Dámaso González facts for kids

Dámaso González Carrasco (born September 11, 1948 – died August 26, 2017) was a famous Spanish bullfighter, also known as a torero. He was known for his brave and skillful performances in the bullring.

About Dámaso González

Early Life and First Steps

Dámaso came from a family that raised cattle. He started taking part in small bullfighting events called capeas in a region of Spain called La Mancha. In 1965, he even appeared in a show that mixed comedy, bullfighting, and music.

He first wore the special bullfighting suit on August 27, 1966. This was during a smaller event in Albacete, where he showed great promise.

On August 10, 1967, he participated in a calf-bullfight in Alcalá de Júcar. He was so good that he was carried out of the arena on the shoulders of the crowd!

His Passing

Dámaso González passed away on August 26, 2017. He died from pancreatic cancer.

His Bullfighting Career

Starting as a Novillero

Dámaso began his career as a novillero in 1967. A novillero is a bullfighter who fights young bulls before becoming a full matador. He performed in many towns across Spain, sometimes using the nickname "Curro de Alba."

In 1969, he achieved great success. On March 19, he performed at the La Monumental bullring in Barcelona. He earned four ears and a tail from the bulls, which is a huge honor! This success led to him being invited to perform seven more times in Barcelona. On June 1, he made his debut in the famous Las Ventas bullring in Madrid. Even though he had some trouble finishing the bulls, he left a good impression.

Becoming a Matador

Dámaso became a full matador (a senior bullfighter) on June 24, 1969, in Alicante, Spain. This special ceremony is called "receiving the alternative." His godfather for this event was Miguel Mateo Salcedo, known as "Miguelín," and Paquirri was the witness.

After performing in twenty-four bullfights in Spain, he traveled to America. There, he won many awards, including the "San Sebastián de Oro" in Venezuela.

In 1978, he participated in sixty-five bullfighting events. He had big successes in top bullrings. That winter, he also performed several times in Mexico.

On May 25, 1979, Dámaso achieved one of his most important victories in Madrid's Las Ventas bullring. He cut two ears from a bull, which meant he was carried out through the "big door" – a sign of a huge triumph! Another big win was on July 30 in Valencia, where he cut three ears. Valencia was one of the most important bullrings in his career. That year, he was second in the bullfighting rankings, with sixty-nine performances.

In 1980, he was ranked first among bullfighters, taking part in seventy events. A standout performance was on August 9 in Alicante, where he earned four ears.

On May 21, 1981, he was carried out on shoulders from Las Ventas for the second time. He had cut an ear from each of the two bulls he fought. He also cut two ears in Valencia on August 2 of that year. In total, he fought in sixty-two events in Spain that year. After that, he also performed in Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. A highlight was cutting four ears in Cali, Colombia.

Years 1982-1986

In 1982, Dámaso fought in fifty-five events. Some of his biggest wins were in Santander, where he cut four ears and a tail. He also cut three ears in the Salamanca bullring.

Among the forty-one events he fought in 1983, notable successes included three ears in Albacete and three ears in Santander. Just like in earlier years, he also performed in Peru and Colombia.

The 1994 Season and Return

The 1994 season was announced as Dámaso González's official farewell to bullfighting. He had planned to retire the year before, but because of his successes and the public's support, he continued for one more year. This was even though he wasn't in the best physical shape.

He announced his return to the bullring for the 2003 season, when he was fifty-four years old. He managed to cut an ear in Valencia during the Fallas festival on March 15. He officially said goodbye to the Albacete bullring on September 16. The very next day, he made his final walk into the arena in Murcia.

On February 18, 2019, Dámaso González was honored with the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes. This is a prestigious award for achievements in fine arts in Spain.

See also

In Spanish: Dámaso González para niños

• List of bullfighters