June 4, 1969, the sun sets in Oviedo. Real Oviedo are playing against Real Madrid at Carlos Tartiere Stadium. From the presidential box a button is pressed and turns on numerous floodlights placed above the stadium. Thus the electric lights of the Oviedan coliseum are inaugurated.
For such a grand event in the first Carlos Tartiere Stadium in Buenavista, Real Madrid were invited to play in a friendly match, and appeared with all their stars, among which were Pirri, Zoco, Amancio, Grosso, Velázquez, and Gento.
Real Oviedo started the match with the following 11 players: Lombardía, Fito, Poladura I, Juan Manuel, Valdés, Sistiaga, Gento III, Prieto, Doblás, Galán, and Uría. Later, and in different parts of the match, Chuso, Ausaberri, Javier, Balmori, Mesa, and Poladura II entered the playing field to substitute Poladura I, Fito, Gento III, Doblás, Lombardía, and Prieto.
The final result was a 0-2 victory for Real Madrid, who had been proclaimed league champions a few weeks before. Real Oviedo had the help of three new players on loan for that game from a few other clubs in the province: Doblás, from Langreo; Fito, from Avilés; and Valdés, from Sporting de Gijón. The captains of both teams were two brothers; Gento I from Real Madrid, and Gento III from Real Oviedo.
A few seconds before the clock would read two minutes after nine p.m., and when the match had been going for 32 minutes, Oviedan international referee Mariano Medina Iglesias stopped the match, exactly as had been agreed upon. Then, both teams stood in the center of the field and waited.
Enrique Rubio Sañudo, President of Real Oviedo, pressed the button and the floodlights situated above the main stands of the stadium were lit up. Then, Acting Mayor of Oviedo Anselmo López-Valdivieso did the same and one of the light towers situated above the opposite stands lit up. Finally, Civil Governor of the province of Oviedo José Manuel Mateu de Ros pressed the button and the second light tower lit up and completed the illumination of the stadium.
The master switch consisted of a miniature football made of silver placed on a square marble base with a cable coming out of the lower part.
The master switch with the silver ball for the official activation of the electric lights at Carlos Tartiere on June 4, 1969 will be a part of the club’s collection from now on. It will be displayed in the Real Oviedo Museum. On the front of its marble base it has a silver plaque which commemorates that special day: “Inauguración iluminación /estadio / Carlos Tartiere / Real Oviedo / 4-6-69.” (Inauguration of lights/stadium/Carlos Tartiere/Real Oviedo/ 4-6-69).
