BarcelonaThe Barcelona neighborhood of Gràcia hides one of the most beautiful longevity stories in basketball. Rafael Murgadas is 92 years old and presides over the CB Pedagogium. “I will continue until my body holds out or I find a person who can continue my legacy. I returned to the club as treasurer, but was approached to become president. Now the CB Pedagogium for me is more than a club, it is like my fourth child”, he explains in the ARA.
The Josep Comellas Municipal Sports Center is his second home. “Every day I come to the pavilion to see all the teams training. On Saturdays I’m here from ten in the morning until ten at night. I like watching basketball and talking to the young coaches. Some do not know my story and are amazed when I make a comment to them,” he says. Lucidity remains intact. “If it weren’t for the fact that my legs no longer supported me, I would still continue training,” he boasts.
Although there is no one his age in Catalan basketball, Murgadas’ challenges are similar to those of any other president. “Getting money to maintain the club is the most difficult thing. Subsidies are very low and maintaining 18 teams is difficult. “We are looking for a sponsor,” he says.
“It has been 70 years since I met my wife. She knows that she married a basketball nut and she has always respected that. I think in all these years I have only missed one game. Basketball is my life. Obviously, my wife and my children are the most important thing and come before everything, but then comes basketball,” she acknowledges.
A Biscúter to tour Catalonia
Born in 1931, Murgadas was one of the founders of the CB Pedagogium. “First I trained girls and then boys. They always said that I was a elevator trainer, because the team that took, the team that promoted. “I bought a Biscúter and that’s how I started moving around Catalonia,” he recalls.
Murgadas was one of the most outstanding coaches of his time. Pedagogium, Olesa, Juventud, Salle Manresa, Samaranch Molins de Rei, CN Sabadell, Picadero, Santfeliuenc and Salle Barcelona were some of the teams where he trained. “It’s not that I was a good coach, but in directing the game, few surpassed me. At that time the rules were very different and allowed some rogue actions. I once told a player that, after a teammate made a free throw, I hit him with the ball pretending he was inadvertent. As time didn’t stop, the ball went away, the game was over and we won,” he remembers.
“When Joventut signed me, I suffered a lot because it was a very big challenge, but we also achieved great feats. I remember that we were able to win on the Real Madrid court at Frontón at Fiesta Alegre, where no rival had ever managed to win. The Madrid newspapers talked a lot about it because no one expected it,” he explains proudly.
Murgadas’ contribution was key to introducing mini-basketball. “We promoted the project from a barbershop on Caspe Street in Barcelona. We try to give many courses throughout Catalonia to publicize the regulations and technique. In addition, we published a book with the key points,” he summarizes.
Relations with the Spanish Federation were not always simple. “Once they punished me with a sanction of one year without training and a fine of 5,000 pesetas because I made some statements to the press that they did not like.”
His passion for basketball began almost by chance. “When he was studying at the Piarists they gave us clothes to participate in a sports exhibition because Franco was visiting Montjuïc. Since I had the clothes, I started playing basketball on Balmes Street, where there were some baskets. I was 14 years old and it was very bad, but I liked it a lot,” he says.
2024-06-22 12:18:56
#92yearold #grandfather #fought #save #neighborhood #club
