Primera Fuerza

The Liga Mexicana de Fútbol Amateur Association, known as the Primera Fuerza, was an amateur football league founded in Mexico in 1902 with five clubs: "Orizaba A.C.", "Pachuca A.C.", "Reforma A.C.", "Mexico Cricket Club" and "British Club". Orizaba won the league in its inaugural year. A total of 37 teams took part in this league from 1902 until 1943, when football in Mexico went professional.

Primera Fuerza
Founded1902
Folded1943 (1943)
Country Mexico
Number of teams37
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)Copa Mexico
Most championshipsReal Club España (14 titles)

History

Prior to the Liga Mayor, there was no national football league in Mexico and football competitions were held within relatively small geographical regions. The winners of the Primera Fuerza, a local league consisting of teams in and around Mexican Federal District, was considered the national champion. There were other regional leagues such as the Liga Veracruzana, Liga Occidental and Liga del Bajío that also had notable clubs. Many club owners were not keen on the idea of establishing a professional league, despite paying players under the table. With the increasing demand for football, there was a sense of urgency to unite all the local amateur leagues in Mexico to progress as a football nation. The professional national league was finally established in 1943.[1]

The people who pushed Mexico football were Percy C. Clifford and Robert J. Blackmoore. This brought the rules of play and the first regulatory balls. English Alfred Crowle, who played for Pachuca since 1908, also had considerable influence on the sport.

In 1910 Mexico Football Club is founded, the first team formed by Alfredo B. Cuellar headed Mexican, Jorge Alberto Gomez de Parada and Sierra, then promoted by other foreign colonies: the Amicale Française in 1911, the Rovers and the Real Club Spain in 1912, the Spanish Sports Center in 1914, the Germania FV in 1915, the Catalonia in 1917, Asturias F.C. in 1918, and in 1919 Aurrerá.

Club America, founded on the union of two Marist College in 1916, was the first important team composed of Mexicans in the Mexican capital and achieved to win four consecutive championships between 1924 and 1928.

From the fusion of Sinaloa, Lusitania, Condesa, and U53 Atlante born, whose components were proletarian extraction; their leaders were the Trinidad and Refugio Martinez brothers.

While between 1918 and 1920 the teams Cuenta y Administración, Guerra y Marina y Son-Sin resulted in the team Esparta, which was then rebranded as Marte, brilliant team that never became popular, and even in the professional era and would move to Cuernavaca.

Regularly attended clubs outside the Federal District as Pachuca, Puebla AC, Veracruz Sporting Club, Iberia de Córdoba, Moctezuma de Orizaba, Orizaba AC, Tigre de Veracruz, Veracruz Spain, these being the most successful of them, Pachuca was crowned in seasons 1904–05, 1917–18 and 1919–20.

In 1919 there was a split in the Mexican League, shortly before the start of the season. Clubs Real Club España and España Veracruz solidly connected with expulsion from the club Tigres, withdrew from the League and founded on 9 February its own circuit called the Liga Nacional. As this idea went nowhere, Albinegros scheduled a series of friendly matches to remain active, with so many rivals like España de Orizaba who was defeated 9–0 on 20 October 1919, or their wins 4-0 and 2–0 against Tigres, 2–0 on the Río Blanco and the achievements of Copa Alfonso XIII in a three-game series against Reforma and the Copa Elche in two games against Asturias.

The power and influence of the Hispanic teams was such that the press of the time chose to cover their sports facilities to those meetings. Spain interference on means, suitable to be published little news about the Liga Mexicana, of which only is known that Pachuca won the trophy and the Copa Tower was suspended before completion.

