Frantz Reichel... the Godfather
Frantz Reichel is one of the most prominent figure of French sports, if not the most..., and definitely the most ecclectic...
Reichel (1871-1932) is known as a rugger, first captain of the Racing Club de France (1892), then of the SCUF (until 1906) but also an athlete, a boxer, 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 and in the 20s, he was responsible for the overall organisation 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 (1924 as well). 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 Français, international cap n°3 who was the referee of that match !). Indeed, I do consider that Reichel and Dedet are both the "godfathers" of French rugby...
- 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, together with American pilot Wilbur Wright.
I have selected four pictures of Frantz Reichel :
(up/left) Reichel in 1893, 22, captain of the USFSA team touring in England. The very first French team (actually a selection of Parisian team, mostly Stade Français and Racing Club de France) to visit Home Countries. Full story here and there...
(up/right) Reichel in 1903, 32, posing for the photograph of La Vie Au Grand Air. it looks very much like American Football... Reichel actually organized some fixtures in Paris with American code... with little success...
(down/left) Reichel in 1911, 40, still playing rugby. Here you can guess that he was a tough guy... in sports and in life...
(down/right) Reichel in 1922, 51, as a veteran rugger... this picture comes out of a full article (in French here, in Le Miroir des Sports) that brings a detailled portray of a passionate sportsman, calling him a "mystic of sports"...
And here is Reichel in 1900 Olympics vs Germany (Franckfurt)
Note : I will publish in "slow mode" during August... any volunteers for contributions ?
