Adolfo Sáenz-Alonso

Adolfo Sáenz-Alonso (1875 – 1964) was a Spanish professor of classical languages and sports leader. He was the first president of football club Real Sociedad between 1909 and 1912.

Early life Adolfo Sáenz was born in 1875 in the Biscayan town of Portugalete, as the son of Álvaro Sáenz, who was a native of Logroño, but had moved to Portugalete to take up his position as a primary school teacher. In 1886, when he was 11-years-old, his father was appointed secretary of the board of public education of Biscay.

In 1901 the university was closed and Sáenz applied for a notary position, which he obtained in San Sebastián in 1903. A few months later, on 11 February 1910, King Alfonso XIII granted the new Society the title of Real ("Royal"), hence becoming Real Sociedad. On 15 October 1909, just a month after the foundation of the club, Sáenz was already speaking, in a letter sent to the City Council of San Sebastián, of the invitation issued to participate in the inaugural edition of the Pyrenees Cup held in the South of France. That same year, Sociedad, together with Madrid FC and Athletic Club, organized a parallel cup to the 1910 Copa del Rey, which is now currently recognized as official by the RFEF, in which they had to compete under a different name (since their club was not yet a year old as the tournament statutes required), doing so under the umbrella of another local club, Vasconia Sporting Club, and reached the final (UECF), which they lost 0–1 to Athletic Bilbao, courtesy of a goal from Remigio Iza.

Sociedad participated again in the 1912 Pyrenees Cup, but due to lack of funds they could not travel to Bordeaux to play the semifinal against Stade Bordelais who thus advanced on forfeit.

Sáenz died in 1964 in San Sebastián, at the age of either 88 or 89.