Ignacio Sánchez Mejías facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ignacio Sánchez Mejías
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| Born | June 6, 1891 Sevilla, Provincia de Sevilla, Andalucia, Spain
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| Died | August 13, 1934 (aged 43) Sevilla, Provincia de Sevilla, Andalucia, Spain
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Ignacio Sánchez Mejías (born June 6, 1891, in Seville; died August 13, 1934, in Madrid) was a famous Spanish matador. He was known for his bravery and skill in the bullring.
After his death, which happened after he was gored by a bull, many famous poets wrote about him. One of the most well-known poems was by Federico García Lorca, called Llanto por Ignacio Sánchez Mejías. This poem is sometimes translated as "Lament for the Death of a Bullfighter."
Contents
Early Life and Bullfighting Start
Ignacio Sánchez Mejías was born in 1891 in Seville, Spain. His father was a wealthy doctor. When Ignacio was a teenager, he became very good friends with another future bullfighter, José "Joselito" Gómez. Joselito later became Ignacio's brother-in-law.
As a young man, Ignacio secretly traveled on a ship to North America. In 1910, he started his bullfighting career there. He worked as a banderillero, which is a bullfighter who places decorated sticks (banderillas) into the bull's shoulders.
Becoming a Matador
Ignacio returned to Spain and continued his bullfighting career. In September 1913, he performed in Madrid. On June 21, 1914, he fought in his hometown of Seville. During this fight, he was gored, which means the bull's horn injured him. This injury broke his leg bone (femur) and stopped his career for a few years.
In 1919, he made his official debut as a matador in Barcelona. He fought alongside his friends Joselito and Juan Belmonte Garcia. In April 1920, his status as a full matador was confirmed in Madrid. That year, he took part in over 100 bullfights. However, two more gorings prevented him from attending all his scheduled events.
A sad event happened on May 16, 1920. Ignacio was fighting with Joselito in Talavera when Joselito was gored. Ignacio killed the bull, and Joselito was taken to the hospital. Sadly, Joselito died later that night. A famous photograph shows Ignacio watching over Joselito's body.
Life After Bullfighting
Ignacio Sánchez Mejías decided to retire from bullfighting in 1927. Even though he was 38 years old, he went back to school. In 1928, he enrolled at an institute in Huelva to finish his high school studies.
He also became involved in other activities. On May 25, 1928, he was chosen as the president of the famous football club Real Betis Balompié. He held this position until September 1929. Ignacio also supported a group of young Spanish writers and artists known as the Generation of '27. Many of these artists were big fans of bullfighting.
Return to the Bullring and Legacy
In 1934, Ignacio Sánchez Mejías decided to return to bullfighting. In August of that year, he took the place of another bullfighter, Domingo Ortega, in Manzanares. During this fight, he was gored in his right thigh.
Ignacio did not want the local doctor to treat him. Instead, he asked to be taken back to Madrid. He was transported by ambulance. Sadly, two days later, he got a serious infection called gangrene and passed away.
Today, a street in Feria de Abril, Sevilla, is named after him. He has also been the subject of several documentaries. In 1926, a sculptor named Mariano Benlliure created a memorial statue. This statue shows Ignacio among the figures carrying Joselito's coffin. The statue is in a mausoleum in the Cementerio de San Fernando in Seville. Ignacio Sánchez Mejías is buried in the same cemetery.
See also
In Spanish: Ignacio Sánchez Mejías para niños
- Café Gijón (Madrid)
