{{Short description|Football stadium in Avellaneda, Argentina}} {{for|the current stadium|El Cilindro}} {{Infobox venue | name = Alsina and Colón Stadium | native_name = Estadio de Alsina y Colón | native_name_lang = | nickname = ''La Feria'' (The Fair) | fullname = Estadio de Racing Club | former_names = | logo_image = | logo_caption = | image = Antiguo estadio de Racing Club.jpg | image_size = 250 | image_alt = | caption = The stadium in 1939 | pushpin_map = | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_relief = | address = | location = Alsina and Colón, Avellaneda, Argentina | coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LON|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} --> | type = Stadium | event = Sporting events | broke_ground = | built = | opened = 1906 | renovated = 1928–29 | expanded = | closed = {{start date and age|1946|12}} | demolished = 1948 | owner = Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway | operator = Racing Club | surface = Grass | scoreboard = | production = | cost = | architect = | builder = | project_manager = | structural_engineer = | services_engineer = | general_contractor = | main_contractors = | seating_type = | capacity = 50,000<ref name=viejos/> | suites = | record_attendance = | dimensions = 105 x 85 m <ref>[https://biblioteca.afa.org.ar/libros/libro_30/ ''Planillas de Afiliación - Temporada 1927''] by Asociación Amateurs de Football on AFA Library</ref> | field_shape = | acreage = | volume = | tenants = {{plainlist| * Racing Club (1904–46) * Argentina national team (1912–17, 1923) }} | embedded = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | public_transit = }}
The '''Estadio de Alsina y Colón''' ({{IPA|es|esˈtaðjo dˈe alsˈina ˈi kolˈon}}; {{Lit|Alsina and Colón Stadium}}, named after the Alsina and Colón streets), officially known as '''Estadio de Racing Club''' ({{IPA|es|esˈtaðjo dˈe ɾɾˈaθiŋ klˈub}}; {{Lit|Racing Club Stadium}}, as it was the home of the team), was an association football stadium in Avellaneda, Argentina. It was the home of Racing, before the club moved to the current El Cilindro, located on the same site.
The stadium held 50,000 spectators. It was one of two stadiums that hosted the first Copa América in 1916, along with GEBA Stadium.
==History== After spending some time in other locations, Racing Club returned to Alsina and Colón streets in 1906. The stadium hosted not only football matches but other sporting events. On May 7, 1911, Racing debuted in Primera División playing in "Alsina y Colón" vs San Isidro, becoming the first Racing's top division match held in that venue.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/arg11.html Argentina 1911] by Pablo Ciullini on the RSSSF</ref> By those times, the club built the roof grandstands.<ref name=viejos>[https://viejosestadios.blogspot.com/p/racing.html Racing Club] on Viejos Estadios website</ref>
One of Racing's achievements in that stadium was the win over legendary team Alumni 3–1. That was the last season of Alumni in Argentine football so the club disbanded soon after.<ref name=ennombre>[https://www.clarin.com/deportes/alumni-nombre-futbol_0_Syv-vh-xAKg.html "Alumni: en el nombre del fútbol"] on ''Clarín'', 2003-04-21</ref> Racing is considered the "successor" of Alumni due to their successful campaigns in upcoming years during the second decade of the 20th. century. Some journalist state that Racing gave birth to the "creole style", opposing to Alumni's British school that dominated the first years of the century.<ref>[https://www.rionegro.com.ar/a-cien-anos-del-primer-titulo-de-racing-cuando-el-futbol-se-hizo-criollo-IPRN_1395723/ A cien años del primer título de Racing, cuando el fútbol se hizo criollo], ''Diario Río Negro'', 2 Dec 2013</ref><ref>[https://www.laizquierdadiario.com/Futbol-argentino-del-deporte-de-elite-al-surgimiento-de-un-futbol-criollo Fútbol argentino: del deporte de elite al surgimiento de un fútbol criollo] by Darío Brenman, La Izquierda Diario, 13 Sep 2018</ref>
