Back in the 1960s, when I was in my 20s, I thoroughly enjoyed watching bullfights on TV in Chicago (channel 26) as narrated by the only matador from Brooklyn, Sidney Franklin. Not being from the culture that grew up with an appreciation of bullfights, I read all I could about the phenomenon. Manolete was a hero of mine. Carlos Arruza and Joselito -- especially Juan Belmonte. Barnaby Conrad books were truly enlightening. As I got older, I think my testosterone levels diminished. And the newer *star* matadors failed to attract me into the art and the tradition of the pageant like the greats I've already mentioned. Beatnik matadors like El Cordobes just didn't do it for me -- but that was probably due to the fact that I was not living in Mexico or Spain etc. and was away from inspirational happenings every Sunday afternoon. As an American, I can understand why real some have a negative opinion of bullfights. I still feel it might be best for many of us who react negatively to cultural aspects of people's lives that differ from our own to, simply, open up to the fact that other folks do things differently than we do. And I'll always be glad that I took the time to enjoy and appreciate la corrida.

Art Thieme