Montevideo Cricket Club
Encyclopedia
The Montevideo Cricket Club (MVCC) is a multisport club based in Montevideo
, the capital of Uruguay
in South America
. It was founded in the nineteenth century by English immigrants. Its predecessor was the Victoria Cricket Club which was founded in 1842. The MVCC proper was founded in 1861, and within a few years of its foundation was playing rugby and association football as well.
They claim to be the oldest rugby club outside Europe.
Its original ground was known as "La Blanqueada" or the "English ground", but in 1889, it moved from its original location to make way for a military hospital
to a new site nearby. This was also known as "La Blanqueada" or the "New Ground" to distinguish it from the original site. The new site was purchased by debentures that members bought.
The MVCC moved a third time in 1945 to near the town of Sayago
. It moved for a fourth time to Carrasco
, in 1955, where fields were shared by The British Schools of Montevideo
.
In 1996, the MVCC moved yet again to Solymar
on the outskirts of Montevideo.
clubs were the incubators of rugby in South America, although rugby has survived much better in these countries than cricket has. It has been claimed that MVCC played rugby football
as early as 1865, but the first certain match was between Uruguayans and British members of the MVCC in 1880. One observer, apparently disdainful of the Britons mixing with the "natives", found it:
Carlos E. Cat, also known as "Charlie", was a member of the MVCC, and was also president of the club in 1946.
In 1950, the Campeonato Uruguayo de Rugby was inaugurated and continues today. The first game was between the MVCC, and Carrasco Polo Club
.
MVCC had some success in the 1950s, winning the national title 3 times. In recent years however, the club has had to live in the shadows of Montevideo's two powerhouses: Carrasco Polo Club
and Old Christians Club
.
In 1881, the MVCC played its first club match against the Montevideo Rowing Club.
In 1983, the MVCC first played the Club Universitario de Buenos Aires
(C.U.B.A.), and has played them annually ever since.
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, the capital of Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. It was founded in the nineteenth century by English immigrants. Its predecessor was the Victoria Cricket Club which was founded in 1842. The MVCC proper was founded in 1861, and within a few years of its foundation was playing rugby and association football as well.
They claim to be the oldest rugby club outside Europe.
Ground
The MVCC's ground is known as "La Blanqueada".Its original ground was known as "La Blanqueada" or the "English ground", but in 1889, it moved from its original location to make way for a military hospital
Military hospital
Military hospital is a hospital, which is generally located on a military base and is reserved for the use of military personnel, their dependents or other authorized users....
to a new site nearby. This was also known as "La Blanqueada" or the "New Ground" to distinguish it from the original site. The new site was purchased by debentures that members bought.
The MVCC moved a third time in 1945 to near the town of Sayago
Sayago
Sayago is a comarca in the province of Zamora, central Spain.- Geography :The comarca is located at the southwest of the Zamora province. The main geographical characteristic is the isolation caused by the Duero and Tormes rivers canyons...
. It moved for a fourth time to Carrasco
Carrasco
-Places:* Carrasco Province , a province of Cochabamba Department, Bolivia* Carrasco National Park, a national park in Cochabamba Department, Bolivia* Carrasco Bonito, a Brazilian municipality in the state of Tocantins...
, in 1955, where fields were shared by The British Schools of Montevideo
The British Schools of Montevideo
The British Schools of Montevideo is a private, coeducational, non-profit school, which aims to give an intensive bilingual education, combining the Uruguayan national curriculum with an English language program.-Educational programs and governance:...
.
In 1996, the MVCC moved yet again to Solymar
Solymár
Solymár is a village northwest of Budapest, beyond the 3rd and 2nd districts of the city: Nagykovácsi, Pilisszentiván, Pilisvörösvár, Csobánka, Pilisborosjenő, and Üröm...
on the outskirts of Montevideo.
Rugby
English cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
clubs were the incubators of rugby in South America, although rugby has survived much better in these countries than cricket has. It has been claimed that MVCC played rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
as early as 1865, but the first certain match was between Uruguayans and British members of the MVCC in 1880. One observer, apparently disdainful of the Britons mixing with the "natives", found it:
- "...at the same time sublime and ridiculous... [that the] young sons of distinguished families practising the games of the Anglo-Saxon in their youth and young Englishmen of blond Albion, face to face ... and on all sides [were] people strangely dressed who ran and shouted, pushed, fell, rose and finished by joining to form now a circle, now a pyramid, now a compact mass in which one could only distinguish heads without shoulders, legs without bodies and hands without arms."
Carlos E. Cat, also known as "Charlie", was a member of the MVCC, and was also president of the club in 1946.
In 1950, the Campeonato Uruguayo de Rugby was inaugurated and continues today. The first game was between the MVCC, and Carrasco Polo Club
Carrasco Polo Club
Carrasco Polo Club is a multisport Uruguayan club, from the Carrasco neighbourhood of Montevideo, best known for their rugby team.Their name references directly their polo team and the fact that Carrasco has one of Uruguay's leading equestrian centres. Its rugby union section is one of the best...
.
MVCC had some success in the 1950s, winning the national title 3 times. In recent years however, the club has had to live in the shadows of Montevideo's two powerhouses: Carrasco Polo Club
Carrasco Polo Club
Carrasco Polo Club is a multisport Uruguayan club, from the Carrasco neighbourhood of Montevideo, best known for their rugby team.Their name references directly their polo team and the fact that Carrasco has one of Uruguay's leading equestrian centres. Its rugby union section is one of the best...
and Old Christians Club
Old Christians Club
Old Christians Club, or simply Old Christians, is a rugby union and field hockey club from the Solymar neighbourhood of Montevideo, Uruguay.....
.
Cricket
In 1868, the MVCC played its first international against the Buenos Aires Cricket Club. It is the oldest international match registered in South America and was played on MVCC's ground in La Blanqueda.Association football
The MVCC played its first soccer match in 1878, between MVCC and a visiting ship. This was the first organised match in Uruguay.In 1881, the MVCC played its first club match against the Montevideo Rowing Club.
In 1983, the MVCC first played the Club Universitario de Buenos Aires
Club Universitario de Buenos Aires
Club Universitario de Buenos Aires is a sports club with headquarters in the Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina's federal district...
(C.U.B.A.), and has played them annually ever since.
Swimming
In 1974 and 1975, the MVCC swimming teams won the summer championships in swimming and diving.Field hockey
The ladies' hockey team won the local championships in 1987, 1989, 1993 and 1997, and the men won their championship in 2000.Other sports
In addition to the above sports, the MVCC also competes in athletics, cycling and tennis.External links
Official site- MVCC on Hat-trick dot net (soccer)
- The Development of Rugby in the River Plate Region: Irish Influences by Hugh FitzGerald Ryan in "Irish Migration Studies in Latin America", Society of Irish Latin American Studies.