Angel Rendueles, Sporting goalkeeper of flamenco artist

The world of football is full of the most colorful characters. One of them is Angel Rendueles whose story takes for a book and even a film.

In July 1936, while some teams that would be competing in the Second Division season 1936-37 renowned signings announced, as Osasuna, which had closed around Urrizalqui- the Sporting Gijon He signed for Olympia, its subsidiary, a young goalkeeper who had excelled in two local teams of national category: the Cimadevilla and Club Deportivo Arenal, where it came from.

Angel Rendueles He was born in Gijon in the year 1916 Y, very young, He had developed two hobbies: sport and music. He learned to play several instruments, especially guitar and piano, while goalkeeper out like teams in lower categories Gijón. The Cimadevilla signed him to its regional team. His height, near the ninety meters, good placement and predicted a great future for gijonés, but the artistic vein weighed as much or more than the sport.

Later, He gave way to the Arenal and began to act also as stand-up comedian and musician at different parties, a hobby that would develop until it becomes profession and club district of La Arena made the jump to the subsidiary sportinguista.

SPORTING AND THE CIVIL WAR

But unfortunately, war crossed his path. A Sporting the war affected him as almost all Spanish teams. Manuel Meana, which was great rojiblanco footballer and later coach will be the first post-war Sporting, he had already been wounded in an attack in the turbulent year 1936, shortly before the outbreak of war.

During the war, also, the club lost three players of its workforce: Abelardo Prendes as a militiaman died fighting on the Republican side in front of Trubia, in the same way pass away Navarre Andrés Jaso, also enlisted as a militiaman identical side, who was killed in a bombing around Cangas de Onis. Meanwhile, the young man Amadeo Meana He was shot by Republicans in Oviedo, with only twenty years, denounced by a former partner of an amateur team as a matter of personal grudges and jealousy. He was executed along with others of some renown in the local society of the time, mostly business, accused of being sympathizers or belong to Catholic Action.

further, Costales Celestino Arguelles "Tinín", political meaning for their sympathy with Republican Left, Azana's party, It exiled in France, getting to play on the Girondins Bordeaux. Two other former players sportinguistas died in the fratricidal war. José Francisco Pis, it was Atletico goalkeeper for two seasons, until the year 1935, and it was linked politically to socialism, He was shot by Franco's troops in Gijon 1938, Y Vicente Palacios, forward who played six seasons at Sporting and later at Atletico Madrid, found dead in 1936 on a street in the Spanish capital without the causes are clarified. Palacios, Natural front of the gijonés neighborhood Veriña, He made history as the author of the first goal in the top of the mattress club.

RENDUELES ANGEL IN JAIL

Meanwhile, Angel Rendueles, open supporter of the Republican cause, He was imprisoned by Franco's troops and imprisoned in the bullring in Gijon, reconverted in prison at that time. He spent a few months and he did so unnoticed. Despite the dramatic situations lived there, the goalkeeper became a celebrity for the rest of the prisoners, He was in charge of delivering the mail, making a special grace at one time and in a situation where starting a smile was not easy. A manager sportinguista, with high-level political influence, He interceded for him and was released a few months.

In 1939, after the end of the contest, signs a professional contract with Sporting for two seasons. parallel, It acts every night, something unthinkable in professional sports today, as monologuista and musician, at Arrieta hall of Gijon. In his two years as sportinguista will not debut in an official match any. Only he played five friendlies, Hector Campos and always relegated to the substitution. After completing his contract, He decided to hang up his boots and focus on the art world.

POME AND RENDUELES

It is there, in the Hall Arrieta, where Angel Rendueles You will meet what will be his artistic partner and sentimental, the dancer from Navarre, although he born in Madrid, Pepita de Ant, prestigious artist, formed in classical dance at the best schools in the country. With a show of traditional Spanish dances came to act Gijon, hired by that room and there he met former goalkeeper sportinguista and emerged a love that would link them to the end of his days.

As artistic couple, one married again, toured Spain. He guitar, her dancing and "Pepita and Rendueles" as a stage name. In 1951, on the initiative of the multi-talented and witty gijonés, create a spectacle in which magic together with music. Accompanied by the Portuguese illusionist Count d'Aguilar tour the main Spanish and Portuguese theaters, reaping a remarkable success with his show innovative. It is because of this tour, when they raised to make the leap to America, leaving behind a Spain, under Franco dictatorship, where they were uncomfortable.

They installed, In the first moment, In Venezuela, and travel from Argentina to the United States with a new show centered on the varied Spanish folklore. From the Asturian music or Galician, to Navarre and Aragon jacks or flamenco. Caracas recorded two discs, helped, partly, to the count on the collaboration of an Asturian director of Venevox, the main Venezuelan record of the time. The langreano Ramón Ochoa, a political exile who opens, well, doors for recording "Recuerdos de mi patria" Y "Aires Popular Spain". With the voices of both the guitar and it was goalkeeper Sporting Gijon.

The actions multiply and their main destination is the United States, which permanently act and end up settling in NY, focusing only on flamenco show. A Spaniard and Navarre, Born in Madrid, interpreting own music of southern Spain. Over the years they open an academy of flamenco in Manhattan, becoming the most prestigious of all United States.

In the year 2010 dies Angel Rendueles In New York (A few years before had his wife). He did not succeed in football, but his charisma was a marked fire in the generation of sportinguistas fans of the time and, Of course, on his teammates. And without having played any official match!