Estadio Juan Carlos Zerrillo
Encyclopedia
Juan Carmelo Zerillo Stadium, also known as El Bosque (Spanish for "the forest", due to its location in the La Plata park of the same name), is the stadium of the Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
, and nowadays has the capacity to accommodate approximately 24,544 spectators.
Zerillo Stadium is a sports venue located in the so-called bosque platense, northeast of the city of La Plata
, Buenos Aires
, Argentina
. It is more precisely located on 60th Avenue and its intersection with 118th Street.
On March 22, 1923 work began to build the stadium. The field's dimensions were made 118 meters long and 74 meters wide, and was later named in honor of Juan Carmelo Zerillo, president of the club from 1929 to 1931. In this period the club claimed its only national championship to date, in 1929.
On April 26, 1924 a ceremony was held, with the presence of then Governor, Dr. Cantilo. The official inauguration, however, was postponed until the anniversary of the city of La Plata
, on November 19, with Gimnasia playing a friendly match against Peñarol de Montevideo.
During a derby match in 1959, one of the wooden stands the stadium had at the time collapsed, causing dozens of injuries and the suspension of the match.
Over the years the stadium changed its structure, in order to harbor a greater amount of public. After the club's remarkable campaigns in the 90s and the delay of the construction of the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, Gimnasia's coach Carlos Timoteo Griguol
required the then club's president, Héctor Atilio Delmar, to expand the capacity of the stadium to meet the standards required by FIFA
, which said that from 2001 any first division club could have their stadium built with wood.
Between 2006 and June 2008, the stadium could not be used for official tournaments, due to new safety standards the Co.Pro.Se.De committee created in 2002 with the aim of reducing incidents of violence at sporting events in the Province of Buenos Aires. The president at the time, Juan José Muñoz decided to use the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata to play the home games. This decision by the President was done without calling an assembly and was also frowned upon by the bias tripera. This resulted in several complaints.
The management board that took the reins of the club in 2008 began negotiations for the stadium renovation with a foreign company and the construction of a second tray. In the meantime, they also managed, after some repairs and improvements of facilities in early 2008, the approval of the Co.Pro.Se.De to play official matches. On June 21, 2008, Gimnasia played back at "the forest" formally against Lanús. Since the start of the Apertura 2008 tournament, Gimnasia uses his Stadium of The Forest for most of their local meetings.
Juan Carmelo Zerillo was president of the Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, during 1929, after the mandate of Dr. Adolfo Rivarola, and ended his presidency in 1931, John T. Erbiti becoming the next president.
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata Gimnasia y Esgrima was promoted to the first division after becoming champions of the División Intermedia of Argentine football in 1915. Later, in 1929, the club would become champions of the Primera División...
, and nowadays has the capacity to accommodate approximately 24,544 spectators.
Zerillo Stadium is a sports venue located in the so-called bosque platense, northeast of the city of La Plata
La Plata
La Plata is the capital city of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and of La Plata partido. According to the , the city proper has a population of 574,369 and its metropolitan area has 694,253 inhabitants....
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It is more precisely located on 60th Avenue and its intersection with 118th Street.
On March 22, 1923 work began to build the stadium. The field's dimensions were made 118 meters long and 74 meters wide, and was later named in honor of Juan Carmelo Zerillo, president of the club from 1929 to 1931. In this period the club claimed its only national championship to date, in 1929.
On April 26, 1924 a ceremony was held, with the presence of then Governor, Dr. Cantilo. The official inauguration, however, was postponed until the anniversary of the city of La Plata
La Plata
La Plata is the capital city of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and of La Plata partido. According to the , the city proper has a population of 574,369 and its metropolitan area has 694,253 inhabitants....
, on November 19, with Gimnasia playing a friendly match against Peñarol de Montevideo.
During a derby match in 1959, one of the wooden stands the stadium had at the time collapsed, causing dozens of injuries and the suspension of the match.
Carlos Timoteo Griguol
Carlos Timoteo Griguol is an Argentine football coach and former player.His playing career was spent with Atlanta and Rosario Central. As a coach, after winning the championship with Rosario Central in 1973. He had 3 spells and a successful career in the Rosario's club...
required the then club's president, Héctor Atilio Delmar, to expand the capacity of the stadium to meet the standards required by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, which said that from 2001 any first division club could have their stadium built with wood.
Between 2006 and June 2008, the stadium could not be used for official tournaments, due to new safety standards the Co.Pro.Se.De committee created in 2002 with the aim of reducing incidents of violence at sporting events in the Province of Buenos Aires. The president at the time, Juan José Muñoz decided to use the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata to play the home games. This decision by the President was done without calling an assembly and was also frowned upon by the bias tripera. This resulted in several complaints.
The management board that took the reins of the club in 2008 began negotiations for the stadium renovation with a foreign company and the construction of a second tray. In the meantime, they also managed, after some repairs and improvements of facilities in early 2008, the approval of the Co.Pro.Se.De to play official matches. On June 21, 2008, Gimnasia played back at "the forest" formally against Lanús. Since the start of the Apertura 2008 tournament, Gimnasia uses his Stadium of The Forest for most of their local meetings.
Juan Carmelo Zerillo
- Champion of the Primera División de Argentina Tournament in 1929.