Hugo Osvaldo Pena (28 November 1951 – 9 January 1981) was an Argentinian football player. Nicknamed "Tomate", he would play for clubs such as River Plate and San Lorenzo, overseeing various titles for the two clubs. He would also briefly represent his home country of Argentina as a youth international.
 Pena in 1980 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hugo Osvaldo Pena | ||
| Date of birth | 28 November 1951 | ||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Date of death | 9 January 1981 (aged 29) | ||
| Place of death | Villa General Mitre, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1962–1969 | Argentinos Juniors | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1970–1973 | Argentinos Juniors | ||
| 1973–1976 | River Plate | 97 | (0) |
| 1977–1979 | Chacarita Juniors | ||
| 1979–1981 | San Lorenzo | 61 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 1972 | Argentina | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editPena would begin his career by playing for Argentinos Juniors when he was still enrolled in middle school and would play for the youth club. He would mark his debut for the Argentine Primera División by participating in the 1970 Campeonato Metropolitano against Lanús whilst studying engineering consecutively. He would represent the club professionally until around the 1973 season where he would then play for River Plate after a contractual dispute between River Plate and Boca Juniors with the former agreeing to pay around $70,000 to play for Los Millonarios. Throughout his time with the club, he would play in over 97 matches as well as be part of the winning side for the 1975 Argentine Primera División in both the Campeonato Metropolitano and Nacional headed by Ángel Labruna.[1] After being largely replaced by Daniel Passarella during the 1976 Argentine Primera División, Pena would play for Chacarita Juniors beginning in the 1977 edition. Afterwards, he would play for San Lorenzo in the 1979 Argentine Primera División following a club restructuring to favor players such as Pena with his debut being for the club on 2 September in a 6–1 victory against Chaco For Ever. Over the course of his career within El Ciclón, he would score two goals within 61 matches, one of which was scored against Tigre despite being injured in his legs, contributing to the 3–1 victory. His other goal for the club would be against All Boys in a 1–1 on 27 July 1980.[2][3]
His career would abruptly end on 9 January 1981 as on that day, while watching Tom and Jerry with his daughter Gabriela within his house in Villa General Mitre, he intended to change the channel while his right foot was submerged within a washstand. This would result in Pena receiving a violent and fatal electrical shock which would result in him being pronounced dead upon arrival to the Hospital Vélez Sarsfield.[4] In the following days, the club would temporarily cease operations to offer their condolences towards his passing. He is currently buried at La Chacarita Cemetery.[5]
International career
editPena would make his only international appearance for Argentina on 31 August 1972 as he called up as part of a friendly against a united team of Argentinian youth clubs which would end in a 3–1 victory.[6]
Personal life
editPena would marry Susana Mirta Herrera at the age of 29 and have three children with her: Sebastián. Gabriela and Laureano.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Hugo "Tomate" Pena". River Plate Momentos Historicos (in Spanish). 4 August 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ Marrazzo, Favio (9 January 2010). "El día que el pueblo azulgrana lloró a Tomate Pena" (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "HUGO OSVALDO "TOMATE" PENA (Nº 2)". San Lorenzo Jugadores (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ a b "1981. El trágico destino de Pena". El Gráfico (in Spanish). 26 July 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "A 30 años de la trágica muerte de Hugo Pena". Todo Noticias (in Spanish). 9 January 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "EL DÍA QUE LA SELECCIÓN ARGENTINA, REPLETA DE JÓVENES FIGURAS, JUGÓ EN VILLEGAS". Fútbol del Oeste (in Spanish). 17 June 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2024.