On January 22, 1888, he was born in the Mexican town of León de la Aldana, who was an authentic bullfighting figure, both in his country and in Spain. Rodolfo Gaona, who died fifty years ago in Mexico City, competed … face to face with Joselito and Belmonte in the Golden Age of Bullfighting. Praised in his homeland as a myth, Spanish critics were slow to recognize him, due, no doubt, to the fact that along with afternoons in which he enraged audiences with his elegance and courage, he offered others full of apathy.
The bullring of San Sebastián, the old Chofre, It was one of his fiefdoms. There Gaona had a legion of followers, with many countrymen traveling to the Basque capital to claim their idol in the August bullfights.
The ABC of August 16, 1916 publishes the chronicle of the bullfight the previous day in the San Sebastian plaza, a head-to-head between the Mexican and Joselito with bulls from Santa Coloma. The alphabet critic Gregorio Corrochano, one who found it difficult to devote himself to Gaona, that day recognized him for many merits, although with caveats.
“Congratulations, Rodolfo Gaona,” began the story, which continued: “In the last bullfight in San Sebastián you have given the maximum bullfighting performance that can be expected from your abilities, your courage and your will. You have not also given your blood, because the bulls did not want it, not because you have bargained for it, since you came out ready to give it.
Corrochano recognizes the success achieved, although he exposes it in a context in his favor, as a great guarantor of the little Gallo: “And all this triumph (which is why it is greater), fighting hand in hand with Joselito”, whom he recognizes that the Mexican spurred on.
The chronicle places the conditions in which Rodolfo Gaona arrived at the bullfight: «Since the season began, with noble emulation, with legitimate aspirations, you began a rough, difficult fight, full of setbacks and difficulties that you could not overcome. It had to be here…” And the story continues in a yes but no, with the Madrid critic not giving in to the American right-hander. «For me what Gaona has done is not important, what is interesting is what is to come. Gaona, finding himself alone in the ring with Gallito, has done the rest. His bullfighting ideal was not at stake for nothing, and although it is true that failure took nothing away from him, success, on the other hand, gave him a lot.
And the congratulations arrive: “This bullfight has highlighted that Gaona is an energetic stimulant of Gallito, which, if well used, will lead to interesting bullfights,” and before the final praise he defined the afternoon as “light, frivolous and elegant.” , to end as it began: «Congratulations, Rodolfo Gaona. Our recognition. We will have to thank you for many good afternoons from Gallito.
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