I have a confession to make about how I almost converted into an Hincha Cementero. Dios me libre!!! When I first started playing ‘fut’, my favorite position on the field was goalie, partially due to the fact that I had two left feet, but primarily because it is a position of power.
Many might disagree with me and point out that it is the midfielders who have the scruff of the game, the ones who mark the pause and harry their rivals with gallant passing and structured aggressiveness.
It is true, a well filtered pass will make the hair on nape of neck rise stiffly to attention be it for or against the team of your choice. Still, that pass has one more stop to make before it becomes an enthusiastic roar in the stands. And that my dear friends is the goal keeper.
My favorite goalie of all time, and there have been a few since then, was Miguel “El Gato” Marin, the spectacular argentine goalie who played with Cruz Azul during the 70’s, contributing greatly to the Cementero’s Golden Era.
Marin was aptly dubbed ‘Superman’ by sports commentator and columnist, Angel Fernandez Rugama, who was amazed at Marin’s phenomenal reflexes and elegant air play, topped by his formidable physique. Everyone could see that Marin was a “mole” of muscle and sinew.
Marin debuted with Cruz Azul against, who else, the ‘Equipo de mis Amores’, el Club Deportivo Guadalajara, on Christmas Day, 1971. They defeated Chivas two nil.
Superman went on to play 10 more years with Cruz Azul, contributing to 5 of their Championships, as well as a Campeon de Campeones and a Concacaf title. He went down in history as one of the least scored upon cancerberos in Mexican League annals.
Due to health problems Marin finished his career in Mexico as he had started it, playing against Club Deportivo Guadalajara, June 6th, 1981. Unfortunately, Marin passed away to heart disease on December 30th, 1991.
Anecdotes mention Marin was an example on and off the field. A man of few words, his actions spoke for him. As a child and a Chiva fan, I remember watching the matches with trepidation, my hero versus my team, the greatest team in Mexico. With Marin gone, this began to change.
Statistically it wasn’t the best decade for an historic Guadalajara who compellingly needed to live up to the mote of ‘El Campeonísimo’. It was the decade of las ‘Chivas Flacas’, the skinny goats. The Guadalajara of the 70’s was a team that was full of veterans, remnants of the Glory Days. El Rebaño Sagrado was a team that urgently needed rejuvenation and young blood.
New names emerged and slowly, quietly, without fanfare, a new Guadalajara began to take shape. It was not a time for big words, it was a time for action.
Names like Fernando ‘El Sherif’ Quirarte, Jaime Pajarito, Benjamin Galindo, Guillermo ‘El Wendy’ Mendizabal, ‘Concho’ Rodriguez, ‘Chepo’ and ‘Yayo’ de la Torre, Demetrio Madero, Sergio Lugo, Omar Arellano, ‘El Cadaver’ Valdez, Javier ‘Zully’ Ledesma.
Names which made me forget my infatuation with Cruz Azul. Guadalajara just needed a strategist and he came in the guise of Alberto Guerra. Chivas began to tread quietly and carry a big stick.
Whilst the games were not spectacular they were great battles, full of heart, full of passion. We were the least scored on and had the most goals in favor. The ‘Chivas Flacas’ became a team to be reckoned with.
After two lost finals in a row, Guerra’s Chivas seemed to be on the verge of greatness. La tercera fue la vencida and in the 86-87 season we beat Cruz Azul in a spectacular two game series. After losing the away game 2–1 in the Azteca, Chivas were unstoppable in the Jalisco, crushing Cruz Azul 3 nil.
I remember Quirarte running ecstatically, triumphantly, the victory lap in el Coloso de la Calzada Independencia. He, who had been with Chivas in the good times and the bad, couldn’t stop kissing the trophy. It was the day Fernando Quirarte officially became my hero. I didn’t want to play goalie anymore, I wanted to play defense. After all, es mejor dar que recibir.
Those Chivas spoke softly that year and carried a big stick. Jorge Valdano once said, “el que se gana la credibilidad ahorra palabras”. Chivas stopped wasting words and gained credibility. Time for new heroes. Speak softly.
