"Viva El Toro"

PHOTOGRAPHS BY A. L. PARRIS NACO, SONORA SEASON 1939

Bullfighting, the ancient sport of Spain, comes this winter to Nogales, Sonora, and Naco, Sonora, just across the line from Arizona. Few Americans become “aficionados” or fans; yet when they do some write a book about it. (Ernest Hemingway's “Death in the Afternoon.”) To the Spaniords and Mexicans a bullfight is just that “death in the afternoon.” Often the bull gets killed, sometimes the bullfighter, always the unfortunate horses used by the picador in the early stages of the fight. The cruelty to the horse is always the objectionable thing about a bullfight for Americans. At Nogales and Naco the horses are equipped with pads, giving them some protection.

The whole routine of a bullfight is to tire the bull; so his head will drop and give the “torero” a chance with “la espada,” the sword. For this the bull charges the swirling cape and then “el picador,” the man on the horse, who holds the bull back from the horse with a long pole on the end of which is a knife.

It is a long way from Naco to Madrid, yet the border shows provide excitement and possess that color the visitor wishes to find in Old Mexico. If you root for the bull shout: “Viva el Toro!”

"El torero" can't kid the public, like kissing the bull on the horn. That's grand stand! In the art of bullfighting there is a terrain for the bull and a terrain for the bullfighter. When the torero gets into the terrain of the bull, then the public knows he's earning his money. He knows it, too. A horn wound may open him up. Manuel Lalanda one of the great fighters of Spain once got three horn wounds in one day, got himself sewed up came back for more the same day.

Bullfighting is a hard, swing sport. It takes Courage, skill and iron eye in fancy pants! Carnercerito," Pepe tez, and Paco Gardez have worked in the border rings this season. They are supposed to be good. Every "torero," unless Clownish ham, is adRemember, bullfighting is an ancient sport. Laws were made in Spain to regulate the sport long be fore there was an America. When you go to the "corrida" close your eyes to what you don't want to see. But whether you sit in "el sol" or in "la sombra" never use the word "toreador." That's American musical comedy. And, also, it would be well for you to learn exactly what is going on in the bullring. There is color, there, and excitement, courage and skill and death and bloodshed if you like.... R. C.

vertised as the greatest bullfighter since Bellemonte. The reason this is the sport writers, instead of working for the papers, ork for the fighter. The real champ makes money in Mexico and Spain. The rest are lucky if they make a living.

Tradition, centuries old, determines the course of conduct of every bullfight. It is the most popular sport in Spain although baseball is giving it a run for its money in Mexico. Tried as an experiment in Naco and Nogales this season, interest was great enough to warrant plans for a bigger soggen next year