13 July 1908
On Monday 13 July 1908 Birmingham FC’s new secretary, Alex Watson, commenced his duties. Watson, who replaced the long-serving Alf Jones, had been joint secretary of Sunderland between 1894 and 1900. He had previously worked as a schoolmaster in Sunderland for many years and was also a member of the Durham County FA. It was not until 1910 that Birmingham appointed their first manager and Watson was therefore the main administrative figure at the club at this time.
This was also the day when the opening ceremony took place for the Summer Olympic Games at White City in London. Around 1,000 athletes took part in the parade before King Edward VII; most wore athletic dress, the exceptions being the German team who wore blue serge suits and the USA, whose athletes were “arrayed in lounge suits according to individual taste.” The attendance was a disappointing 40,000 – only around half of the stadium capacity - mostly due to the high cost of tickets (see entry for 22 June 1908).
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Tags: 100 Years Ago, 1908, Birmingham, Olympic Games
No Responses Yet to “13 July 1908”