Morton Betts
Encyclopedia
Morton Peto Betts
Morton Peto Betts (b. 30 August 1847, Bloomsbury
, d. 19 April 1914, Menton
, France
) was a leading English
sportsman of the late 19th century. He was notable for scoring the first goal in an English FA Cup Final.
He was the son of Edward Betts
, a civil engineering contractor, who married the sister of the railway entrepreneur Samuel Morton Peto
, which is how he was given his name. He was educated at Harrow School
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
.
His sporting career also featured first-class cricket for Middlesex
(1 match) and Kent
(2 matches). Switching between football
and cricket
duties frequently, he is also associated with Essex
. He played for Essex in 1884, before they became a first-class county, and he acted as secretary of the Essex CCC from 1887 to 1890.
Betts' most notable moment came when he scored the winning goal in the 1872 FA Cup Final
for Wanderers F.C.
, the first ever final of the tournament. In the match, he played under the pseudonym
A.H. Chequer. This was because Betts used to play for Harrow Chequers
(a team associated with Harrow School
). Betts' goal was a relatively simple 'tap-in', coming as a result of Robert Vidal
's successful dribble through the Royal Engineers
' defence.
Betts usually played football as a full-back, though his one appearance for England national team
(against Scotland
in 1877) was as a goalkeeper. By this time, he was with the Old Harrovians Football Club
.
For twenty years, Betts was a board member of the Football Association
.
He spent his final years living in France, and died aged 66, shortly before the outbreak of World War I
.
Morton Peto Betts (b. 30 August 1847, Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
, d. 19 April 1914, Menton
Menton
Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) was a leading English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
sportsman of the late 19th century. He was notable for scoring the first goal in an English FA Cup Final.
He was the son of Edward Betts
Edward Betts
Edward Ladd Betts was an English civil engineering contractor who was mainly involved in the building of railways.-Early life:...
, a civil engineering contractor, who married the sister of the railway entrepreneur Samuel Morton Peto
Samuel Morton Peto
Sir Samuel Morton Peto, 1st Baronet was an English entrepreneur and civil engineer in the 19th century. A partner in Grissell and Peto, he managed construction firms that built many major buildings and monuments in London...
, which is how he was given his name. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
.
His sporting career also featured first-class cricket for Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
(1 match) and Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
(2 matches). Switching between football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and cricket
Cricket
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...
duties frequently, he is also associated with Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
. He played for Essex in 1884, before they became a first-class county, and he acted as secretary of the Essex CCC from 1887 to 1890.
Betts' most notable moment came when he scored the winning goal in the 1872 FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final 1872
Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Post-match:...
for Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
, the first ever final of the tournament. In the match, he played under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
A.H. Chequer. This was because Betts used to play for Harrow Chequers
Harrow Chequers F.C.
Harrow Chequers Football Club was an association football club from London, United Kingdom. They were formed in 1865 and played their home matches at Kennington Oval, London. The club played an important part in English football in the 19th century and played in various FA Cups...
(a team associated with Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
). Betts' goal was a relatively simple 'tap-in', coming as a result of Robert Vidal
Robert Vidal
Robert Walpole Sealy Vidal was a prominent 19th century footballer who featured in the first three FA Cup Finals for two different clubs. In March 1870 he played in the first ever international football match, which took place at The Oval, London. He represented England again in 1871-Football...
's successful dribble through the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers A.F.C.
The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
' defence.
Betts usually played football as a full-back, though his one appearance for England national team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
(against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
in 1877) was as a goalkeeper. By this time, he was with the Old Harrovians Football Club
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
.
For twenty years, Betts was a board member of the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
.
He spent his final years living in France, and died aged 66, shortly before the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Sources
- Brief profile of M.P.Betts by Don Ambrose at CricketArchive.com
- List of Old Harrovian England Internationalists at EnglandFootballOnline
- Giller, Norman; 2004; 'Football and all That'; Hodder and Stoughton; pp15–16; ISBN 0340835893