{{Short description|Spanish lawyer and sports leader}} {{Infobox football biography | name = David Ormaechea | image = David Ormaechea.png | image_size = | caption = Ormaechea around 1923 | full_name = Vicente David Gerardo Ormaechea y Zubiri | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1887|04|25|df=y}} | birth_place = Pamplona, Navarre, Spain | death_date = unknown | death_place = Spain | height = | position = | manageryears1 = 1923 | managerclubs1 = Spain (2) | module = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | name = David Ormaechea | image = | office = 4th President of the<br />Spanish Football Federation | term_start = 1 August 1921 | term_end = 1923 | predecessor = Luis Argüello | successor = Gabriel Maura | height = }} }} '''Vicente David Gerardo Ormaechea y Zubiri''' (25 April 1887 – unknown) was a Spanish lawyer and sports leader who presided over the Spanish Football Federation between 1921 and 1923,<ref name=Lafut>{{cite web |url=http://lafutbolteca.com/presidentes-real-federacion-espanola-de-futbol/ |title=Presidentes de la Real Federación Española de Fútbol |trans-title=Presidents of the Royal Spanish Football Federation |language=es |website=lafutbolteca.com |accessdate=11 March 2025 }}</ref> and also a football Manager who co-directed two matches of the Spanish national team in 1923.<ref name=EU>{{cite web |url=https://eu-football.info/_manager.php?id=1004 |title=David Ormaechea, football manager |website=eu-football.info |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref><ref name=Rfef>{{cite web |url=https://rfef.es/es/selecciones/tecnicos/juan-olave |title=David Ormaechea |website=rfef.es |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref>
==Early life and education== Born on 25 April 1887 in Pamplona, Navarre,<ref name=EU/> Ormaechea applied for the {{ill|Instituto Cardenal Cisneros|es}} in 1901, aged 14, where he studied for four years, until 1905, the year in which he achieved his Bachelor's Degree.<ref name=Pares>{{cite web |url=https://pares.mcu.es/ParesBusquedas20/catalogo/description/12856131 |title=Expediente académico de David Ormaechea Zubiri, alumno del Instituto Cardenal Cisneros (Madrid) |trans-title=Academic record of David Ormaechea Zubiri, student at the Cardenal Cisneros Institute (Madrid) |language=es |website=pares.mcu.es |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref>
On 30 August 1916, Ormaechea submitted his application to the Illustrious Bar Association of Madrid, which was accepted.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://patrimoniodocumental.icam.es/es/consulta/registro.do?id=33644 |title=Ormaechea Zubiri, Vicente David |language=es |website=patrimoniodocumental.icam.es |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref> At the end of 1917, he was working as an official of the General Administration Body of the Public Treasury, specifically in the general inspection.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.boe.es/gazeta/dias/1918/03/14/pdfs/D01005-01020.pdf |title=Escalafón de los funcionarios del Cuerpo general de administracion de la Hacienda piblice, cerrado en 31 de Diciembre de 1917 |trans-title=Ranking of officials of the General Administration Body of the Public Treasury, closed on 31 December 1917 |language=es |website=www.boe.es |publisher=Boletín Oficial del Estado |page=5 |date=14 March 1918 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref>
==Sporting career== ===Sociedad Gimnástica=== Ormaechea began his sports career in the early 20th century, at the multi-sport club ''Real Sociedad Gimnástica Española'' (RSGE), being one of the founders of its football team in 1907, aged 20.<ref name=Tabaco>{{cite web |url=https://rfef.es/es/noticias/tabaco-de-contrabando-obras-de-teatro-masoneria-no-te-pierdas-estas-historias-de-nuestro |title=Tabaco de contrabando, obras de teatro, masonería... No te pierdas estas historias de nuestro fútbol |trans-title=Smuggled tobacco, plays, freemasonry... Don't miss these stories from our football |language=es |website=rfef.es |date=2 July 2018 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref> He eventually becoming its president, and as such, he served as the vice-president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) during the mandate of Francisco García Molinas, which lasted from 1913 to 1916.<ref name=Tabaco/> In October 1918, Ormaechea, the president of RSGE, was among the renowned sporting personalities that attended an athletics festival organized by Athletic Bilbao.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/hd/es/viewer?id=c3672a49-21e8-44a9-8664-bc8df8f9df73&page=15 |title=Atletismo - La Fiesta de la Raza para los días 12 y 13 |trans-title=Athletics - The Race Festival for the 12th and 13th |language=es |website=hemerotecadigital.bne.es |publisher=El Figaro |page=15 |date=11 October 1918 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref> In that same year, he asked Luis Argüello to take charge of RSGE's treasury, with Argüello being eventually named accountant of the RFEF.<ref name=Tabaco/>
