Albert Whittall

Albert James Whittall (14 June 1879 – 8 August 1957) was an Anglo-Ottoman footballer who played as a forward for Bournabat FC and was one of five members of the Whittall family who competed in the football tournament at the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens, winning a silver medal as a member of the Bournabat Olympic team representing Smyrna.

Early life and education Edward Whittall was born in İzmir on 14 June 1879, as the second of nine children from the marriage of Mary Maltass (1851–1938) and Edward Whittall, an Anglo-Ottoman merchant and amateur botanist. The founder of the family was the Liverpool-born Charlton Whittall (1791–1867), who worked for a trading company in his hometown, which sent him to Smyrna (now İzmir), a major sea port, where he later set up his own trading company named C. Whittall & Co.

Between 1897 and 1899, Whittall started in Turkey's first-ever inter-city games, which were played by selection teams of Smyrna and Istanbul, helping his side win all of them. Aged 26 years and 313 days, Albert was the oldest player in the tournament, and as such, he served as the team's captain.

At the Olympics, Smyrna were knocked-out in the semifinals by a Copenhagen XI (5–1), who went on claim gold, but the withdrawal of the Athens team during the final and their subsequent disqualification meant that Smyrna and Thessaloniki would face each other for second place on 25 April 1906, in which the Whittalls, who formed a powerful attacking quintet, played a crucial role in helping their side to a 12–0 victory, thus winning the silver medal, which still is the greatest success of Izmir football in official matches.

Later life and death In 1904, the 25-year-old Whittall married Agnes Maud Keyser (1884–1967), with whom he had three children, Ruby (1907–?), Edward (1910–?), and Peggy (1920–1996). He died at İzmir on 8 August 1957, at the age of 78.

Honours Smyrna XI Intercalated Games