Biographies

Goñi Erostarbe, José “Porteño”

Pelotari in the modality of ratchet, born in Chivilcoy, province of Buenos Aires (Argentina).

Possibly one of the best players who ever knew the specialty. He came into the world on August 1, 1873, his parents being: Jos Go i (Odieta, Nafarroa) and Telesfora Erostarbe (O ati, Gipuzkoa). A prominent pelotari from the beginning, he visited his parents' country on two occasions. In the first of them, in the summer of 1897, he ed that he was to be called the referential pelotari in the Basque ratchets. After a few months in the Basque Country, he returned to the of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, where he established himself as a top-level pelotari. He was invited again to return to Basque land. He did so in 1897 and in a few months he encouraged the activity of the Basque trinquetes in such a way, and especially that of Donapaleu, who was recognized as the best pelotari of all time. He competed with the best trinquetistas from northern Euskal Herria and the pelotaris from Hegoalde. His decline as an icon on the courts came about because of a way of life that was not in keeping with the physical demands of the sport and, since his mental state was somewhat unstable, the idea prevailed that the best that could be offered to him at that time circumstance was that he returned to his homeland. He did so on the Amiral Troude ship on November 4, 1906 and arriving at the port of Buenos Aires on December 1. He was confined in a psychiatric hospital, where he remained until November 1930, the year of his death. His remains currently rest in the Goi family pantheon in the Chivilcoy cemetery.