He played under sunlights Miami, in the dented pediment of Havana, on the marble wall of Gernika, in Biarritz and Saint Jean-de-Luz. An era now over, since Eric Irastorza announced this summer that he was hanging up the chistera. His last game as a professional was on Thursday August 25, in Saint Jean-de-Luz.
His record speaks for him: seven times world champion, twice amateur, five times professional, 10 Golden Gloves from Biarritz, 9 internationals from St Jean de Luz, he was also number 1 on the Miami fronton. But the cesta has declined since little Eric was hitting his first balls on the pediment of Bidart, his training club. Gone are the days when the “Jai-alai” as the Americans say, appeared in the credits of the television series “Miami Vice” (Two Cops in Miami) and attracted bettors by the thousands. In December 2021, the last professional pediment in Florida closed and laid off its 36 professional pilotari.
I intend to stay in the ball.
There are still a few games to play for Eric Irastorza, this time with the France jersey. He will face the United States, Spain, Mexico and the Philippines at the Biarritz World Cup in October. But he will remain in the world of pelota, “I already take care of the under 22s, I would like to bring my paw to this federation to develop my sport“, he specifies.