Lured to the Plaza by Hemingway

SEVILLE, Spain. -- Ever since reading Papa Hemingway's "Death In the Afternoon," I have wanted to attend a bullfight. In years past I had seen them on television, though I have been told that, as with hockey, television does not capture the full drama of the corrida de toros. In Spain there seems to be a bullring in every major city, and Seville's is particularly inviting, swept, as it is, by refreshing breezes. Fate presented me with an opportune moment to put myself in Papa's place at ringside, though I went cleanly shaven and completely sober.

A most unusual presentation for afficionados of this website!

During my Navy days at Miramar, I would go to Tiajuana and watch the Bullfights. One of the more moving experiences of my life was watching an older, well established Matador present a young Matador to the crowd, who was becoming a featured Matador after having spent an apprenticeship as an under card fighter. This ceremonial affair is called "La Alternativa."

The younger fighter showed promise and on each of two bulls had been awarded two ears, which is quite rare and considered most excellent. The presenting matador (older) had only managed to be awarded one ear, and the last bull of the day broke a horn and had to be despatched, a disappointment for matador and crowd alike.

I happened to be sitting directly in front of the "Senor Presidente", or judge, and watched some wrangling going on. The judge told me that the matador had requested to buy a bull out of his own pocket, which in 1968 cost $1,500 US, and the judge had consented.

What happened next, I still vividly remember. The senior matador, a famous and proud man of his day, knelt about 50 feet in front of the bulls (Toriles) gate and faced the charge of the bull without testing him to see if he hooks to the right or left or will follow the cape at all. He held the cape quite still as the bull charged ruffling it very little. At the last moment he slowly flourished the cape to the right and fortunately the bull saw it as a more inviting target than himself and followed the cape, and the crowd as one man shouted "OLE!!!"

From there he masterfully caped the bull with one spectacular pass after another. Included were several "Chiquelinas," named after a famous Matador, in which the Matador extends the cape out with one arm and holds the cape with the other about the center of his body. The bull charges and at a critical moment the cape drops from the extended hand and swings towards the body. The bull has too much momentum to turn and as the bull sweeps by, the Matador slowly pirouettes towards the bull wrapping himself completely in the cape.

In the next phase, the featured Matador set his own bandarillas, placing them perfectly, without the sticks, so he must come much closer to the horns.

The bull then charged the Picadore cleanly, with his head low. The Matador discharged the Picadore after one pass and the crowd again roared its approval as he rode his horse from the ring, for it was late in the day and there were no lights at this ring.

The Matador stepped to the center of the ring with his muletta, or small cape. His first pass was a classic "Veronica", the kind you see on bullfighting posters. The moment of extreme danger was frozen and clean, just like the poster. Then, a "Chiquelina con Muletta" done as before, but with much less cloth. High passes, shoulder passes, left hand passes, the crowd could not contain itself.

And then came endgame or "Faena". The Matador solemnly received his killing sword from his second. What followed was another breathtaking series of passes of all kinds, designed to tire the bull so he will lower his head for the kill. He has much bull testosterone and it is against every fiber of his will that he should do this. Finally the crowd shouts "Mata! Mata! Mata! The night is falling and they know it is time. The Matador thrusts straight in over the horns and knowingly avoids the spasm that tries to send a horn into his chest.

The crowd is wild for the bull, the Matador and the entire spectacle, which has occurred risk after risk after risk to this culminating moment. The Matador is also moved. He throws his arms around the dying bull and cradles him in his last few moments of life. The cheer, already impossibly loud, goes up another fifty decibels.

Finally, the Matador stands and faces "Senor Presidente".
Without hesitation, he hoist a colored hankerchief signalling, "The whole bull", both ears and tail are to be presented. The "Torero" will be well toasted and will have mucho female attention tonight!

I like my story better. Do you?

Well I had the opportunity to witness a grand bullfight in the Seville Arena in 1967, on the last day of the 6 day war in the middle east. I was on Air Force courier duty to Moron, Spain and had some time to spare so went into Seville to see the sights. While sitting outside a ccfe 2 charming young Spanish ladies asked if they could sit at my table. I of course said most assuredly. during their conversation they discussed the upcomming bullfight that afternoon and asked if I would like to tag along. Being a true Cajun gentleman and willing to please, I agreed to accompany them. It was then that their Tia (aunt) showed up to chaperone them.

But I digress. At the arena, the stands were filled and there were three men mounted on beautiful palomino horses. I wasn't sure what they were there for but right soon a beautiful black bull come aroaring into the arena. The horses they got nervous and starting skipping around like they didn't really want to be there. But the riders they forced those horses out into the arena and began teasing that there bull. Now these riders had some things in their hands that looked like short spears with long tips on them.
They began to charging that bull and sticking him with those spears until the spear got stuck and then they would leave it in and stick him with more until he looked like a pin cusion. Well let me tell you that after about three of them things were in him, that young bull got pissed and charged a horse and rider that was near the wall. He hooked that horse in the gut and tossed the both of them over the fence. I jumped up and started ahollering and acheering for that bull. All the people around me hollered and told me it was not right to holler for the bull at this time.

Now the other riders left the arena after they about caused this young bull to start bleeding good from those wounds.

Now out comes the bullfighters, 7 of them all dressed nice and pretty like Liberace, the piano player. I looked at this and said "Dang, it's gonna take all 7 of them to kill this bull? " Then 6 of them walked off behind a fence and they left a young feller to do the fighting. I was told that this was his first fight and was very well trained and everyone cheered for him. Well about this time that young bull had enough of all this and decided to introduce himself to that young feller. They played tag for 2 or 3 times thhen on the next pass that bull done hooked that young feller, nearly doing an anal transplant of his horn in that young feller. Now I jumped up and started cheering for that young bull again and again was reprimanded for this. Well out comes the other 6 bullfighters to distract the bull while others help the young feller out of the arena. Now after he was gone, the others did oddman outs to see who would take his place. well the winner got all excited and started out into the ring when that young feller come back out wearing a pair of Levis. Well there were words between thse two and the young feller won and went back out into the ring to face that bull again.

Now that bull he knew a sucker when he saw one and charged him again and on the first pass he hooked that youn feller in the groin and tossed him way up in the air. Hell I thought he was gonna try to catch him on the way down, but he didn't.

Now picture this, the bull stopped and stood there ableeding and the young feller layed on the ground ableeding. For about 30 seconds you could hasve heard a pin drop. Then the other 6 came running in to distract the bull and haul the injured one out again.

Now everyone began hollering for the bull. I thought they had all gone nuts. But they explained that he was a great bull and should be spared the steak knife. Well that didn't make no difference, the other bullfighter that had won the oddman contest went forward and killed that young bull. It was no great feat as he had almost bled to death anyway.

The finale was to see 3 riders on palominos rush out and rope the carcus and drag it out like a sack of potatoes.

My opinion of this is that bullfighting is not a sport. It is a setup that gives all the advantage to the fighter because he faces a weak adversary except in this case the bull had a very strong heart.

I hope this story hasn't bored to many of yall.

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