El Manco de Teodelina

The One-Armed Man from Teodelina

On April 4th, 1930
On Santafesino soil
An Argentine was born
Whose feats are heard

Doña Elsa very happy
Along with Don Ramón Mesina
Gave Argentina
An exemplary citizen
Their first little son Oscar
The one-armed man from Teodelina

Later he had 6 sons
And also a daughter
But the one-armed man became
The greatest in the frontons
His tremendous skills
Traveled through Argentina
All of Latin America
Respects our country
Because when it comes to paddle
There is the one-armed man from Teodelina

In 1950 in Colón
He arrived alone with his bag
To play against Papaolo
A man of great skill
The whole population
Sees the impending triumph
Marcelo who persists
And his effort was not enough
First time he lost
Against the one-armed man from Teodelina

Also in 1950
He was in Marcos Paz
Roberto Curto perhaps
Wanted to stop his feats
In Bolívar it is said
That the balance leans
This one talks, the other opines
That they are monsters of the court
But 30 to 27
The one-armed man from Teodelina won

Something you may not know
And I detail it in verse
He played against the Uruguayan champions
With González Chávez
He started with soft touches
Playing up, leaning
Argentina is moved
By his natural talents
At 69 all
The one-armed man from Teodelina stopped

15 days at UCA Larrea
A club from Montevideo
Had the desire to see him
Oscar who uses his cunning
His task is masterful
He finishes the serves
And no one imagines
That playing 2 against 1
He won 35 to 31
The one-armed man from Teodelina

He lost 30 to 26
To a court champion
That famous Aarón Setter
Who conceded the serves
Left-handed backhand demanded
At times he dominates
Defeat is looming
In Chascomus was the court
But he didn't give him a rematch
To the one-armed man from Teodelina

I don't ask for a monument
Nor any homage
Simply my message
Springs from my feelings
For spreading talent
On the Argentine courts
For the great Oscar Mesina
Winner of the silver to the Andes
The greatest among the great
The one-armed man from Teodelina.