Eduardo Alesson
1st President of the Catalan Football Federation
In office
1900–1904
Succeeded byJosep de Togores
2nd President of Hispania AC
In office
1902–1903
Preceded byJosé Ortiz
Born
Eduard Alesson i Gravirona

Unknown
Catalonia, Spain
Died1951
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
CitizenshipSpanish
Occupations
  • Football executive
  • Fencing]] teacher
Known for1st President of the Catalan Football Federation

Eduardo Alesson Gravirona was a Spanish football executive and fencing teacher. He was one of the most important figures in the amateur beginnings of football in Catalonia since he was the fundamental head behind the foundation of Hispania AC in 1900, and then serving the club as one of its honorary presidents. He was also the first president of the Catalan Football Federation (1900–04).[1]

Sporting career

Fencing

Alesson was a man of great culture and very well regarded in the sporting environments of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Barcelona, as he represented the prototype of the sportsman, a man who enjoyed all the sports and practiced most of them that were in fashion at that time, such as fencing and football. In 1893, he became a fencing teacher at the Gimnàs Mèdic de Barcelona (Medical Gymnasium in Barcelona), and between 1897 and 1898, he opened the armory that bore his name, where renowned teachers such as Alfonso Ardura, a future president of RCD Espanyol, trained fencing. On 9 December 1898, Alesson participated in the first athletic race that took place in the city of Barcelona, organized by Jaime Vila, a teacher at the Tolosa Gymnasium.

Hispania AC

In October 1900, Alesson played a fundamental role in the foundation of Hispània Athletic Club, which was formed, among others, by a group of football players from Català FC, which included several of Català's founding members.[2] Hispania AC, however, was not just a football club, but a Society that participated in other sports, such as athletics and tennis.[2] Hispania's first president was José Ortiz, but the soul of the club was Alesson, the sports patron Alfonso Macaya, Fermín Lomba, and Carlos Soley, who were the honorary president of Hispania during its first years and who played a key role in creating the Copa Macaya.[2]

Catalan Football Federation and Copa Macaya

The Copa Macaya trophy.

He was the first president of the Catalan Football Federation, with his mandate lasting from the entity's foundation on 11 November 1900 as the Football Associació de Catalunya (English: Football Association of Catalonia) until 1904, when he was replaced by Josep de Togores.[1] It was under his presidency that the Copa Macaya was created,[1] a football championship contested in a league format between the different clubs that had been created in Spain, which was hosted by Hispania AC, who won its first edition in 1901.[3] During his presidency,[4]

After being crowned the best Catalan team of the moment, Hispania started the 1901–02 season with a major setback: the departure of its captain and best player, Gustavo Green, to direct rivals FC Barcelona. Furthermore, Carlos Soley, club secretary and midfielder, returned to his native Costa Rica. This led to a few changes in the board of directors: José Ortiz took over as secretary to replace Soley, leaving the presidency of the club to Alesson. The 1901–02 Copa Macaya was won by Barcelona, in part thanks to Gustavo Green. By the end of 1902, Hispania was already in decline, but it still had the strength and courage to organize the third edition of its championship. Alesson was Hispania's president for as long as the club lasted, holding the position until its disappearance in November 1903, partly motivated by the departure of its most emblematic players, who joined other clubs, mainly FC Barcelona.[5]

Other activities

He was one of the promoters of the foundation of the Badalona Football Club in 1903, and was also a member of the Sportsmen's Club, a multi-sport entity that existed between 1903 and 1906. He was also a referee who oversaw several matches in the Catalan football championship.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "FCF - Història i Presidents" [FCF - History and Presidents]. fcf.cat (in Catalan). Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Orígenes del fútbol en Barcelona" [Origins of football in Barcelona]. lafutbolteca.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  3. ↑ "J. Soler, el presidente del Barça sin rostro" [J. Soler, the faceless president of Barça] (in Spanish). CIHEFE. 1 April 2012. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  4. ↑ "Primera edición de la Copa Macaya Enero-Abril 1901" [First edition of the Macaya Cup January–April 1901] (in Spanish). CIHEFE. 1 June 2014. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Hispania encerra [Hispania closes]. Los Deportes. 22 November 1903. p. 756. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "Alesson, Eduard Alesson Gravirona - Referee". www.bdfutbol.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.