|
Ángel Rodríguez Ruiz was born in Barcelona on 13 Octuber of 1879. His dad was the Doctor Rodríguez Méndez, rector of the University of Barcelona and president of the Spanish Gymnastic Foundation.
When he was studying Engineering (although later he ended up graduating in physical and chemical sciences) he got fond of football, being present at 21 years, at a game between a team of English sailors and the Catalá. It was then when, along with two friends of the University (17-year-old Octavi Aballí, and Lluis Roca Navarre, of 16), created their first team of football. Known as the "three musketeers", they joined Joaquín Carril de Monasterio, the captain of the first team, and Joan Alcalá del Olmo Puig. Of this way, on October 28, 1900, the Spanish Society of Football was born (the first name of the
RCD Espanyol).
What identified the club was the Spanish origin of all his components, the great majority being Catalans, in contrast to other teams of the city, formed predominately by the English, pioneers of method.
On October 6, 2005, by request of Gran Penya Espanyolista Manigua, the City Council of Barcelona dedicated a square in the zone of Sarrià, in a ceremony presided by mayor Joan Clos at which there were present three grandchildren of the founder (Maria Columna, Josep Miquel and Alfonso Carlos) and the president of the Club Blanquiazul (blue and white stripes), Daniel Sánchez Llibre.