A Source of Study in the History of English Sport in Great France

THE CANARY ISLANDS REVIEW (1903-1904) A SOURCE OF STUDY IN THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH SPORT IN GREAT FRANCE The most significant event of the colony's intellectual concern to make its culture known in its own language in the archipelago was the publication in 1903 of the newspaper The Canary Island Review (The CIR). In its first issue, on March 9 1903, Charles Meyer, its director, pointed out that the main aspiration of this newspaper was "the pleasant task of unearthing hidden talents and developing them little by little before the eyes of our island friends." The content was extensive, from the Spanish Notes section, about important events in the Peninsula and the islands, to the Liverpool market, or the List of Visitors. It wasn't just the English who wrote their chronicles in the new publication. Prominent Canarian journalists, such as Francisco González Díaz, did not hesitate to use his pen in defense of the newspaper in the face of the unfavorable rumors that came from Madrid, in his article Groundless Misgivings: I do not understand such comments, and still less why they should be unfavourable. In an event so simple and natural what is there to cause surprise? (...) Foreign colonies every where, when numerous, rich, and influential, have their publications, which reflect their activity and life. It is right that they should have them for these organs, if well inspired and directed, far from weakening the national fibre, strengthen and preserve it, by urnishing the native element with the stimulating examples of success achieved by foreing energy and enterprise. The sons of Great Britain resident among us, have participated too signally in our labours and progress for us not to recognize their share in our successes and triumphs; and, if we do recognize this, it would be both ungracious and absurd to deny them the right to have a newspaper of their own, which is of interest to them, and reflects their daily life. By this means those bonds of affection and unity which unite us with them will be drawn closer, and a permanent alliance effected between those two elements upon which the welfare of cour country chiefly depends, the native spirit of unquenchable, steadfast lovalty to Spain and the frank and hearty cooperation of Spaniard and Briton in all that makes for the progress and prosperity of these islands (The CIR, 1903, p. 10). Professor González Cruz has carried out the best study to date of this English newspaper (González, 1995), providing us with those that referred to sport for the preparation of this article. The process of acculturation that we are analysing was fundamentally based on relation to the material world, the most relevant manifestation of which was economic innovation, leisure and sports. From the local Canarian press, as well as The Canary Island Review, we will learn the main data about English sports as generating elements of a new sports culture that will be implemented in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in those years. The press, therefore, will be the main institution when it comes to disseminating throughout the length and breadth of the islands the excellence of the new phenomenon, in its sporting, pedagogical and therapeutic aspects. One of the pioneering societies in the practice of English sport by the resident colony was cricket. Located opposite the Santa Catalina clinic, Las Palmas Cricket Club was founded at the end of the last century. Although we do not know much about it, we do know that they organized matches between the single and married members as training for the matches that were played in front of the crews of the British ships that stopped at the port. On March 29, 1890, the Diario de Avisos de Las Palmas published the result of the cricket match held at the "spacious plain" in front of the Santa Catalina pier. The contenders were the officers of the cruiser Warspite and several of their compatriots residing in the city. The game was won by the cruiser officials, who scored 89 points against 82 points for the opponents. Late in the evening, the officers were treated to a ball by Mr. Doorly, while a brilliant concert was held at the Quiney Hotel. On September 9 of that same year, El Liberal reported that a game of cricket was played on the same plain "on the border with the Santa Catalina dock" between the officers of the gunboat Widgeon and several Englishmen living on the island. The locals won the game by scoring 110 points compared to the 39 points of the sailors. In its issue No. 24 August 1903, The CIR announced the result of the match played on Saturday afternoon between the members of the Club and a visiting team consisting of the officers of the West India Regiment, before the watchful eyes of a large number of spectators. Afterwards, the athletes were congratulated with a cup of tea