Main Nue/Remonte/Laxoa/Pala--Two recent obituaries

Main Nue: Patrick Ocafrain, May 12, 2019, age 44. 

Won World Championship in Mexico City in 1998, 3 consecutive pairs FFPB Championnat du Monde (2008-2010), among many other championships. One of the best arrieres (back court players) of his time. Played as an amateur and coached after retiring at the end of 2013.

Esku Pilota Announcement

FFPB Announcement

Obituary: Sud-Ouest

Obituary: Naiz

Basque Pelota/Remonte/Laxoa/: Mikel Eizagirre, Circa 2019. Age 83.

Patron of Remonte and its ancestor sport, Laxoa, was co-Executive Director of Gipuzkoa Pelota Federation, was Director and one of the Founders of Pilotarien Batzarra, in his day an excellent amateur Remonista.

Oriamendi2010 Announcement

Obituary: Diario Vasco

Pala/Obituary--Francois Susbielles

Francois Susbielles (also known as "Sussu") 1947-2019. Susbielles was one of the great Grosse Pala and Pala Corta players in the early to mid-1970's, winning the GP Championnat de France Title in 1972 (he won that title four more times) and the PC World Championship in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1974. He was an active player from about 1972-1982. After retiring from the game he became a coach and technical adviser for the FFPB (Federation Francaise de Pelote Basque).

FFPB Announcement
Sud Ouest Obituary
La Republic des Pyrenees Obituary, by Raymond Cazadebat
GrossePalaPB Facebook Tribute, accompanied by 14 photos. Note in comments, remarks by students Sylvain Brefel  and Willy Mangaman-Mouny 

Sud Ouest feature article (June 7, 2011)

Jai Alai/Cesta Punta--Obituary--Angel Ugarte--1926-2019

Angel Ugarte  "Txantxangorri", one of the players who came to the US in the 1950s,  passed away in early February at the age of 93. He was born in Sao Paulo Brazil on November 10, 1926. He played his first Jai Alai in the Canary Islands, then played at Zaragoza, and Mallorca (photos of the frontons, not Ugarte). He played in the States from about 1951-1965 at Miami (fronton from the outside in the 1950s), West Palm Beach, and Daytona Beach. He won two championships at West Palm Beach. He gained notoriety later in life as one of the interviewees in the film Jai Alai Blues (Hollywood Reporter). He lived his final years in the South Basque Country.

Jai Alai News Facebook page via manista.com

Mano--Obituary--MIguel Gallestegui--1918-2019

Miguel Gallestegui (Wikipedia--Espanol), one of the legends of Mano, passed away January 4, 2018, at the age of 100. He began playing at age 18 and retired at age 42. He won three singles championships in the late 1940s and early 1950s. For a complete obituary, with links to multiple articles see

Diario Vasco (Espanol)
Noticias de Gipuzkoa (Espanol)
Deia (Espanol)
El Correo (Espanol)
Noticias de Navarra (Espanol)
Berria (Basque)

Video 1: (0:36) Compliation of photos of Gallestegui working out at his home fronton (Astelena, Eibar)

Video 2: Highlights of the 1948 Manonista Final (Gallestegui  defeated Atano III 22-6).

Video 3: (1:48) 100th Birthday Celebration

Video 4: (1:37) 100th Birthday Celebration, interviews with Manonistas Bengoetxea VI, Mtz. de Irujo, and Remonista Koteto Ezkurra, who retired last October, after a legendary career in his modality