries credits at IMDb "Swamp Fox" miniseries credits at IMDb
	"Elfego Baca In Life and Legend" [1992] by Larry D. Ball Texas Western Press 6x9 pb [8/92] out of print/used publisher's book page
	"Incredible Elfego Baca: Good Man, Bad Man of The Old West" [1994] by Howard Bryan, Foreward by Rudolfo A. Anaya Clear Light Pub pb [3/94] for $10.36 Clear Light Pub 8¾x5¾ hardcover [3/94] for $22.95
	"Gunfighters of The West: Elfego Baca" [1999] Winstar VHS [8/99] out of prodn/used "Gunfighters of The West" DVD box set [2004] Winstar color DVD [8/2004] 3 disks - out of prodn/used the DVD set includes docufilms about Elfego Baca, Butch & Sundance, The Dalton Gang, Gunfight at The O.K. Corral (Wyatt Earp), John Wesley Hardin, 'Wild Bill' Hickok, Tom Horn, The James-Younger Gang, The Lincoln County War (Billy The Kid) and 'Bat' Masterson
	"There Really Was An Elfego Baca" [2007 novel] by Sid Hoskins Kindle Edition from Virtual Tales [5/2007] for $5.56
	"¡Viva Elfego!: The Case For Elfego Baca, Hispanic Hero" [2008] by Stan Sager Sunstone Press 8¾x6 pb [3/2008] for $18.75
	"Elfego Baca, The Mexican Gunfighter" for Kindle [2013] by Alton Pryor 15 pages, not very special; included here for completists Kindle Edition from Stagecoach Publng [2/2013] for 99¢ {sic}
	"Elfego Baca: Destined To Survive" [2013] by Robert J. Alvarado Sunstone Press 9x6 pb [4/2013] for $15.32 author's official website
	"Wicked Albuquerque" [2017] by Cody Polston includes chapters on notorious New Mexicans lawman Elfego Baca, brothel owner Lizzy McGrath, spies Julius & Ethel Rosenberg, and town marshal Milt Yarberry Kindle Edition from The History Press [10/2017] for $12.99 The History Press 9x6 pb [10/2017] for $16.69 The History Press 9x6 hardcover [10/2017] for $28.99 watch official video promo [1:13] online at YouTube

Readers of The Purple Sage BookstoreElfego Baca[1865-1945]

Readers of The Purple Sage Bookstore
Elfego Baca
[1865-1945]