The Flores Old Ground (also known as "Old Polo Ground" or "Old Polo Field"The Standard, British language newspaper edited in Buenos Aires, 1892 or "Flores Polo Ground"Historia cronológica de la ciudad de Buenos Aires 1536-2014 by Leonel Contreras, Editorial Dunken, Buenos Aires, 2014 - ) was the stadium of defunct Flores Athletic Club. Located in the barrio of Caballito, Buenos Aires,Historia del Fútbol Amateur en la Argentina, by Jorge Iwanczuk. Published by Autores Editores (1992) – just behind the Buenos Aires Western Railway freight sheds,El día que los ferroviarios se llevaron las medallas, Página/12, 18 Oct 2010 it hosted several polo, rugby union, association football and cricket matches during the period Flores A.C. was active.Historia del Flores Athletic Club, 12 Jun 2013
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.Orígenes de los deportes británicos en el Río de La Plata, Eduardo Olivera, Buenos Aires, 1932
Flores A.C. was established in the same lot where in 1875 the first polo match had been played in Argentina.El polo en la Argentina. Primera parte: Las prácticas iniciales en el país, Ernesto Ceballos, Buenos Aires (1969)100 años de polo en la Argentina 1888–1988, Elsa Boglione, Buenos Aires, 1988
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. 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. in 1891.Argentina 1891 by Osvaldo Gorgazzi at RSSSF.com Moreover, the first final match of Argentine football (between St. Andrew's and Old Caledonians) was held in the 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"Historia del Club" on BACRC official site 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.Solo cinco equipos y dos campeones: así fue el primer torneo del fútbol argentino on TyC. 12 Apr 202438 campeones de futbol argentino 1891-2010 by Diego Estévez. Ediciones Continente, Buenos Aires, 2010. ISBN 9789507543012
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 3–2.1900 Tie Cup Competition final by Osvaldo José Gorgazzi on RSSSF
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."Una investigación sobre la Historia del Flores Athletic Club" by Rubén Ayala, C.E.H.R., Buenos Aires (1997)
See also Flores Athletic Club
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