===RFEF=== On 1 August 1921, Ormaechea was elected as fourth president of the 5th president of the RFEF (replacing his former RSGE colleague Luis Argüello), a position that he held for two years until his resignation in 1923, being replaced by Gabriel Maura.<ref name=Lafut/><ref name=Tabaco/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.relevo.com/futbol/presidentes-rfef-rubiales-20240213130808-nt.html |title=Todos los presidentes de la RFEF |trans-title=All the presidents of the RFEF |language=es |website=www.relevo.com |date=14 February 2024 |accessdate=11 March 2025 }}</ref> This choice was carefully considered by the RFEF, who picked him due his long career in the world of football and his experience as both president of RSGE and former vice-president of the RFEF.<ref name=Tabaco/> In 1921, the authorities approved new statutes for the federation, which were signed by Ormaechea.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cuadernosdefutbol.com/2019/11/el-complejo-proceso-de-constitucion-de-la-real-federacion-espanola-de-futbol/ |title=El complejo proceso de constitución de la Real Federación Española de Fútbol |trans-title=The complex process of establishing the Royal Spanish Football Federation |language=es |website=www.cuadernosdefutbol.com |publisher=CIHEFE |date=17 October 2019 |accessdate=11 March 2025 }}</ref>
At the time, the RFEF was going through a complicated moment, staying afloat only thanks to Ormaechea's patience, justice, and seriousness, and also to the help of Luis Argüello and Joaquín Heredia, who were also members of Sociedad Gimnástica and Treasury officials, which allowed them to contact the Ministry of Finance to request tax exemption for sports fields and the declaration of these spaces as public utility entities.<ref name=Tabaco/> He also contacted the Argentine Football Association to organize a series of matches in South America.<ref name=Tabaco/>
Under his leadership, however, the situation with the several regional federations became increasingly unsustainable, reaching a breaking point in 1923, when the delegates of the regionals did not elect any member of the RFEF to attend the upcoming FIFA Congress, which caused Ormaechea and his team to resign, a request that was immediately accepted.<ref name=Tabaco/> In fact, the representatives of the Regional Federations had appointed Ormaechea as president only after Caña refused it.<ref name=Tabaco/>
===Manager of Spain=== In his functions as president, Ormaechea had the task of heading the Selection Committee of the Spanish national team, a triumvirate made up of himself, secretary Joaquín Heredia, and treasurer Luis Argüello, so he provisionally served as national coach in two friendly matches in early 1923, against France in San Sebastián on 28 January, which ended in a 3–0 win, and against Belgium in Antwerp on 4 February, which ended in a 1–0 loss.<ref name=EU/><ref name=Tabaco/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.marca.com/reportajes/2011/12/el_poder_del_balon/2013/05/14/seccion_01/1368487122.html |title=Heredia, un seleccionador español en el paredón |trans-title=Heredia, a Spanish coach under the wall |language=es |website=www.marca.com |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=11 March 2025 }}</ref>
==Later life== After leaving the RFEF in 1923, Ormaechea returned to his law firm on Arenal Street, one of the most important in the capital, which he combined with his position as the Head of the ''Caja General de Depósitos'' (CGD), where he had the specific mission of managing the funds existing in it.<ref name=Tabaco/><ref name=Boe>{{Cite web |url=https://www.boe.es/gazeta/dias/1950/06/17/pdfs/BOE-U-1950-168.pdf |title=Tribunal de cuentas |trans-title=Court of accounts |language=es |website=www.boe.es |publisher=Boletín Oficial del Estado |page=7 |date=17 June 1950 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref> Throughout his career, he received several tributes and recognition from the National Court, the Bar Association, and the Academy of Jurisprudence.<ref name=Tabaco/> He has been described in the press as a "distinguished defense attorney",<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/hd/es/viewer?id=ec1a7e5d-c2c7-4e5a-b9c2-048ee94cd2e3&page=4 |title=Cronica de tribunales |trans-title=Chronicle of courts |language=es |website=hemerotecadigital.bne.es |publisher=El Heraldo de Madrid |page=4 |date=26 June 1925 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref> and likewise, in June 1925, he successfully defended a client who been accused of killing a waitress when a certain Dionisio Fernández Alegría was sentenced to over 14 years of temporary imprisonment for having committed that crime.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/hd/es/viewer?id=7048593b-f3eb-47ce-bd34-e0cd9f9b6bee&page=4 |title=La muerte deIs camarera |trans-title=The death of the waitress |language=es |website=hemerotecadigital.bne.es |publisher=El Sol |page=4 |date=19 June 1925 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref>