The separation of the two leagues in the 1920–21 season specific; Liga Nacional included America, Real Club España, Luz y Fuerza, Amicale and Reforma. Meanwhile, the Liga Mexicana had the participation of Asturias, Internacional, México, Morelos and Germania. Immediately after the founding of the first Federación Mexicana de Futbol, the clubs fought for two years to form a single competition in August 1922 that they called Campeonato de Primera Fuerza de la FMF. That is, both tournaments were unified and the direct ancestor of the current Primera División was born. Serious this league, whose members prompted the creation of the first National team (which would dispute the first official competitions abroad of Mexican football) and also the Federación.[2]

In 1930–31 season, the tournament was suspended after 2 days, when Asturias, Atlante, Germany, Mexico and Marte requested permission to remodel Campo Asturias (not to be confused with the Parque Asturias, built until 1936) which was in poor condition, to make their home games there; to the disagreement of Club España, Necaxa (both who owned their own parks) and the America seconded. This coupled with the conflict arose with the Real Federación Española de Fútbol, which had asked the Mexican Football Federation to disable Gaspar Rubio who had signed for Club España. It got to the point of suspension of the three clubs who unsuccessfully tried to make a parallel tournament and the Federation decided to suspend the tournament to definitively resolve administrative problems. After months of fighting, smoothed asperities and competition were refounded under the name Liga Mayor, to organize two competitions: the Preferente consisted of six teams, and the Primera Ordinaria, that served as a promotion circuit. This competition had durability and grew to cluster up to 16 teams.

Necaxa, founded by members of Compañía de Luz y Fuerza del Centro, was an unforgettable dynasty in the decade 1930-40 known as the "11 brothers"; the first team to win promotion, won four league tournaments and two Cup, becoming the first Campeonísimo of Mexico. Among the ranks of the "11 brothers" also arises a top Mexican soccer legends: Horacio Casarín.

In the 1938–39 season a foreign team was included when the Basque Country national football team arrived in Mexico. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the first Basque President José Antonio Aguirre, had decided to send a Basque football team abroad in order to raise funds for the civil war that was taking place in Spain. When their homeland was captured by their enemies the players dared not return home. The Basques, under the name Club Deportivo Euzkadi, were allowed into the league and developed a fierce rivalry with traditional all Spanish teams (Club España and Asturias) and despite winning 13 of the 17 games played, they came out of the tournament as runners-up to Asturias. At the end of the season, the team disbanded and the players became part of the Liga Mayor teams or other leagues latinoamericanas.[3]

In 1940-41 Selección Jalisco joined Liga Mayor, formed by elements of Guadalajara, Atlas, Nacional, y Oro. This team had played a series of friendly matches between 1926 and 1930 as part of promotional tours by Liga de Occidente, however that season they integrated indefinitely as a club of Liga Mayor.

Clubs participating in the league

British Club in 1903
Club Years of Activity
América [4]1917/18-1942/43
Asturias [5]1919/20-1942/43
Atlante1927/28-1942/43
Atlas1921/22
Aurrerá1923/24-1928/29
British Club [6]1902/03-1912/13
Deportivo Español [7]1914/15-1916/17, 1918/19-1919/20
Deportivo Internacional1920/21
Club España1912/13-1929/30, 1932/33-1942/43
España B1915/16-1917/18
España Veracruz1918/19-1919/20
Euzkadi [8]1938/39
Germania [9]1915/16-1916/17, 1918/19-1932/33
Guadalajara1921/22
L'Amicale Française [10]1914/15, 1921/22
Marina y Guerra [11]1922/23
Iberia de Córdoba1921/22
Junior [12]1917/18
Leonés1931/32-1932/33
Luz y Fuerza [13]1921/22-1922/23
Marte1928/29-1932/33
1937/38-1942/43
Mexico Cricket Club1902/03-1907/08
México FC1912/13-1917/18, 1919/20-1929/30, 1932/33-1933/34
Moctezuma1940/41-1942/43
Morelos1920/21-1921/22
Necaxa1923/24-1942/43
ADO1902/03-1903/04, 1921/22
Pachuca1902/03-1919/20, 1921/22
Popo Park1909/10
Puebla [14]1904/05-1906/07
Reforma [6]1902/03-1914/15, 1921/22, 1923/24
Rovers [6]1912/13-1913/14
Jalisco1940/41-1942/43
Son-Sin [11]1923/24
Veracruz Sporting1921/22, 1931/32-1932/33
Tigres [12]1918/19-1919/20
Tranvias [13]1922/23

