Alexander Watson Hutton (10 June 1853 – 9 March 1936) was a Scottish teacher and sportsman who is considered "The Father of Argentine football". In 1893 he founded the "Argentine Association Football League" (current

Argentine Football Association The Argentine Football Association ( es, Asociación del Fútbol Argentino, ; AFA) is the governing body of football in Argentina based in Buenos Aires. It organises the main divisions of Argentine league system (from Primera División to Tor ...

). He also founded the Buenos Aires English High School and football club

Alumni Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...

, which was the most successful Argentine team with 22 titles won until its dissolution in 1911.''Alumni, Cuna de Campeones y Escuela de Hidalguía'' by Ernesto Escobar Bavio, Editorial Difusión - Buenos Aires (Published 1953)''Historia del Fútbol Amateur en la Argentina'' by Jorge Iwanczuk. Publisher: Autores Editores (1992) –

Biography

Watson Hutton was born in the

Gorbals The Gorbals is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, on the south bank of the River Clyde. By the late 19th century, it had become densely populated; rural migrants and immigrants were attracted by the new industries and employment opportun ...

, in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, in 1853. He was educated at Daniel Stewart's School (now

Stewart's Melville College Stewart's Melville College (SMC) is an independent day and boarding school in Edinburgh, Scotland. Classes are all boys in the 1st to 5th years and co-educational in Sixth (final) year. It has a roll of about 750 pupils. The school is twinned w ...

) in Edinburgh and following this he graduated from

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted ...

and emigrated to

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

in 1882. He worked at St Andrew's Scots School for two years. He was a keen sportsman and believed that sports were of fundamental importance in education. On 4 February 1884 he founded the Buenos Aires English High School, where he continued to instruct the pupils in the game. In 1891 the ''Association Argentine Football League'' was established by Alex Lamont of St. Andrew's Scots School, being the first football league outside of the British Isles. Five clubs competed but only one season was ever played. In

1891 Events January–March * January 1 ** Paying of old age pensions begins in Germany. ** A strike of 500 Hungarian steel workers occurs; 3,000 men are out of work as a consequence. ** Germany takes formal possession of its new Af ...

Alec Lamont, headteacher St Andrew's founded the "Argentine Association Football League" the first Argentine league, which was won by a team of Scots from St Andrew's. The five team league only lasted one season but it is officially recognised by the Argentine Association as the first football league in the country. On 21 February 1893 Watson Hutton, along with representatives from

Quilmes Quilmes () is a city on the coast of the Rio de la Plata, in the , on the south east of the Greater Buenos Aires. The city was founded in 1666 and it is the seat of the eponymous county. With a population of 230,810, it is located south of the ...

, Old Caledonian's, St. Andrew's, BA English High School,

Lomas Lomas (Spanish for "hills"), also called fog oases and mist oases, are areas of fog-watered vegetation in the coastal desert of Peru and northern Chile. About 100 lomas near the Pacific Ocean are identified between 5°S and 30°S latitude, a nort ...

and Flores clubs, established the "Argentine Association Football League","La historia de una casa poderosa"
, ''Clarín'', 21 February 2003 and restarted the organization of tournaments after the 1892 hiatus. In 1898 his school formed a football team which went on to become the most decorated team of Argentine football by then, winning a total of 22 titles (15 domestic and 7 international championships) until its dissolution in 1911. The club, originally named the same as the school, changed to " Alumni Athletic Club" due to new rules by the Association. Alumni also provided many players for the Argentina national football team including his son Arnold Watson Hutton and captain Juan Brown. In 1911 he retired and his club was disbanded. Watson Hutton died on 9 March 1936 in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

and is buried in

Cementerio Británico Cementerio Británico de Buenos Aires, also known in English as Buenos Aires British cemetery, is a cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is in the district of Chacarita in the northern part of Buenos Aires, adjacent to La Chacarita Cemeter ...

. The AFA library is named in his honour.

References

External links

*
English language profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson Hutton, Alexander 1853 births 1936 deaths History of football in Argentina Sportspeople from Glasgow Scottish educators Scottish emigrants to Argentina Alumni of the University of Edinburgh 19th-century Scottish people Burials at La Chacarita Cemetery Presidents of the Argentine Football Association People from Gorbals

Biography

See also

References

External links