Association Athlétique Albert le Grand 1905

Let’s mix the pleasure of collecting with a wee bit of French rugby history... I’ve just found this A.A.A.G. cap, dated 1905, which is much more than a niece piece of memorabilia :)

A.A.A.G. stands for Association Athlétique Albert le Grand.

Albert le Grand was a Catholic college in Arcueil, near Paris, which was a leading place in the 1890s/1900s for the development of sports as part of the educational system under the leadership of his headmaster and prior Henri Didon.

Didon, who was close to Pierre de Coubertin, invested into sporting facilities (the college created a swimming pool, a running track, several football grounds and a riding hall), started to promote sports among pupils, and organized sports competitions vs Parisian schools and “lycees”.

In 1891, Didon founded the college sports club A.A.A.G., whose flag was reading “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (faster, higher, stronger), soon to be adopted by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894 for Olympic Games.

French National Library (BNF gallica.fr) shows these "Fêtes Sportives", i.e. intercollege sports events at Albert le Grand in 1898.

 

I can give also credit to Didon to have recruited Louis Dedet as a professor of philosophy... and a mentor to young rugbymen. Dedet (one of my heroes...) was the captain and leader of Stade Français in the 1890s: 5 times French champion between 1893 and 1898, captain of the first French side to defeat a British team (Rosslyn Park 1894), International player nbr 3, referee vs NZ and England in 1906 (and to date the only French international player to have refereed an international game...).

With such background, it’s not surprising to have A.A.A.G. being a leading school team at the turn of the century. Above is the A.A.A.G. team winning Paris School Championship in 1899.

 

This other photo, dated 1903, shows the boys of A.A.A.G. welcoming Denstone College at La Faisanderie (home ground of Stade Français - it makes sense!). I’ve zoomed on Louis Dedet, coach, and young Marcel Communeau, future captain of Stade Français and France, and most capped forward of pre-ww1 era.

This last postcard shows the Parisian boys from A.A.A.G. playing on the Big Side at Rugby School in 1905. The score looks harsh... but I don’t know any other French team in this era to have been invited in the very cradle of Rugby Football! (Nb : Didon visited Oxbridge and Rugby School in 1898-99).