Spanish Bullfighter Manolete
Of all the bullfighters who have died in bullfights, Manolete is the most
famous. He died in the ring in Linares on August 28th in 1947. The Museum of
Bullfighting in Cordoba is dedicated to him.
Manuel Rodríguez Sánchez, "Manolete",was born in Córdoba in 1917. By the age of
12 he had already given several "capotazos" and the following year made his
public debut in the Montilla school of bullfighting (Cordoba). He then became an
itinerant member of the bullfighting show "Los Califas".
In June 1939 he fought as a "Novillero"(novice) and one month later becomes a
fully fledged bullfighter, receiving his "alternativa", (a ceremony in which a
bullfighter authorizes a novice to take his place among the doctorate
bullfighters) in Chiclanero, Seville. He confirmed his "alternativa" in Madrid
on 12th October of the same year at the hands of Marcial Lalanda. The great Juan
Belmonte was the other matador on that unforgettable afternoon when Manolete
proved his brilliance to the bullfighting world. By the end of the season he had
fought 16 bullfights and had unbeatable prospects for the coming season.
 In 1940 he appeared at all the top bullfights in Seville, Alicante, Bilbao,
Barcelona and Madrid and became the star of Spanish bullfighting. At the end of
the 1945 season he travelled to South America where his astounding successes in
the bullrings of Mexico. Peru, Venezuela and Colombia made him the most famous
bullfighter in the world.
An ongoing rivalry existed with the Mexican Carlos Arruza and with the young
bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin who challenged him publically. The resulting
bullfight in which Manolete triumphed in the Bullring of Las Ventas in Madrid
would be his last in this cathedral of bullfighting.
Just days before the 28th August 1947 the announcements appeared at the Linares
Bullring (Jaen) that Manolete would fight the fierce Miura bulls alongside
Gitanillo de Triana and Luis Miguel Dominguin. The afternoon arrived and 10,500
people packed into the bullring in suffocation heat to watch their idol.
With Manolete's first bull he fought a brilliant faena, then came his second
bull, the fifth of the day. The bull was called Islero and it was a truly fierce
Miura. After another superb demonstration of bullfighting Manolete prepared for
the kill. The steel of his sword disappeared deep into the beast but immediately
afterwards the bull's horn dug deep into the bullfighter’s right thigh. Manolete
complained bitterly as he was carried to the infirmary.
In the bullring he is awarded both ears of the bull for his display. But back in
the infirmary he is given several blood transfusions but his state remains
grave. Dr. Giménez Guinea, then official doctor of the Madrid bullring is called
upon to attend, arriving at 4 o’clock. Within an hour the great matador is dead.
The tragedy leaves the whole of Spain and all the world enthusiasts in a
complete state of shock.
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