The economic disaster that transformed Boca into the most popular club in Argentina

From economic failure to national fame. This is how Boca’s famous tour of Europe in 1925 was defined. He lost to teams that over time became very strong: Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Little is known about the economic catastrophe, which delayed his stay on the Old Continent for a month and prevented him from going to the United States, as seen in the contract.

The report of the two leaders who led the delegation was strong. “Financial disaster”, the subtitle of one of 17 typed pages of text presented after returning to Buenos Aires. “At this time we must regret the loss of more than 30,000 pesos in national currency, caused by the mandatory change of itinerary set in Vigo and changed as a result of the informality of the French who were interested in bringing our team to Paris “, explains Vicente Decap, secretary, and Adelio Cariboni, Vice President.

What happened? Initially the club agreed to 10 friendships with France but they were canceled from one day to the next. The tour changed course and had to improvise quickly. The Frenchman’s rudeness put the club’s economy at risk but not its popularity.

“After Irún and Bilbao we had to go to Paris to play in that city 10 games that we arranged by telegraph from Spain. Mr. Isasmendi went to Paris to definitely sign the contracts when he was surprised by the refusal of the interested parties. When the aforementioned agreements were void and void, the situation for our delegation was alarming, as we declined countless invitations to meet the commitments in Paris, which were liquidated by a serious informal by the directors. of France ”, the delegates’ report detailed.

Surprisingly, the French proposal included a tournament called the “Coupe de Pays Latins”, with the participation of Nacional from Uruguay and Paulistano from Brazil, who also toured Europe, a Spanish team, another Italian and another French. The French Federation will offer a property appraisal for the champion.

The tour began to take shape from a proposal received by three Spanish businessmen on September 6, 1924. The offer shook the small world of Boca. Some partners have sought an explanation from the board of directors. Consequently, on September 23, the secretary responded by letter to members Sebastián Copado and Cándido Iglesias, the conditions set by the club: 15,000 pesos for each game, 600 pesos for the full tour for each player and three delegates, first class tickets, among other considerations.

In between, the leaders of the Argentine Football Association, which is affiliated with FIFA and the major clubs Boca and Huracán, examined the possibility of sending an Argentine team, but “the lack of time, because our players they do not can enter Buenos Aires before the month of February and must return to the country at the end of March “, according to what El Grafico published at the time, that idea was rejected. to Boca, through radical leader Félix Isasmendi, who is also a member of the club.

The concrete thing is that by the end of 1924 the tour was approved and the contract with two Spanish businessmen, Carlos Zapater and Isasmendi, was signed on January 13, 1925. Hermoso does not appear in the contract but with him Isasmendi, who accompanied the delegation on the tour, when envelopes with advance money were delivered to the players. A meeting of partners, on December 30, approved the tour. The next day, two shipping companies offered their services.

Two letters arrived at the club secretariat on the last day of the year. One of the Main Passenger Agencies of Spain: “Our ships of the Sierra Type, that is, the so -called” Sierra Ventana “,” Sierra Córdoba, “Sierra Morena” and “Sierra Nevada”, the same as the so -called ” Koln ”,“ Crefeld ”,“ Werra ”and“ Wesel ”offer the passenger maximum comfort and how much convenience exists in modern transatlantic navigation”.

Another, from Royal Dutch Lloyd, with four recognized ships: Flandria, Gelria, Orania and Zeelandia. Touring a soccer team has generated business opportunities for many sectors. Each ticket to Vigo, round trip, costs approximately 1,500 pesos national currency.

Upon signing the contract, it was confirmed that each player will receive 10 pesos in national currency or its equivalent in foreign currency per day. In the original itinerary, they would be at least 90 days (finally there were 128), so each of the 16 players was guaranteed an income of 900 pesos national currency (there were 1280). The two delegates received 20 pesos per day, double that of the players, that is, from 1,800 to 2,560 Victoriano Toto Caffarena, the accompanying Player No. 12, paid everything out of pocket.

