Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi
Encyclopedia
Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi is a football stadium
in La Plata
, Argentina
. It is the home field of Estudiantes de La Plata
.
The stadium, named after Jorge Luis Hirschi, who served as Estudiantes' president between 1927 and 1932, is located on 1st Avenue between 55th and 57th Streets, and thus is also known as 1 y 57. It was formally inaugurated on 25 December 1907. The arena was the venue where Estudiantes obtained the 1913 amateur league title, and where fans enjoyed los profesores ("the professors"), the famous 1930s offensive line of Lauri-Scopelli-Zozaya-Ferreyra-Guayta.
In 1937, a new lighting system was installed, and the stadium became the first major venue in Argentina to host night games.
In its initial incarnation (1907 to 2005) the stadium held up to 28,000 people, mostly standing-room, even though security measures would reduce its actual capacity to about 22,000. Its relatively meager size made Estudiantes use Boca Juniors
' Bombonera
stadium for its Copa Libertadores games.
) trees. The opposite (north-east) side was roofed and used to have the best seating arrangements.
The noisiest Estudiantes fans occupied the north-west (55th Street) popular, while visiting fans were directed to the opposite popular on 57th Street, near a technical high school.
Police would cut off traffic on 1st Avenue both before and after the games.
The stadium was home to three Argentine champion teams (1967, 1982 Metropolitano
, and 1983 Nacional).
This situation started a rift between the club and mayor Julio Alak
.
When a modern stadium was built for the city of La Plata, both Estudiantes and Gimnasia
decided against relocating their home games. Immediately after the closure, Estudiantes requested permission for upgrading its stadium to no less than 20,000 seats plus 15,000 standing room, but the mayor refused, insisting that the new stadium should be used.
As a stopgap measure, for the 2005 Apertura Estudiantes played its home games in the nearby Gimnasia stadium, and paid Gimnasia a rent of 10% gross income, plus an undisclosed amount for each attending season ticketholder. For the 2006 Clausura, Estudiantes moved its home games to the Quilmes
field.
On April 2006, a new judicial order allowed the re-opening of 1 y 57, but Alak intervened again to avoid this from happening. At this point, Estudiantes management floated the idea of erecting a new stadium in the port town of Ensenada, a few kilometers east of La Plata.
Player Juan Sebastián Verón
was instrumental in securing the new stadium agreement. Argentine journalists have indicated that with this intervention (as well as a series of donations to upgrade the club's training facilities in City Bell
) he is building his reputation towards a future bid for the club presidency.
On October 20 2006, Estudiantes announced that, during the renovation work, it will use the city stadium for home games, as Coprosede (the football security authority) will not grant security clearance for Estudiantes to play home games in Quilmes. Estudiantes fans also became less apprehensive about the city stadium after the historic 7-0 win over Gimnasia on October 2006, and the championship celebrations that took place in the stands, two months later.
Demolition works were completed during July 2007, after some delays caused by municipal red tape. Construction is scheduled to proceed smoothly, as the club has a budget surplus resulting from strong ticket sales and the proceedings from the transfers of José Ernesto Sosa
and Mariano Pavone
.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in La Plata
La Plata
La Plata is the capital city of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and of La Plata partido. According to the , the city proper has a population of 574,369 and its metropolitan area has 694,253 inhabitants....
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It is the home field of Estudiantes de La Plata
Estudiantes de La Plata
Club Estudiantes de La Plata , simply referred to as Estudiantes, is an Argentine professional sports club based in La Plata. The club's football team currently competes in the Primera División, where it has spent most of its history....
.
The stadium, named after Jorge Luis Hirschi, who served as Estudiantes' president between 1927 and 1932, is located on 1st Avenue between 55th and 57th Streets, and thus is also known as 1 y 57. It was formally inaugurated on 25 December 1907. The arena was the venue where Estudiantes obtained the 1913 amateur league title, and where fans enjoyed los profesores ("the professors"), the famous 1930s offensive line of Lauri-Scopelli-Zozaya-Ferreyra-Guayta.
In 1937, a new lighting system was installed, and the stadium became the first major venue in Argentina to host night games.
In its initial incarnation (1907 to 2005) the stadium held up to 28,000 people, mostly standing-room, even though security measures would reduce its actual capacity to about 22,000. Its relatively meager size made Estudiantes use Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
' Bombonera
La Bombonera
La Bombonera may refer:* Estadio Alberto J. Armando, home stadium of Club Atlético Boca Juniors* Estadio Nemesio Díez, home stadium of Deportivo Toluca* Estadio "La Bombonera", Montevideo, home stadium of Club Atlético Basáñez...
stadium for its Copa Libertadores games.
Pre-2005 design
The wooden stands behind the goal-lines were standing-room only. The south-west stands were sitting-room, being separated from 1st Avenue by a row of linden (tiliaTilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
) trees. The opposite (north-east) side was roofed and used to have the best seating arrangements.
