Titan of Journalism “El Cherquis” has died

Respected, read, viewed and avidly listened to by all those who love sports and especially cherished. by his adoring fans and admiring devotees throughout the length and breadth of Argentina, Ernesto “Cherquis” Bialo has died aged eighty five, following a long and so brave battle against leukemia.

More than six decades in first print, then radio and television, and finally, the digital sphere, Ernesto was a consummate communicator, a brilliant interviewer, superlative writer, blessed with the spellbinding gift of getting to the heart of the subject, revealing the character, essence, heart and soul of who was seated before him.

Born in Uruguay, Ernesto settled in Buenas Aires as a child aged five and lived his memorable life in Argentina. He graduated from the school of The Circle of Sports Journalism in 1962, and the legend then took root. He started at Clarion, but it was at the magazine El Grafiico, where he cut his teeth and where he wrote more than 1,200 articles under the pseudonym “Robinson” tipping his hat to the greatest fighter of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson. Thirty years at El Grafico, starting as cub reporter and rising to become its Editorial Director for eight years.

As was so aptly coined: “Grafico adopted a conversational personality. a meeting place for its readers, creating a symbiosis between the writer and the reader.”

Ernesto was also a distinguished soccer expert and was Director of Media for the Argentine Football Association 2008-2016. He interviewed so many greats including Muhammad Ali, Diego Maradona, Pepe and Bobby Fischer. He was one of the seven hundred journalists who covered and became immersed with the verdant fronds of the legendary Rumble in the Jungle. He also so perceptively wrote about Oscar “Ringo” Bonavena, Victor Galindez, Santos Lacier and Horacio Accavalo. Luna Park was his second home.

On top of all this Ernesto was the author of Carlos Monzon My True Life and co-author of I am the People’s Diego. Ernesto knew his boxing, hands on style. As a youngster he trained with the by then retired “Wild Bull Of The Pampas” Luis Angel Firpo.

The winner of many sports awards, perhaps Ernesto’s proudest moment came when he was declared Outstanding Sports Personality, by Buenas Aires City Legislature in 2024.

For one individual to achieve this measure of success in one lifetime is astounding, staggering, admirable, fantastic and forever memorable.

Perhaps and possibly and probably Ernesto’s God Given Gift of communication was based in getting his fact correct, clarity, common sense and direct but brilliant simplicity. To beg, borrow and steal a phrase from another journalist giant Jimmy Cannon: “Nobody asked me, but….”