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Claudio Acevedo/Tandil, Argentina. One hundred plus years of pilota in Tandil reveals the good taste with which this beautiful sport, with Basque roots and Argentinean reform, is practiced.  Each trinketa, each fronton has its own history as if it were hidden…or maybe kept in the plaster of time, which witnessed the crumbling walls of unrepeatable stories

One hundred-odd years of Tandil ball in practice reveals the taste of this beautiful sport of Basque roots with reform in Argentina, each pawl, each gable has its own story, as if hidden ... or maybe stored on the plaster of time, view which saw crumbling walls of unrepeatable stories that still survive today.

It was 1895when Mr. Asquet, AKA the Frenchman, constructed the pilota court in the corner of Pinto and Alem where he ran a French hotel.  Later, the Yrigoyen fronton went up on Rodriguez at 800, that today is a room for rent.

Later, the Usandizaga court emerged as the place brothers Ramon and Antonio Santamarina played among others.

The church was not left behind as father Guerrero built a court in 1902 on one of the side walls of the parish for children from nearby schools.

Surely the older pilotaris will remember, with certain sadness the “Los Vasquitos” court where important challenges were played out on Alem and San Martin that is a service station now.

A group of young pilotaris founded the “Tandil Pelota Club” on August 9, 1925 and began activities to lease the field owned by Mr Esnaola (Columbus 1363) that laster became the Tandil Cycles Club.

In 1929, the “Tandil” court was inaugurated on Alperte and Cia, and speaking of courts how could you forget the historic warehouse “La Porteña;” today only one wall stands as a reminder.

Thank God that today the “old” courts are still operating, like the Club Hípico and the Southern Railway and a newer one at the Basque club, in addition to the frontons at the Nahuel club, and the ones of the fifth, La Florida and the Banco Provincia.

I’m taking advantage of this space to encourage the support of our game in whatever pilota court.  Today the possibility exists for boys  and why not the girls (remember that there isn´t a women’s tournament organized by the federation); in fact I´ll point that at the last Pan-American games played in Guadalajara, Mexico the players Veronica Stele from Gral Galarza, Entre Rios, and Lis Garcia Calderon, from La Plata won the gold medal in paleta goma. I hope that one day pelota will become an Olympic sport.

Pelotaris let’s continue to chronicle its history.

(Published on 3-20-2012 on Tandil Diario)