The noisiest Estudiantes fans occupied the north-west (55th Street) popular, while visiting fans were directed to the opposite popular on 57th Street, near a technical high school.
Police would cut off traffic on 1st Avenue both before and after the games.
The stadium was home to three Argentine champion teams (1967, 1982 Metropolitano
Metropolitano championship
The Metropolitano championship was an Argentine football tournament that existed between 1967 and 1984. The Metropolitano formed one half of the Argentine 1st division taking place in the first half of the year, the Nacional took place in the 2nd half of the year. This arrangement lasted until 1982...
, and 1983 Nacional).
Closure
In September 2005, the stadium was closed down for league games because of new safety regulations that forbid wooden stands. Even though a judicial restraining order exempted Estudiantes from the prohibition, the La Plata city government refused to comply.This situation started a rift between the club and mayor Julio Alak
Julio Alak
Julio César Alak is an Argentine politician, the former mayor of provincial capital La Plata, and currently the President's Attorney General.-Political career:Alak was born in Benito Juárez, a pampas town in Buenos Aires Province...
.
When a modern stadium was built for the city of La Plata, both Estudiantes and Gimnasia
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata Gimnasia y Esgrima was promoted to the first division after becoming champions of the División Intermedia of Argentine football in 1915. Later, in 1929, the club would become champions of the Primera División...
decided against relocating their home games. Immediately after the closure, Estudiantes requested permission for upgrading its stadium to no less than 20,000 seats plus 15,000 standing room, but the mayor refused, insisting that the new stadium should be used.
As a stopgap measure, for the 2005 Apertura Estudiantes played its home games in the nearby Gimnasia stadium, and paid Gimnasia a rent of 10% gross income, plus an undisclosed amount for each attending season ticketholder. For the 2006 Clausura, Estudiantes moved its home games to the Quilmes
Quilmes Atlético Club
Quilmes Atlético Club is a sports clubs of Argentina, based on the Partido de Quilmes, Buenos Aires Province. Quilmes is one of the oldest clubs of Argentina, having been founded in 1887. Its football squad currently plays in the Primera B Nacional Division....
field.
On April 2006, a new judicial order allowed the re-opening of 1 y 57, but Alak intervened again to avoid this from happening. At this point, Estudiantes management floated the idea of erecting a new stadium in the port town of Ensenada, a few kilometers east of La Plata.
Agreement and Future Plans
In August 2006 it was reported that Estudiantes and the city of La Plata reached an agreement to rebuild the stands for a capacity of 20,000, all seated. The city stadium will be used for attendances exceeding that number. The eastern stands will feature the signage Tierra de Campeones (Land of Champions), which was used by fans since the 1960s to refer to 1 y 57.Player Juan Sebastián Verón
Juan Sebastián Verón
Juan Sebastián Verón is an Argentinian professional football player who is the current captain and midfielder for Estudiantes de La Plata in the Argentine Primera División....
was instrumental in securing the new stadium agreement. Argentine journalists have indicated that with this intervention (as well as a series of donations to upgrade the club's training facilities in City Bell
City Bell
City Bell is a small town located in the partido of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is located some 50 kilometers from Buenos Aires and 10 from La Plata. It forms part of the Greater La Plata urban agglomeration....
) he is building his reputation towards a future bid for the club presidency.
On October 20 2006, Estudiantes announced that, during the renovation work, it will use the city stadium for home games, as Coprosede (the football security authority) will not grant security clearance for Estudiantes to play home games in Quilmes. Estudiantes fans also became less apprehensive about the city stadium after the historic 7-0 win over Gimnasia on October 2006, and the championship celebrations that took place in the stands, two months later.
Demolition works were completed during July 2007, after some delays caused by municipal red tape. Construction is scheduled to proceed smoothly, as the club has a budget surplus resulting from strong ticket sales and the proceedings from the transfers of José Ernesto Sosa
José Ernesto Sosa
José Ernesto Sosa is an Argentine football attacking midfielder who plays for Ukrainian club Metalist Kharkiv.- Career :Sosa played for Estudiantes between 2002 and 2007...
and Mariano Pavone
Mariano Pavone
Hugo Mariano Pavone is an Argentine footballer who plays for Club Atlético Lanús in the Argentine Primera División, as a striker.-Estudiantes:...
.
External links
- Google Maps aerial view looking North. The technical school is bottom right. Avenue 1 runs NW-SE near the stadium, and is covered by two rows of linden trees. Estudiantes' stands are to the left. East of the stadium is La Plata's bosque park. Panning right, Gimnasia's stadium becomes visible, less than 1 km to the east of Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium.
- Panoramic video of stadium taken after the 2006 championship and before the start of demolition works.
- Picture of stadium