{{multiple image |align = left |direction = vertical |total_width= 230 |image1 = Estadio racing 1912.jpg |image2 = Racing tribuna oficial 1929.jpg |footer = Two moments of the official grandstand, (above): in May 1911; (below): in 1929 }} By those times, the Argentina national team played their home games at Gimnasia y Esgrima's venue, Estadio GEBA When the club broke up with the Argentine Football Association to establish Federación Argentina de Football in 1912,<ref>{{cite book |last=Iwanczuk |first=Jorge |title=Historia del Fútbol Amateur en la Argentina |title-link=Historia del Fútbol Amateur en la Argentina |date=1992 |publisher=Centro para la Investigación de la Historia del Fútbol |isbn=978-950-43-4384-4 |edition=1st |language=es |trans-title=History of amateur football in Argentina}}</ref> the official Association decided that Argentine would play their games at Racing Club, which was the second stadium in importance by then.<ref name=viejos/> The first match played by the Argentine side in Racing was the 1912 edition of Copa Newton (held on October 6) v Uruguay.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/newton.html Copa Newton] by José L. Pierrend on the RSSSF</ref> As football gained more enthusiasts, the club built more grandstands on Alsina and Italia streets to increase the stadium's capacity. In 1913, Argentina played a Copa Lipton match at Racing Club, beating Uruguay 4–0. That same year, Racing achieved its first title in Primera División after beating San Isidro 2–0 in the final match.
Racing also hosted some matches played by English club Exeter City during their tour to South America in 1914,<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite book|last=Hamilton|first=Aidan|title=Have you ever played Brazil?: The story of Exeter City's 1914 tour of South America|publisher=Exeter City AFC Supporters Society|year=2014|isbn=0992967600}}</ref> Exeter City played a total of six games at Racing Club against local combined teams and Racing itself.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/exeter-satrip14.html South America Trip of Exeter City 1914], from ''La Nación'' newspaper, compiled by Pablo Ciullini on the RSSSF</ref> Italian club Torino also played some friendly matches at Racing that same year.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablest/torino-vercelli-braztrip14.html South American Trip of Torino and Pro Vercelli in 1914] by Pedro Varanda</ref>
On 17 July 1916, the last match of the 1916 South American Championship (the first continental competition organised by Conmebol was held in Racing Club, when Argentina and Uruguay tied 0–0. The match was scheduled to be played at GEBA one day before, but the huge number of fans (30,000) that had gone to Palermo surpassed the capacity of the stadium (about 20,000) and the match was suspended. Showing their anger at the decision, some spectators burned down the grandstands. Therefore, the match was re-programmed for the next day at Racing Club.<ref>[https://www.lanacion.com.ar/sociedad/1916-once-policias-30-mil-hinchas-primer-nid2196465 1916: once policías para 30 mil hinchas en el primer escándalo del fútbol] by Daniel Balmaceda on ''La Nación'', 27 Nov 2018</ref><ref>"Triste epílogo del Campeonato Sudamericano" on ''La Vanguardia'' newspaper, 17 Jul 1916</ref>
Racing Club was the frequent venue for international games until 1918 when GEBA was re-opened. In 1922, the grandstand was built, increasing the capacity to 30,000 spectators. The stadium was refurbished again between 1928 and 1928, increasing its capacity to 50,000 spectators. The stadium grounds, which were owned by the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway, were acquired by Racing in 1944. Two years later it was granted a loan to build a new stadium made of concrete. The last official match played at ''Alsina y Colón'' was on 1 December 1946, when Racing lost to Rosario Central 6–4.<ref name=viejos/>
==References== {{Reflist}} * David Goldblatt; ''World Soccer Yearbook; 2002'' {{ISBN|0-7894-8943-0}}
{{Commons category}} {{s-start|header={{s-sta|et}}}} {{succession box | title= Copa América<br>Last fixture venue | before= ''(none)'' | after= ''Parque Pereira''<br>''Montevideo'' | years= 1916 }} {{s-end}} {{Racing Club de Avellaneda}}
rac Category:Sport in Avellaneda rac rac Category:Racing Club de Avellaneda Category:Sports venues completed in 1906 Category:Sports venues demolished in 1948 Category:1906 establishments in Argentina Category:1948 disestablishments in Argentina