at the Quiney Hotel. Among the local players were Dr. Baxter, D. Davies, J. Bedford, S. Vines, C. A. Quiney, R. Atcherley, etc., and among the visitors Mr. Lewis, Capt. Swabey, Col. Graves, Mr. Green, &c. This is one of the characteristics that are repeated in all the physical practices established by the English in the Canary Islands. The formation of Sports Clubs will not only host the competitions between the settlers established here, but will also be the chosen framework for the crew and officers of the British ships that arrived in the Archipelago, to spend a few days of leisure and fun, carrying out among other acts sports competitions. The CIR will collect similar data in different issues of its publication, disclosing the surnames of the participating players, all of whom are English. The Las Palmas Lawn Tennis Club was founded around 1896. Its playing courts were located in the gardens of the Hotel Metropole, where several tournaments were held to give greater publicity to the practice of this sport. On the same dates, a Tennis Club was set up in Tenerife, and the English Hotel Pino de Oro, in Santa Cruz, offered its distinguished clientele fields to play tennis, croquet and badminton. On March 9, 1903, The CIR announced the results of The 8th Annual Tournament of the Las Palmas Lawn Tennis Club: The results being as follows: Challenge Cup won by Mr. Head Gents Open Singles won by Mr. Head Ladies Open Singles won by Miss Baxter Ladies Doubles won by Miss Baxter and Miss Pigeon The play throughout was very good, the matches being well contested. The weather having kept fine during the week a large number of spectators were brought together. After a short Address by Mr. Seddon, the magnificent prizes were presented to the successful competitors by Mrs. James Miller. Grat praise is due to the Committee, and especially to Doctor J. Fleming Baxter the Hon. Secretary for the splendid way in which the Tournament was managed. Las Palmas Lawn Tennis Club was affiliated with the All England Lawn Tennis Association, and membership cost twenty pesetas annually. Among the main events held at its facilities were The Gragg Challenge Cup, The Jones Challenge Cup and The Marjorie Vase. As in cricket, the arrival of British sailors in the harbour was yet another occasion to demonstrate their sporting skills. In the absence of grass pitches, many matches were played on cement pitches. In November 1903, the members of Las Palmas Lawn Tennis confronted the Tartar officials: Four doubles and four singles were played and all won by the Club, the members of which, and the Tartars's officers were afterwards entertained to tea by Mr. Seddon. The naval officers are evidently nos accustomed to play on cement, a change from the nature of the usual ground which sometimes detracted from the general excellence of their play. The gentlemen who took part in the match were; Messrs Davies, Doorly, Seddon, and Tetley for the Club; Messrs Dammers, Mannisty, Miller, and Pilcher for HMS Tartar (The CIR, 1903, p. 7). Among the outstanding figures in the sporting field of this club, Mr. Sydney Head undoubtedly shines with his own light. On May 11, 1907, the Diario de Las Palmas echoed the news of a Madrid newspaper in which it was announced that the Lawn tennis champion of the Archipelago had left for the Canary Islands after having won the Spanish Championship and having the cup given by His Majesty King Alfonso XIII. On the island of Gran Canaria, the British used to gather in the open field of Lomo del Polvo, now Altavista, to play golf. The Las Palmas Golf Club, a pioneer in Spain, was founded in 1891 thanks to the work of Mr. Kitto and his collaborators, Mr. Richard Blandy, Dr. Briand Melland and Mr. John Forman among others. Years later, it is even known that he intends to hold an annual competition that would pit him against Orotava Golf Club. As for the sporting activities organized by the club, every month a medal was disputed for which all members could apply, but without a doubt the greatest pride of the club is to be able to count among its many trophies the Palmer Cup, the oldest sports trophy of all those disputed in the Spanish geography. In reference to its facilities, the field occupied an extension of two miles, and due to the dryness of the place, it did not have grass. The caddies, young men in charge of transporting the material, were islanders, and were paid 25 cents for their work. In addition to exercising in the sport of golf, the Club served as a pretext for the social meeting of the men and women of the colony and tourists. In 1903 the Club advertised itself in the colony's newspaper, arguing that of the thirteen holes available on the course, five were repeated, thus totaling the eighteen regulation holes, in addition to the possibility of renting clubs for visiting players: During the winter season from november onwards there are three silver cups and other