Manolete

Manuel Rodriguez Sanchez was born into a dynasty of bullfighters in Cordoba, Andalusia. Rising to fame during the grim post-Civil War years, his sober, motionless posture in front of the charging bull revolutionized the sport, standing perfectly upright where others moved away.

He popularized the 'manoletina' pass and became an idol across Spain and Latin America. On August 28, 1947, in the bullring of Linares, he executed a perfect kill on the formidable Miura bull Islero, but was mortally gored in the femoral artery, plunging all of Spain into national mourning.