16 October 2014
Today is the birthday of the first man at the helm of the Old Lady, just a few days before the big day of 'his' Juventus.
"When it comes down to it, it all started with him – Eugenio Canfari, the first Juventus president. The older of the two Canfari brothers, Eugenio was a pioneer of ideas considered almost audacious at the time. He was the leader of a group of men with big ambitions. And piece by piece, they managed to realise their dreams.
"In the autumn of 1897, he was elected president of the newly founded football club. It was the turning point. Or rather, the beginning. It may seem grandiose – though such sentiment is not out of place in this instance – but it is precisely for that reason we say it all started from him, Eugenio Canfari.
"His reign lasted just one year. In 1898, he strategically handed the presidency to his younger brother, Enrico, who boldly ran the club until 1901. It was an intense three years, from a variety of perspectives. Eugenio Canfari was one of the most accomplished and enterprising figures among the group of men that, on a bench in Corso Re Umberto, decided to form Juventus.
"It was no surprise, then, that the first club meetings took place in his father’s workshop, which Eugenio made available to all. It was a type of rustic conference hall, where the men discussed all manner of topics among the oil-stained tools and spare parts. It was also the place where they voted on the club’s first articles of association. That address is now part of Bianconeri folklore: Corso Re Umberto 42.
"The elder Canfari brother had not only been elected president, but also tasked with finding an appropriate headquarters using the monthly payment that all members had to make to the club. An outlay which limited the number of interested participants.
"It was by no means an easy search, but in effect lasted just a few weeks. For the sum of six lire per month, Eugenio Canfari managed to rent a beautiful house, with four rooms, a spacious courtyard, a terrace and an attic. However, not even a year passed before they were forced out and left with the same problem once more. Now Juventus 'live' in a luxurious palace just a few hundred metres from Corso Re Umberto in Corso Galileo Ferraris, between the Industrial Union headquarters and the Galleria d’Arte Moderna.
"During Eugenio Canfari’s presidency, Juventus were called Sport Club Juventus; it was his younger brother who changed the name to Juventus Football Club. This too was a turning point, because it has remained unchanged since that day in 1899. A name that shall never be forgotten. And neither shall the indelible memory of Eugenio Canfari."