Why did Boca decide to go on that tour? According to a note published by El Grafico magazine, on Saturday, January 24, 1925, under the title The first Argentine football embassy to Europe, the club continued its generous ambition with this Jira (sic), giving- justification in its performance on us. Since he has undoubtedly won all the trophies, the First Division Championship on various occasions, the Competition, Honor and Río de la Plata Championships, his commitment can be nothing but the increase of his prestige and that of the country ” .

And he achieved it. The most excellent proof is the testimony of Alberto J. Armando, who in 1925 was 15 years old and lived on the outskirts of the city of Santa Fe. “My life has two passions: Boca and cars. Lo de Boca was born in 1925, as a reflection of the glorious tour of Europe, because of the news that reached Humberto Primo, in the province of Santa Fe”, he told Natalio Gorin at El Gráfico in 1988. Armando was president of Boca twice, a short period between 1954-55 and from 1960 to 1980. La Bombonera is his name.

But the tour generated a strong financial and political schism of Boca. Companion Carlos Aira narrated this well in his extraordinary work Héroes de Tento. “Manlio Anastasi, the president who saved Boca Juniors from loss, submitted his resignation. It was not accepted. The responsibility fell on Isasmendi in his double role as leader and businessman. He was accused of accepting games that has very low cachet and does not go to a percentage of the collection.The head Héctor Manni declared: “The mercantilism of European clubs, which are more commercial than sports companies, that despite the certainty that the ticket office will make of triple or quadruple, offers nothing but ridiculous numbers. “

Tour economy numbers did not close Boca’s institution. He received 60,000 pesos for everyone and spent 54,000 on tickets and salaries and 32,000 on hotels and transfers: 26,000 pesos deficit. Or perhaps 30,000, as the delegates claimed in the report.

More than 10,000 people waited for the small number of players in the port of Buenos Aires. The number of fans increased and thus became the first most popular club in Argentina. After 1925, Boca transcended the boundaries of the neighborhood, of Buenos Aires and reached, as happened to Alberto J. Armando in Humberto Primo in the province of Santa Fe, in all corners of the country.

The seed grew des Before the tour he won 9 official titles. On Sunday, in Córdoba, he reached 72.

Traveler

The delegation that went to Europe included 20 people. Delegates: Adelio Cariboni (vice president) and Vicente Decap (secretary). Included: Victorian Caffarena. And 17 players, 12 from Boca: Américo Tesoriere, Ludovico Bidoglio, Ramón Muttis, Segundo Médici, Alfredo Elli, Mario Busso, Domingo Tarasconi, Antonio Cerrotti, Dante Pertini, Carmelo Pozzo, Carlos Antraygues and Alfredo Garasini. And five luxury reinforcements: Cesáreo Onzari (Huracán), Manuel Seoane (El Porvenir), Luis Vaccaro (Argentines), Octavio Díaz (Rosario Central) and Roberto Cochrane (Federal Shot). A real choice.

all 19 games

1. 3-5-1925: 3-1 against Celta de Vigo
2. 3-8-1925, 1-3 with Celta de Vigo
3. 12-3-1925, 3-0 in La Coruna
4. 15-3-1925, 1-0 in La Coruna
5. 19-3-1925, 2-1 against Atlético de Madrid
6. 3-22-1925, 1-0 against Real Madrid
7. 3-29-1925, 1-0 in the Gymnastic Society
8. 2-4-1925, 0-4 with the Royal Union of Irun
9. 5-4-1925, 2-4 with Athletic Bilbao
10. 4-19-1925, 1-0 to Osasuna
11. 4-26-1925, 1-0 to Espanyol de Barcelona
12. 1-5-1925, 3-0 to Espanyol de Barcelona
13. 3-5-1925, 2-0 in Combined Catalan
14. 9-5-1925, 1-1 with Bayern Munich
15. 5-16-1925, 3-0 in the Nord West
16. 21-5-1925, 7-0 to Spielvereinigung
17. 5-24-1925, 2-0 at Frankfurt Combination
18. 27-5-1925, 2-0 to Eintracht Frankfurt
19. 06-07-1925, 4-2 at Paris Combine