The journalistic expression ‘Scudetto of the Pistols’ refers to the title of ‘champion of Italy’ conquered by Bologna in the 1924-1925 First Division, the 25th edition of the top level of the Italian men's football championship, as well as, in the broad sense, to the entire season and the numerous controversies that determined its outcome.
The competition, won by Bologna in the national final against Alba Roma, was in fact characterised by a series of disputes involving sporting decisions, political influences, and judicial rulings, that took place during the final of the Northern League (the section of the championship reserved for teams from northern Italy) between Bologna and reigning champions Genoa; this series, lasting five matches, included refereeing disputes, institutional disagreements, and incidents of violence, leading to the nickname ‘Scudetto of the Pistols’.
Genoa disputed the tournament results, citing concerns over fairness and legitimacy, while Bologna always defended its validity.
Background
The 1923-1924 championship
The beginnings of the clash in 1925 between Genoa and Bologna that went down in history as the Scudetto of the Pistols developed during the previous championship, the 1923-1924 First Division.
The two red and blue teams faced each other for the final of the Northern League on 15 June and 22 June 1924, after having reached it in a dramatic manner.Le Finaliste del Campionato italiano, "La Stampa", 20 maggio 1924, p. 4 In Group A, Genoa indirectly benefited from the Rosetta case, a scandal linked to the transfer of full-back Virginio Rosetta from Pro Vercelli to Juventus: after a long tug-of-war with the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio, the League managed to prevent the official recognition of Rosetta's transfer to Edoardo Agnelli's team, and the Bianconeri's title race was compromised by three games lost for having irregularly fielded the defender.. In Group B, however, Bologna overcame Torino by a single point following a defeat suffered by the granata on the field of Spezia, marked by controversy over the unsportsmanlike behaviour of the home crowd; the ‘Toro’ appealed for an automatic victory, but the request was rejected and the score on the field validated.‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’, 23 May 1924: F.I.G.C. Official Notice - Meeting of the Executive Board of 17 May 1924 - Complaint Torino F.C. (Spezia - Torino match of 30-3-1924) ‘The Executive Board, having heard the referee of the Spezia-Torino match regarding the various points made by Torino in its complaint; considering that the referee himself confirms that the course and the outcome of the match are to be considered completely regular, although the behaviour of the spectators was, at certain times, deplorable so as to force him to suspend the game to provide three times the appropriate warnings and admonitions; having also heard the Commissioner of the Field who confirms in every part the complaint of the referee; rejects the complaint of Torino F.. C. and confirms the decision of the Northern League; and addresses the most severe and solemn admonition to Spezia F.C. reminding it of its precise duty to take care of the conduct of its team and public. The Pres. of the Board E. Pasteur; the Secretary of the Board Lawyer L. Bianchetti’.
The first leg match of the final, held in Genoa, was marked by several brawls that broke out in the stands;The account of Vittorio Pozzo, correspondent of ‘La Stampa’, 16 June 1924: ‘Yesterday's match was characterised, and I would better say marred, by the state of nervousness to which I alluded above. For the entire duration of the match, the stands, the ‘parterre’, the spectators' seats and the pitch were similar to an electric accumulator charged at very high voltage; every now and then the pressure found vent in punches, bursts here and there in small fatuous fires, fatuous in more than one sense, of insults, nervous outbursts, punches, blows. Frowning faces off the field, impulsive gestures on the field, that's the picture of the environment.’ some spectators even invaded the pitch: among them Giovanni Battista Traverso, a former Genoese footballer and coach of Cremonese, who punched Giuseppe Della Valle, the Bologna captain.Bruno Roghi's report, from ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’, 16 June 1924: ‘Tempers flared in the second half. The crowd was nervous. [...] On the opposite side of the pitch, Della Valle, having got into an argument with a spectator on the pitch, was punched. The hitter was expelled and led out of the enclosure. Regarding which: we do not know the reasons for the disgusting incident. However, we will never get tired of repeating that there is one way to avoid such incidents, which, regardless of their causes, irritate and disgust the serious spectator and inevitably shock the players: to demand, with inexorable firmness, that all outsiders be removed from the inner court enclosure. This is a strict duty of every referee.’From the original report of the referee, Arturo Bistoletti of Milan: ‘15 June, GENOA. GENOA F.B.C. ONE; BOLOGNA F.B.C. ZERO. 16.30-17.15; 17.25-18.18". "In the second half, while the game was stopped and the ball had to be put back into play from the touchline, the Bologna player Della Valle was punched by a spectator - identified as Mr. TRAVERSO, formerly of Genoa and now, I believe, coach of Cremona FBC.
This incident originated - Mr. Livraghi, who was present at the unfolding of the events, told me verbatim - from a misunderstanding: A spectator made a few remarks and even apparently insulted Della Valle, who, believing that Traverso, seated beyond the edge of the pitch but inside the net, had been the insulter, insulted him by calling him a coward three times, whereupon Traverso, becoming resentful, then hit Della Valle with his fist. I immediately ordered Traverso and all the other people on the sidelines to leave, which they did immediately, and the game resumed as usual. Della Valle too immediately resumed the game, showing - at least according to my impression - that he was not affected by the incident that had occurred to him. As far as regularity is concerned, I would like to make it known that before the start of the match I gave the order to the officials at the entrance to the pitch that no outsiders, other than the two coaches, should enter the enclosure, which unfortunately did not happen. For my part, I did not consider it necessary - prior to the incident - to suspend the match in order to remove the intruders from the pitch, and this is understandable in football matches, so as not to create, by suspending the game, an atmosphere adverse to my work and thus to the conduct of the match." The match was decided in favour of the hosts only at the end, with a goal from Ettore Neri, despite the sporting chronicles recognising Bologna's supremacy in the game.The report by Vittorio Pozzo, correspondent for ‘La Stampa’, 16 June 1924: ‘A lucky victory: a victory obtained towards the end of the second half, when everything seemed to point to a draw, and when Bologna had shown in the overall action that they were undoubtedly the best team on the pitch. [...] The second half came, and Bologna continued to prevail. It was a clearer, more constant, and more deserved domination; this time a domination that came directly from the better quality of the Petronian attacking play. Such play at this point was convincing and compelling in everything but the goal-scoring. In the middle of the pitch and right up to the penalty area there was only one team: Bologna.’ Bologna later lodged a complaint against the homologation of the result, which was rejected by the Northern League board on 22 June; Genoa were fined 1,000 lira for the fans' invasion of the pitch, while Traverso was disqualified for four months.‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’, 24 June 1924: F.I.G.C. Official Notice - Northern League Council meeting, 21/22 June 1924. Genoa - Bologna match of 15 June 1924: ‘The Board having seen the referee's report, having read the complaint of Bologna F.. C., having seen the declarations of the linesman Mr. Livraghi, the player Della Valle and Mr. Traverso regarding the incident that occurred on the Genoa pitch; considering that in this incident there are no grounds for the application of Art. 15 paragraph a) of the Organ Regulations, deliberates to reject the complaint of Bologna F.C. homologating the result of the match as follows: Genoa beats Bologna 1-0. Fine of 1,000 lire to Genoa for allowing strangers to enter the playing area; disqualification of four months as trainer and as player of Mr. G. B. Traverso, guilty of hitting the Bologna player Della Valle. The Lega Nord Secretary Olivetti; the Lega Nord President Baruffini".