The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1945-02-22

of Latin American republics.-
EDITOR.
One of the great Spanisht radi
tions that is still followed in certain
regions of the Western Hemisphere
is that of bullfghting. However,
while some of the Latin American
countries are as ardent fans of the
sport as their forebears, to other
nations of the New World, bullfght-
ing is as unknown-and in fact as
alarming a spectacle-as it is to
the citizens of the United States.
1t is probably because Mexico and
Lima were two of the richest and
most important cities of the Americas
and both of them seats of vice.
royalties that, ever since the early
days of the colony, bulls were fought
there-Spanish-style-for the amuse-
ment of Viceroys, mobiles and the
general public.
As the enthusiasm of the popula-
ton for this type of sport increased
with the years, it became-without
losing its Spanish fiavor-part of
the national life of Mexico and Peru
as well as that of Venezuela and
Columbia.
While today there remain in Latin
America only half dozen countries
where this diversion is allowed, the
land of the Aztec and that of the
Inca still are, after Spain, the
principal strongholds and centers OF
bullfghting in the world, with Co
lombia and Venezuela as close
seconds.
In a few other Latin American
countries bulls are played with but
never killed.
No great "Matador" feels his
career complete until he has come
to the Western Hemisphere to try
his luck and his sword in Mexico
City's Plaza de Toros or swished his
cape and smile at beautiful
senorita in Lima's Plaza de Acho.
A bullfight starts long before the
fight itself with the breeding of the
bull and the training of the bull
fighter or "torero". Much time is
dedicated to the care and selection
of the animal which must be fierce
and brave and present certain physi-
cal characteristics such as fine hide,
upright ears, long tail and small,
fine horns.
As for the torero he must have
first of all an overwhelming desire
to succeed in this field, for the road
to fame is one of the hardest and
cruelest of any sport.
Absolute fearlessness is the most
characteristic of the bull
fighter just as it is of the bull.
Agility is also indispensable and a
knowledge which is gained through
many years of close association with
bulls.
From the small boys who grow
up on stock farms generally spring
the famous toreadors, who have be-
gun as children to practice with an
old blanket. 1t is as common a
sight as marbles in the United States
to see small boys playing 'toro' on
the streets in Mexico.
The young torero will most prob
ably start out by having a minor
role in the "corrida" (bullfght) and,
if he succeeds in this, will be pro-
NOTED to the rank of full-fedged
matador, reaching even, maybe, the
title of "torero de alternative" given
only to those who have attained
high standard of proficiency in the
artistic and skillful handling Of the
bulls.
For bullfighting is considered an
art as we'll as a skill, and a toreo
in his rich gold-embroidered costume
produces on the audience the same
effect as a ballet dancer.
In the regular corrida-which
takes place on Sunday
afternoons-six bulls are killed
Twenty minutes to a bull) by three
matadors working alternately with
their own subordinate team of plea
doris and banderilleros.
When the bull first comes in, he
is played by banderillero and mata-
dor with capes. Then the mounted
picadors enter, the bull charges
them, often kills the horse but al
ways gets a wound in the shoulder
muscle from the picador's lance.
Next four pair of banderillas
(barbed wooden shafts) are stuck
nto the top of the bulls neck by |
he banderilleros or, with musical
accompaniment, by the matador him.
;eIf.
Then the matador takes the bull |
llone, plays him with the muleta