"Picadas"...

Last Friday evening more than 100 former jai-alai players got together at Chino Bengoa's restaurant in Markina for the 15th edition of the annual dinner party. A chance to meet again old friends and a way to keep the good memories alive. Among the former players was also Miguel A. Bilbao, the author of the book "Jai-Alai, The Professionals", a magnificent book where almost 4.000 players' biographies are collected. He promised to find a way for those overseas fans interested in purchasing the book. I'll keep you informed. An ex-player that is obviously included in Bilbao's book was also present. Jose Ramon Areitio in 1979 at the Palm Beach fronton set a world record that is included in World Guinnes Book od Records. Areitio threew the ball over 300 km/h, about 188 miles per hour. Today at the Gernika Jai-Alai, Lopez, Irastorza and Goikoetxea will attempt to break Areitio's record. None of them will be able to break it, I guess. Areitio's record is an impressive one.

A group of six people coming all the way from Mallorca attended dinner as well. Two former Tampa players, Ortiz and Matias, Paco Aguiló, the owner of the Mallorca fronton back in the sixtees, and three more jai-alai aficionados. According to the players that played at the Mallorca fronton, Aguiló was one of various romantic jai-alai empresarios that the sport has known. Always predisposed to help young players and keep the business alive even though the attendance was minimal. A good honest man. Once he called to his office to a veteran player to notify him that he was so sorry but it was time to retire and leave his place to a younger player. Chiquito de Urrestilla, also known as Auntxa, got the news and felt desolated. He was an enthusiastic humble early games player, one of the few that did not expect to play overseas, he had a job as a furniture salesman, jai-alai was his passion. "Señor Aguiló, I, I...beg you. Don't fire me. I'll pay for playing!"... Defenitively, those were some of the romantic days of jai-alai. Yesterday morning, while watching at the University some partidos among aficionados, the Mallorca group tributed a humble homage to Aguiló, a very emotive moment when he stepped into the cancha in a wheelchair, some of the players that played at the time in Mallorca were present, Capella, Corta, Olaizola...

Last Friday night, after dinner, most of us went to the fronton to see the last partido of the evening between Goiko against Meabe and Joakin. Since the beginning of the match, Goiko put in action a missile-ball and smashed his opponents. The pair did not know how to play against one, both, especially the back-courter comitted too many unforced errors, Goiko won the partido by five points. Pretty soon I'll write about different partidos played by a single player against two player, I'm recollecting information.