What Does Bullfighting Have To Do With Baseball?

By Jim Bain

The popularity of the sport of bullfighting is huge in some portions of the world, and I’m not here to debate the cruelty of the sport, as I’m not qualified, nor have an interest in partaking in such a discussion. My question to Americans, and those not particularly familiar with the sport is, what does bullfighting and baseball have in common?

“Not a whole lot,” you may say and you’d be more or less correct. However, there is one skill which a matador utilizes which would serve baseball players well to learn, as the recent injury, a broken wrist, of baseball super star Albert Pujos proves.

Pujos had come off first base to catch an errant throw from the second baseman, which was high and up the first base line. As he caught the ball and reached to tag the runner, who was speeding by him, his glove hand jammed into the moving runner, dislodging the baseball and severely injuring Pujos’ wrist.

There was nothing dirty or malicious about the play, Pujos was attempting to make a great play, which is why he is considered a superstar and the runner was in his running lane attempting to beat out a ground ball base hit. So how could a bullfighting technique possibly have prevented this accident?

Nearly everyone, although not personally viewing a live bull fight, has witnessed, via television or a movie, the combat between a matador and a bull. The matador will stand before the bull, taunting him to charge, by waving a cape in front of him, which infuriates the bull and provokes an attack.

As the bull charges, the matador slide steps aside allowing the bull to pass him as he attacks the cape. This move is what’s known as a Terico, which is divided into several segments, much like the mechanics of hitting a baseball.

The second part of the Terico requires the matador to turn left, or right, gliding along with the bull as he passes. This method allows the fighter to avoid injury of being gored and maintains his constant vision on his opponent, which in this event literally can mean a life or death scenario.

Had Pujos employed the second portion of the Terico, which would have had him spinning to his left as the runner passed on his left, the jamming and subsequent breaking of his wrist could possibly have been prevented.

I realize injuries happen and I’m not saying the Terico move could have 100% prevented Pujos from becoming injured. What I am saying is, as sports enthusiast and coaches, it is important for us to remain constantly diligent and open to any aspect of another sport, no matter how remote they may appear, which we can incorporate into our chosen sport to aid our players.

Jim Bain, former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth, shares his advice on running baseball drills on his exciting info packed website: http://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com

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