When does history begin? For humans, the answer is relatively simple. You are born. Your mother pushes your out of her womb. Then, the clock starts to tick. Normally, after sixty to eighty years, you expire. You are buried. The story ends. The story begins. Simple and clean.

For institutions, such as nation states, the story is seldom so simple. Rather, historians strive to identify a single individual or “event,” and then label that “event” and the year of that “event” as the proper starting point for an institution. In the case of FC Barcelona, the club’s story lends itself to both an event-driven and individual-driven historical story. In the case of Real Madrid, we have a muddled mess of clubs, associations, and leaders. Who gets the credit? Or, rather, should nobody get to claim the prize?

Only by re-framing the basic historical question of “when” can we arrive at a satisfactory answer. Let’s begin. Continue reading “eBook Preview #5: Dispelling and Re-telling Foundation Myths” »

History is a funny thing. If you’re not successful, you’re forgotten. However, if you’re an all-star, everybody wants a piece of you – even after your dead. In the 1920′s and 1930′s, no goalie could compare to Ricardo Zamora. His broad shoulders and 6’4 frame made him a force in the box. He won several trophies, and, today, the award for top goalie in Spain is named after him.

Still, his hopscotch playing history and political dealings leave a question mark on an otherwise impeccable career. Barca claims him. So does Real. Who wins? Continue reading “eBook Preview #4: Ricardo Zamora, To Whom Does History Belong?” »