Doroteo Elorriaga

Doroteo Elorriaga

Personal information
Full name	Doroteo Elorriaga Barrueta
Date of birth	(1916-04-22)22 April 1916
Place of birth	Sestao, Biscay, Spain
Date of death	25 October 2005(2005-10-25) (aged 89)
Place of death	Barrika, Spain
Position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1932–1934	Sestao SC
1934–1936	Athletic Bilbao	1	(0)
1939	Deportivo Alavés
1939–1941	Real Zaragoza	16	(0)
1941–1949	Barakaldo CF
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Doroteo Elorriaga Barrueta, better known as Doro (22 April 1916 – 25 October 2005), was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward for Athletic Bilbao, Real Zaragoza, and Barakaldo CF in the 1930s and 1940s.

Biography

Born in the Biscayan town of Sestao on 22 April 1916, Doro began playing at Kaiku de Abajo, a non-federated team Sestao, and from there he moved to Sestao SC in 1932, aged 16, staying there for two seasons. At the end of the 1933–34 season, Athletic Bilbao signed several players from Sestao SC, including Doro and Hermenegildo Elices, who was his brother-in-law.

During the summer, however, he fell ill with pleura and remained out of action for a year and a half; during that time, he was recovering at Alegría-Dulantzi (Alegría de Álava). He was able to return, but just to play one official match for Bilbao, making his debut on 15 March 1936, in a La Liga fixture against Valencia CF, which ended in a 1–1 draw. By playing in this match, Doro was part of the squad that won the 1935–36 La Liga, which was the last before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. In 1936, Elorriaga was a member of the squad of Kaiku Chiqui, a non-federated team Sestao, which participated in the 1936 Torneo de las Llanas, an amateur championship organized by Racing de Sestao, helping his side win the title after defeating New Club in the final (1–0).

When the Civil War broke out, Elorriaga enlisted as a volunteer in the 'Gordexola' Battalion under the orders of Commander Luis Urkullu. After the battalion withdrew from the battlefront, it surrendered in Barakaldo to the national forces, being interned in the Carmelo prison in Begoña where he remained for three or four months. Once released, he joined the Naval, and during the 1938–39 season, he played for Deportivo Alavés. After the war, and being prevented from continuing at Athletic Bilbao due to possible retaliation, he signed for Zaragoza, then in the First Division. In total, he scored five goals in 26 league matches throughout two seasons, the latter of which ended in relegation.

In 1941, Elorriaga joined Barakaldo of the Second Division, staying loyal to them for eight seasons, until 1949, when he retired at the age of 33. Meanwhile, the Barakaldo board found him a position at Altos Hornos, a company where he worked until his retirement. He also obtained a coaching license, having several teams of Sestao under his technical direction, such as Portugalete, CD Santurtzi, and SD Deusto, among others; he was also secretary of the Kaiku Rowing Society (Sestao).

Death

Elorriaga died in Barrika on 25 October 2005, at the age of 89.

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

• La Liga:
  • Champions (1): 1935–36