prizes, besides the monthly Medal and monthly Box Competition, to be played for, all of which are open to Visitors who become full members of the Club. Golfers, who may have arrived here without bringing clubs, can hire,at small fee, a bag of clubs from the Hon. Sec. who can also supply new and re-made balls and tees. Lady golfers are eligible as members of the club, and there is a silver Medal to be played for monthly, and generally one or two more prizes during the season. The subscription for the season is only 10 –and lockers can be obtained at a further fee of 10. Any other information will de gladly given by the Hon. Sec. C.E. Medringt in Studio Metropole, adjoining Hotel Metropole (The CIR, 1903, p. 13). Finally, we collect a small review of the many that the colony newspaper dedicates to the local golf club, in which mention is made of a new trophy and the appointment of honorary members of the club to the members of the Buffalo cruise: The competition held on the links last week was for handsome silver Challenge Cup, presented to the club by Mr. Arthur S. Medrington of Birkdale. An ecletic competition was the style of play and consisted of the best individual holes out of two rounds of the course. The weather was capital the whole week and some very good cards were returned. The Cup, which is held for one year, was won by Mr. G. Jeffery together with half the sweepstake. He will also receive a silver Memento Cup. The second half of the sweepstake was won by Mr. Davies. Below will be found the details of scores. A Tournament is now in progress for a prize presented to the Club by Mr, G.H. Briggs of the Santa Catalina Hotel, and will continue for a couple of weeks when the result will be announced. On the arrival in Las Palmas of the American Torpedo Flotilla together with the convoy cruiser "Buffalo", the Captain and Ward Room officers were made Honorary members of the Golf Club, and we are glad to say they made as much use of the link as their limited time would allow (The CIR, 1904). It was not until 1907 that the number of holes was extended to the regulation eighteen holes. From the end of the twenties is when the first island players began to make their appearance and as they were integrated, they took control of the club, always under the direction of Mister Blandy, who became the alma mater of this first stage of gestation. But just as it happens today, the sport that provoked the greatest spectacle and enthusiasm from men and women of all social classes was football. Along with golf, it was one of the sports practices from abroad that were first established in the Canary Islands. This imported practice was not only a symbol of modernity, like cycling, but it was brought and practiced in the first instance by the British. The journalist Jose Rivero points to 10 February 1894 as the date on which the first official match was played in Gran Canaria. The officials of the English squad faced off against the Grand Canary Football Club. In those years, the tennis courts of the Hotel Santa Catalina served as the stage for confrontations between the members of the colony, along with other improvised fields on the dock of La Luz, where Las Palmas Football Club had its playing field. Membership in the club cost five pesetas, and was made at the offices of Wilson Sons & Co's, near the Santa Catalina pier. There were training sessions every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon from four o'clock (The CIR, 1903, p. 12). The fact that it was a sport that was played on outdoor land and close to the economic centre of the city, with a large working population in the surrounding area, allowed them to come and see the English play football. That encouraged many spectators to take up the sport. Football captivated Quickly many people from the middle and lower classes of the port cities who attended the meetings announced through the local press. On February 7, 1903, the newspaper Las Efemérides extended the invitation to the matches that Las Palmas Football Club would play on six consecutive Saturdays against the sailors of the English cruisers Isis and Drake: These games will take place on the esplanade to the west of the Sanitary Station. The Football Club, whose president is D. P. Swanston, invites through the press all the families of the distinguished society of Las Palmas, for whose guests numerous seats will be reserved in the place of the game, and they will also be treated to a tea that will be served at the end of the party. The organising committee asks us to make public the proper time to attend the show is three o'clock, as the first game will not begin until the tram that has left Las Palmas arrives at the port. In March of the same year, the newspaper España published an article entitled Cosas de la Educación. Our youth, where a reflection is made based on the football matches that we have mentioned above. Sport and physical education