Palms Ground

Palms Ground
מגרש הדקלים

Former names	Maccabi Ground (1923-1926) Hapoel Ground (1929-1941)
Location	Tel Aviv, Israel
Coordinates	32°3′24.7″N 34°45′55.1″E
Construction
Built	1920s
Closed	1941
Tenants
Maccabi Tel Aviv (1923-1926) Hapoel Tel Aviv (1929-1941)

The Palms Ground (Hebrew: מגרש הדקלים) was a football ground in the Florentin neighborhood of Tel Aviv, Israel. The ground was first known as Maccabi Ground and later as Hapoel Ground, but was nicknamed Palms Ground after the palms surrounding it.

History

The ground was built in the early 1920s for use of Maccabi Tel Aviv, which played in the ground until its lease was over and the club built a new ground in south-east Tel Aviv.[1] In 1929 Hapoel Tel Aviv, recently merged with Allenby football club, moved to play at the ground. However, due to security concerns, arising from the proximity of the ground to Jaffa, Hapoel moved to a new ground in 1941,[2] after which the ground was abandoned and was built over.[3]

Notable matches

• In 1923 hosted the first Cup competition for Jewish football team, the Magen Shimshon, in which Maccabi Nes Tziona had beaten Maccabi Haifa 2–0.[4]
• In January 1924 the visiting Hakoah Vienna played its first match in Palestine, winning over a Maccabi Tel Aviv 5–1.[5] A year later, Hakoah made a second visit to Palestine, this time beating Maccabi 11–2.[6]
• The ground hosted the Palestine Cup finals in 1930, in which Maccabi Tel Aviv had beaten a Northamptonshire Regiment XI 2–1.[7]
• In 1934, the national team hosted its first ever home match on the ground, losing 1–4 against Egypt.[8][9]

See also

• Sports in Israel

References

1. In The Maccabi Tel Aviv Society Do'ar HaYom, 21 September 1926, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
2. Hapoel's Tin Plates Ground Danny Recht, Tel Aviv 100 (in Hebrew)
3. Desert Generation Uri Yoeli, 24 July 2013, Kol HaRa'am
4. The Football Hebrew Cup Do'ar HaYom, 11 May 1923, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
5. The Palms Stadium/Droyanov School (Artists Workshops) Danny Recht, Tel Aviv 100 (in Hebrew)
6. The Maccabi and Hakoah Competition Do'ar HaYom, 14 January 1925, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
7. The Maccabi in the Cup Final Do'ar HaYom, 7 May 1930, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
8. How Egypt doubly thrashed Israel in a World Cup play-off Asher Goldberg, 1 July 2002, HaAretz
9. British Mandate of Palestine Official Games 1934-1948 RSSSF.com