Notes

  1. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesm/mexhist.html Tablas de la conclusión del Primera Fuerza con RSSSF.com
  2. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesm/mexchamp.html Lista de los Duenos de México con RSSSF.com
  3. América played its first two tournaments under the name Centro Unión.
  4. Asturias was founded by migrants from the Spanish community of Asturias.
  5. British Club was a club founded in 1902 and was the successor of Club Britania, founded in 1899. Percy Clifford played and took part in its establishment; he also helped found the football team within the older Reforma AC around 1900 as well as Rovers FC Mexico in 1912.
  6. Deportivo Español was founded by members of Club España who weren't satisfied with the club.
  7. Club Deportivo Euzkadi had been the national team of the Basque Country in Spain, previously called Euzkadiko selekzioa. They travelled to Mexico because of the ongoing Spanish Civil War. The team only played one season in Mexico before being broken up. Most of the players stayed on in the Americas, but a few returned to play in Spain.
  8. Germania FV was founded by and consisted mainly of local Germans.
  9. French founded Amicale Française in 1911. The team consisted mainly of local French migrants.
  10. This club was founded by the Marines in Mexico, and consisted mainly of Marines serving at that time and played under the name of "Marina y Guerra". One year later, the name was changed to "Son-Sin", a short name for the two Mexican states called Sonora (Son) and Sinaloa (Sin) which had a strong influence in the Mexican Army at that time. Soon the club folded, but was re-established under the name of Marte some years later.
  11. In 1915 Junior Club was founded and changed its name to Tigres UANL in 1918.
  12. The teams Luz y Fuerza and the corporation from "Tranvías" merged and created Necaxa in 1923.
  13. Puebla AC was founded in 1897 as an Athletic club playing mostly tennis. It has no relation to Puebla FC, which was founded in 1944.

List of all Primera Fuerza Champions

Season Champion Coach Runner-up
1902–03Orizaba AC Duncan MacomishReforma
1903–04México Cricket Claude M. ButlinReforma
1904–05Pachuca Charles GrenfellBritish FC
1905–06Reforma Thomas R. PhillipsSan Pedro Golf Club
1906–07Reforma Thomas R. PhillipsBritish FC
1907–08British FC Percy CliffordMexico Country Club
1908–09Reforma Thomas R. PhillipsPachuca
1909–10Reforma Thomas R. PhillipsPopo Park FC
1910–11Reforma Thomas R. PhillipsPachuca
1911–12Reforma Thomas R. PhillipsBritish FC
1912–13México FC Antonio SierraReforma
1913–14Club España Francisco G. UbiertaRovers FC
1914–15Club España Francisco G. UbiertaPachuca
1915–16Club España Francisco AriasMéxico FC
1916–17Club España Francisco G. UbiertaPachuca
1917–18Pachuca William PenguelyClub España
1918–19Club España Francisco AriasCentro Union
1919–20Club España Francisco AriasTigres
1919–20 (LM) [lower-alpha 1]Pachuca Alfred C. Crowle
1920–21Club España Francisco Arias
1920–21 (LM) [lower-alpha 1]Germania Richard ObertMéxico FC
1921–22Club EspañaAsturias
1922–23Asturias Gerald BrownGermania FV
1923–24Club España Francisco AriasAmérica
1924–25América Rafael Garza GutiérrezNecaxa
1925–26América Rafael Garza GutiérrezAsturias
1926–27América Percy CliffordClub España
1927–28América Percy CliffordAsturias
1928–29CD Marte Servando VargasClub España
1929–30Club España Emérico PozsonyiAmérica
1930–31
(No championship held)
1931–32AtlanteNecaxa
1932–33Necaxa Ernesto PaulerLeones
1933–34Club EspañaAsturias
1934–35Necaxa Ernesto PaulerClub España
1935–36Club EspañaAmérica
1936–37Necaxa Sigfrid RothAtlante
1937–38Necaxa Sigfrid RothAsturias
1938–39AsturiasEuzkadi
1939–40Club EspañaNecaxa
1940–41AtlanteClub España
1941–42Club EspañaAtlante
1942–43CD MarteAtlante
Notes
  1. Liga Mexicana, a dissident league, not recognised by the Mexican Football Federation.

