Frantz Reichel, 1903

Another rugby print of Frantz Reichel from "“La Vie Au Grand Air"”, 1903.

I have done some homework to give you a more detailed bio of this eclectic sportsman.

Reichel (1871-1932) is first known as a rugger, captain of the Racing Club de France, then of the SCUF (until 1906), and founder of the "Federation Francaise de Rugby"” (French Rugby Union) in 1905. He was also an athlete, a boxer (founder of the "Federation Francaise de Boxe"” in 1903), a gymnast, a fencer and a pioneer of car and aviation...

He was a journalist at "Le Figaro" (founder of the sports column), l'Auto-Velo” , Le Sport Illustré..., then President of the AIPS - International association of the Sporting Press from 1924 to 1932.

Being the General Secretary of USFSA (Union des Sociétés Francaises de Sports Athletiques) before WW1, he was responsible for the overall organization of amateur sports in France, in a system ("Federations"” i.e. "“Unions" in the U.K.”) that still prevails today.

He was General Secretary of the executive organization committee of the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris - and he also sponsored the first winter Olympics in Chamonix. He took part to the creation of the French National Olympic Sports Committee (CNOSF).

In France, French rugby championship for "- 18 years old" is named after him (since 1931) to celebrate his contribution to the game.

Key facts of his "sporting resume"” are :

- Rugby : Champion de France in 1892 and 1900 with the RCF.

- Rugby : received cap n°2 of newly formed Equipe de France, without taking part to this match against the All Blacks (similarly to Louis Dedet of Stade Francais, international cap n°3 who was the referee of that match !). Indeed, I do consider that Reichel and Dedet are the "godfathers" of rugby in France...

- Olympic Games : ran the 400m and the 110m hurdles in Athens (1896), rugby Olympic title in 1900 in Paris ;

- Cross-Country : French champion in 1890 and 1891

- 110m hurdles : French champion in 1891

- 1 km walking : French champion in 1893

- "One “hour"” recordman in 1892 (with 16 500 meters on June 20, then 16 611 meters on November 6)

- Aviation : recordman of the longest flight with two passengers on October 3, 1908, with American Wilbur Wright as pilot.

Technorati Tags: rugby, print, reichel