In the late 1920s, Ormaechea decided to try his luck as a theatre entrepreneur, becoming the manager of theatres, such as ''Maravilla'', ''Eslava'', ''Cervantes and Pavón'', as well as being the driving force behind several artists of the time, such as the beautiful actress Lola Arbelaiz, and even wrote some librettos.<ref name=Tabaco/> In February 1931, Ormaechea wrote the prologue of ''Fuentes Bejaraño'', a book about bullfighting, in which he wrote an argument in its defense, describing it as "brave, strong, tragic and noble".<ref name=Lib>{{Cite web |url=https://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/hd/es/viewer?id=6ce2dad0-7220-446b-8943-96c985e471e0&page=9 |title=Cosas de toros - Dos libros |trans-title=Bullfighting stuff - Two books |language=es |website=hemerotecadigital.bne.es |publisher=La Libertad |page=9 |date=28 February 1931 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref> In June 1932, he signed the deed of acquisition of the Maravillas theatre, to which he planned to make major reforms, including adding an extra floor.<ref name=Nac>{{Cite web |url=https://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/hd/es/viewer?id=1da3a157-379d-4278-b209-6b32531b680e&page=9 |title=Vida teatral |trans-title=Theatrical life |language=es |website=hemerotecadigital.bne.es |publisher=La Nación |page=9 |date=1 July 1932 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref> During this period, the local press described him as "a notable lawyer and an excellent writer",<ref name=Lib/> "the learned lawyer and intelligent man of theatres",<ref name=Nac/> or simply as a "legal expert and businessman".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/hd/es/viewer?id=68d3eea7-2971-440a-a388-2c14609be515&page=12 |title=Banquete a Fernando Soler |trans-title=Banquet for Fernando Soler |language=es |website=hemerotecadigital.bne.es |publisher=La Nación |page=12 |date=24 November 1930 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref>
Unlike football, however, one bad season was enough to ruin his entire theatre project financially, but due to his strong moral code about not leaving workers, artists, and employees on the street, Ormaechea made the difficult decision of acting against the law and embezzle 1,768,039 million pesetas from the CGD in October 1933, an action that he assumed with full responsibility when he was discovered.<ref name=Tabaco/><ref name=Boe/> He thus ended up in prison after making some payments with public money.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cuadernosdefutbol.com/2021/10/los-presidentes-de-las-federaciones-espanolas-de-futbol-2/ |title=Los presidentes de las Federaciones Españolas de Fútbol |trans-title=The presidents of the Spanish Football Federations |language=es |website=www.cuadernosdefutbol.com |publisher=CIHEFE |date=16 September 2021 |accessdate=11 March 2025 }}</ref> The court ruled that said "sums had to be returned either by its responsible author, or by his heirs.<ref name=Boe/>
In 1944, Ormaechea was involved in the correspondence related to the premiere of the "Peñamariana" play.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.march.es/es/coleccion/saga-fernandez-shaw-teatro-lirico/ficha/correspondencia-relacionada-con-penamariana--fshaw.1223 |title=Correspondencia relacionada con "Peñamariana" |trans-title=Correspondence related to "Peñamariana" |language=es |website=www.march.es |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref>
==Death== Ormaechea was still alive in 1948,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bibliotecavirtualmadrid.comunidad.madrid/bvmadrid_publicacion/es/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=1115572 |title=Juzgado numero 9 |trans-title=Court number 9 |language=es |website=bibliotecavirtualmadrid.comunidad.madrid |page=2 |date=23 February 1948 |access-date=11 March 2025 }}</ref> but the date of his death remains unconfirmed.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Spain national football team managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ormaechea, David}} Category:1887 births Category:Year of death missing Category:Spanish lawyers Category:Spain national football team managers Category:Spanish football managers Category:Royal Spanish Football Federation Category:Sportspeople from Navarre Category:20th-century Spanish sportsmen Category:Spanish theatre managers and producers Category:Spanish writers