are analysed as educational elements of great value. This kind of article shows that something is changing in the islands regarding physical and sports practices. Sport is thought of as an element of aggrandizement of man and country. However, the article presents a somewhat pessimistic island reality, still far from the civilizing qualities of the British through sport: On these last Saturdays, on the esplanade of Santa Catalina, in front of the dock of our port, the popular footballs have been celebrated among many young people from the English colony. The game has been looked upon with indifference by us Canaries. The modern physical education which makes peoples great and strong has not entered into our customs. Ten years ago we lived in intimate communication with the vigorous and cultured English people. However, the example has been of no use to us. We live adhering to the old routine (...). The problem of physical education is becoming more and more important every day, because it is a grandiose synthesis of the marvellous fruits achieved in a hundred years in the struggle for human culture. And the problem of physical education becomes more complex as one goes deeper into it, which not only involves the development of muscular strength, increasing the energy of the race and its soul by the invigoration of the body, but embraces a large number of questions: health and hygiene; food and bathing, the cultivation of everything that brings man closer to nature and brings him back to his loving bosom. None of this catches our attention. We dedicate our youth to studying the Baccalaureate in any way, and then send them to the universities of Spain... or to the markets of London to sell our bananas. Neither other desires nor other illusions. The CIR gives us detailed information about the meetings that the directors of the different social clubs in the colony organized. One of these was the annual meeting of The Las Palmas Football Club held at the Hotel Metropole in November 1903: The annual General Meeting of the above Club took place last thursday evening in the Hotel Metropole. The following gentlemen were present: Mr. Swanston, in the Chair, Mr. Chalmers, Hon.Sec. and Treasurer, Messrs Seddon Fisher, Pavillard, Fargher, Doorly, Baxter, Phelps, Fleay, Howard, Meyer (...) Mr Chalmers read the Minutes of the last meeting. It was proposed by Mr Seddon, and seconded by Doctor Baxter that the minutes as read be passed as correct carried. The election of officers for the coming season was then proceeded with. It was proposed by Dr. Baxter, and seconded by Mr. Pavillard that Mr. Swanston be re-elected President of the Club carried unanimously and enthusiastically. Then the following gentlemen were appointed: Captain... ......................Mr. Phelps Vice Captain..................Mr. Chalmers Secretary... ....................Mr. Travis Committe- Messrs Brash, Bruce; Howard, Pavillard. The following new members joined the Club: Messrs Duff, Dunn, Morrison, F. Swanston (...). As the Subscription for the new season are now due, the Secretary will be glad if all the members will let him have the same as early as possible. Persons wishing to join please send in their names to the secretary. Mr. S. Travis, Puerto de La Luz A match was played last Friday afternoon between the L.P.F.C. and the officers and men of H.M.S. Tartar. Result, half time, Nil. Time:-Adraw, no score. The match was very evenly contested throughout (The CIR, 1903, p. 7). At the beginning of this century, as we will see in the conclusions, the presence of clubs formed by Canarian players spread as a result of the acculturation process between the two peoples. The Canarian bourgeoisie and the working class will seek to identify themselves as social groups through the different football clubs that will be created on the islands. One of the most widespread sports practices in the archipelago and in the rest of the Spanish territory was cycling. In fact, the first Spanish sports federation was the Spanish Velocipedist Federation, created in 1895. Cycling in its origins was forged as a practice ascribed to the bourgeoisie, to the extent that it was constituted as a value of distinction, progress and social dynamism. Riding a bike or holding sports competitions was not just a fad, as some journalists of the time pointed out; It meant a new way of life that was beginning to consolidate new values in that society. The benefits of this sport are included in the Diario de Avisos of May 15, 1897, in an article signed by H. L.: The bicycle has come to offer a new and powerful means of locomotion (...). The sport of the pedal almost constitutes a mania that we could call velocipediomania or bicicletomania (...). The bicycle comes to operate a real transformation, from the physiological point of view. They all do very hygienic and profitable gymnastics, increasing the appetite to the point of death. inconcebible.