Titles by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
Club España [lower-alpha 1]
14
3
1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1930, 1934, 1936, 1940, 1942
Reforma [lower-alpha 2]
6
3
1906, 1907, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912
América
4
6
1925, 1926, 1927, 1928
Necaxa [lower-alpha 3]
4
3
1933, 1935, 1937, 1938
Pachuca
3
4
1905, 1918, 1920
Asturias [lower-alpha 2]
2
6
1923, 1939
Atlante [lower-alpha 3]
2
4
1932, 1941
Marte [lower-alpha 4]
2
0
1929, 1943
British [lower-alpha 4]
1
3
1908
Mexico Cricket [lower-alpha 4]
1
2
1904
Germania [lower-alpha 4]
2
1
1921
México F.C. [lower-alpha 4]
1
1
1913
ADO [lower-alpha 5]
1
0
1903
Rovers [lower-alpha 4]
0
1
Tigres [lower-alpha 4]
0
1
Popo Park [lower-alpha 4]
0
1
Euzkadi [lower-alpha 4]
0
1
Selección Jalisco [lower-alpha 4]
0
1
Notes
  1. Disaffiliated from the Federation.
  2. Clubs in the Amateur league.
  3. Clubs currently in the Ascenso MX.
  4. Defunct clubs.
  5. Clubs currently in the Segunda División (third level).

Statistics

Goalscorers

Season Name Team Goals Games Goals/Games
1902-03 John HoggOrizaba541.25
1903-04 Julio LacaudReforma AC480.5
1904-05 Percy CliffordBritish Club580.625
1905-06 Charles M. ButlinReforma AC680.75
1906-07 Percy CliffordBritish Club580.625
1907-08 John HoggBritish Club460.67
1908-09 Jorge Gómez De Parada
William Bray
Reforma AC
Pachuca AC
3
3
4
4
0.75
0.75
1909-10 Robert J. BlackmoreReforma AC460.67
1910-11 Charles M. Butlin
Alfred C. Crowle
Reforma AC
Pachuca AC
2
2
4
4
0.5
0.5
1911-12 John HoggBritish Club340.75
1912-13 Jorge Gómez De ParadaMéxico FC5100.5
1913-14Bernardo RodríguezClub España680.75
1914-15 Alfred C. CrowlePachuca AC6100.6
1915-16 Lázaro IbarrecheClub España7100.7
1916-17 Lázaro IbarrecheClub España6100.6
1917-18 Lázaro Ibarreche
Frederick Williams
Horacio Ortiz
Club España
Pachuca AC
Pachuca AC
5
5
5
10
10
10
0.5
0.5
0.5
1918-19 Lázaro IbarrecheClub España11120.92
1919-20 Lázaro IbarrecheClub España13160.81
1920-21
1921-22
1922-23
1923-24
1924-25 Ernesto SotaAmérica10--
1925-26 Kurt FriederichGermania FV11--
1926-27 Pedro Arruza
Miguel Ruiz
Club España
Necaxa
13
13
-
-
-
-
1927-28 Ernesto SotaAmérica16--
1928-29 Nicho MejiaAtlante12--
1929-30 Jorge SotaAmérica12--
1930-31No Tournament Held--
1931-32 Juan Carreño
Julio Lores
Atlante
Necaxa
20
20
-
-
-
-
1932-33 Julio LoresNecaxa8--
1933-34 José PachecoAsturias12--
1934-35 Hilario "Moco" LópezNecaxa17--
1935-36 Hilario "Moco" LópezNecaxa14--
1936-37 Hilario "Moco" LópezNecaxa11--
1937-38 Efraín RuizAsturias13--
1938-39 Miguel GualClub España20--
1939-40 Alberco "Caballo" MendozaAtlante15--
1940-41 Martin VantolraAtlante17141.21
1941-42 Rafael "Tico" MezaMoctezuma20141.43
1942-43 Manuel AlonsoMarte17141.21

References

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