Before the masked legends and the frenzy of modern arenas, Mexican lucha libre had a forgotten patriarch: Professor Enrique Ugartechea. Now, nearly a century after his peak, an ambitious publishing project seeks to restore his rightful place in history.
A campaign has begun on Kickstarter to fund the publication of “The Incredible and Fascinating Story of Professor Enrique Ugartechea,” an exhaustive biography that promises to rewrite the origins of the spectacle sport in Mexico.
Enrique Ugartechea, known in his time as “Mexico’s Strongest Man,” was not merely a wrestler. He was a multifaceted figure: athlete, actor, journalist, and entrepreneur. His career developed during a crucial period (the Porfiriato and the first decades of the 20th century), where he brought the fundamentals of Greco-Roman and Olympic wrestling to the national stage, creating the seed of what we now know as Mexican lucha libre.
This biographical work highlights that Ugartechea was the first great professional wrestling star in the country, long before the sport acquired its modern form and its masked icons.
The book is the result of a unique and deeply personal collaboration:
- Ernesto Ocampo: Editor of the specialized magazine SuperLuchas and a recognized historian of Lucha Libre, providing academic research and narrative rigor.
- Corina Ugartechea: The legendary athlete’s youngest daughter, who has jealously guarded her father’s personal archive for decades.
The work originates directly from Ugartechea‘s personal archive, an invaluable treasure that includes unpublished press clippings, original posters, and never-before-seen photographs. Based on this collection, and supplemented by extensive research in national libraries and archives, the life of a key figure in the sports modernization of the country is reconstructed.
The volume will feature over 500 pages and will be profusely illustrated, promising a renewed and profound vision of a character who was a witness and protagonist of the country’s sports modernization.
The work is not just a sports biography, but also a reflection on historical memory and the need to revise the “versions established by official historiography,” which have often simplified or ignored the true pioneers.
The Kickstarter campaign aims to fund the first edition of this monumental volume, offering special rewards to sponsors, including exclusive archive material and detailed updates on the editorial process. It is an opportunity for fans to become patrons of history and ensure that the legacy of “The First Star” finally shines with the intensity it deserves.
For more information and to participate in the campaign, please consult the Kickstarter platform at the provided link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ocampoernesto/la-increible-historia-del-profesor-enrique-ugartechea
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