Flores Old Ground

{{short description|Defunct multi-purpose stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina}} {{Infobox venue | name = Flores Old Ground | nickname = ''Old Ground'' | native_name = | native_name_lang = | fullname = | former_names = | logo_image = | logo_caption = | image = File:Rosario ac v curcc 1904.png | image_size = 250 | image_alt = | caption = View of the venue during a football match in 1904; some BA Western Railway coaches are visible at background | pushpin_map = | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_label_position = | address = | location = Caballito, Buenos Aires | coordinates =  | type = Stadium | event = | current_use = | broke_ground = | built = c. 1892 | opened =  | renovated = | expanded = | closed = c. {{end date and age|1907}} | demolished = | owner = Flores A.C. | operator = | surface = Grass | scoreboard = | production = | cost = | architect = | project_manager = | structural_engineer = | services_engineer = | general_contractor = | main_contractors = | seating_type = | capacity = | suites = | record_attendance = | dimensions = | field_shape = | acreage = | volume = | tenants = {{plainlist| * Flores A.C. (football, rugby, polo teams) * Tie Cup finals (1900, 1904) }} | embedded = | website =  | public_transit = }}

The '''Flores Old Ground''' (also known as "Old Polo Ground" or "Old Polo Field"<ref>''The Standard'', British language newspaper edited in Buenos Aires, 1892</ref> or "Flores Polo Ground"<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=_DaSBAAAQBAJ&dq=flores+polo+ground&pg=PA240 ''Historia cronológica de la ciudad de Buenos Aires 1536-2014''] by Leonel Contreras, Editorial Dunken, Buenos Aires, 2014 - {{ISBN|978-987-02-7306-6}}</ref>) was the stadium of defunct Flores Athletic Club. Located in the barrio of Caballito, Buenos Aires,<ref name=iwa>''Historia del Fútbol Amateur en la Argentina'', by Jorge Iwanczuk. Published by Autores Editores (1992) – {{ISBN|9504343848}}</ref> just behind the Buenos Aires Western Railway freight sheds,<ref name=pagina>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/suplementos/libero/9-5542-2010-10-24.html El día que los ferroviarios se llevaron las medallas], Página/12, 18 Oct 2010</ref> it hosted several polo, rugby union, association football and cricket matches during the period Flores A.C. was active.<ref name=rugbyhist>[http://rugbyconhistoria.blogspot.com.ar/2013/06/historia-del-flores-athletic-club.html Historia del Flores Athletic Club], 12 Jun 2013</ref>

==History== By 1860 a big British community lived in the "porteños" neighborhoods of Caballito and Flores, with most of their members working in commerce activities. They usually spent summertime in their country houses located in Barracas, Belgrano and Flores, which was the favorite place of Argentine high society families to spend their free time. Some of the biggest palaces (such as "Miraflores", built in 1886 and currently a school, or "Las Lilas") had been erected in that zone.<ref>''Orígenes de los deportes británicos en el Río de La Plata'', Eduardo Olivera, Buenos Aires, 1932</ref><ref name=ayala/><ref name=rugbyhist/>

{{blockquote|"It is believed that the Flores Old Ground was located close to current Club Ferro Carril Oeste headquarters, between Avellaneda streets and the Sarmiento Railway tracks"|Walter Ford, former player of the first polo match registered in Argentina, during an interview by Francisco Ceballos in the 1940s.<ref name=polo1/><ref name=rugbyhist/>}}

Flores A.C. was established in the same lot where in 1875 the first polo match had been played in Argentina.<ref name=polo1>''El polo en la Argentina. Primera parte: Las prácticas iniciales en el país'', Ernesto Ceballos, Buenos Aires (1969)</ref><ref name=polo2>''100 años de polo en la Argentina 1888–1988'', Elsa Boglione, Buenos Aires, 1988</ref>

thumb|left|Illustration of a rugby union match at Flores Old Ground, 1899 The stadium was a multi-purposed venue, being used by the polo, rugby union and football teams from the club during the last years of the 19th century.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.aapolo.com/historia/historial-campeonato-argentino-abierto |title="Historial del Abierto Argentino de Polo", official website |access-date=2017-07-23 |archive-date=2013-11-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131120231153/http://www.aapolo.com/historia/historial-campeonato-argentino-abierto |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Old Ground was a recurrent venue not only for the Flores A.C. team (which played in Primera División from 1893 to 1897) but for other football teams such as Buenos Aires F.C.{{#tag:ref|This was not the BAFC founded by the Hogg brothers but another football team that only participated in the 1891 championship. The squad (whose jersey was red and white in vertical stripes)<ref name=iwa/> played regularly at Flores Old Ground during that season.<ref name=rsssf1891/>|group=note|name=bafc}} in 1891.<ref name=rsssf1891>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/arg1891.html Argentina 1891] by Osvaldo Gorgazzi at RSSSF.com</ref> Moreover, the first final match of Argentine football (between St. Andrew's and Old Caledonians) was held in the Old Ground.<ref name=pagina/>

[[File:Rosario goal vs curcc 1904.jpg|thumb|250px|1904 Tie Cup Final: Rosario A.C. scoring to CURCC at Flores Old Ground]] The Old Ground was also used as home venue by the rugby union (as the club was one of the founding members of Argentine Rugby Union) and polo teams from the institution.

In fact, the first registered rugby union match played by Flores A.C. was on July 19, 1896, against Buenos Aires FC<ref>[http://www.bacrc.com/historia.php "Historia del Club"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913164020/http://www.bacrc.com/historia.php |date=2014-09-13 }} on BACRC official site</ref> at Flores Ground. The stadium was also used by the Buenos Aires FC to play Rosario Athletic Club.

The first notable football match played at Flores was the 1891 Argentine Primera División final when St. Andrew's defeated Old Caledonians 3–1. Both teams had been declared champions of the first official championship but the Association obliged them to play a match to decide which team would be awarded medals.<ref name=tyc1>[https://www.tycsports.com/al-angulo/solo-cinco-equipos-y-dos-campeones-asi-fue-el-primer-torneo-del-futbol-argentino-id577243.html Solo cinco equipos y dos campeones: así fue el primer torneo del fútbol argentino] on TyC. 12 Apr 2024</ref><ref name=38camp>''38 campeones de futbol argentino 1891-2010'' by Diego Estévez. Ediciones Continente, Buenos Aires, 2010. ISBN 9789507543012</ref>

In 1900, the Old Ground hosted the Tie Cup final match when Belgrano A.C. beat Rosario A.C. by 2–0. The stadium would be used for another final game in 1904 when Rosario A.C. defeated Uruguayan team CURCC by 3–2.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/sacups/argurucuptie.html 1900 Tie Cup Competition final] by Osvaldo José Gorgazzi on RSSSF</ref>

In 1907 Flores Athletic sold some of its facilities to club Ferro Carril Oeste, for m$n 700. The agreement included two fields, but it is unclear if the Old Ground was part of the transaction.<ref name=ayala>[http://www.geocities.ws/floresathletic/portada.html "Una investigación sobre la Historia del Flores Athletic Club"] by Rubén Ayala, C.E.H.R., Buenos Aires (1997)</ref>

==See also== * Flores Athletic Club

==Notes== {{reflist|group=note}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Football venues in Buenos Aires Category:Defunct football venues in Argentina Category:Defunct rugby union venues Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in Argentina Category:1907 disestablishments in Argentina Category:Demolished sports venues in Argentina