Henri Capbern‑Gasqueton (1886 – 1972) was a French association football player and sports administrator. He played as a midfielder for the multi‑sport club VGA Médoc and later served in several executive roles, including president of VGA Médoc, founding president of the Ligue du Midi de Football Association, and second president of the Aquitaine Football League.
Early life and family
Henri Gasqueton was born in 1886 in Roubaix, France, the eldest son of Hélène Berchon (1862–1932) and Georges Capbern‑Gasqueton (1857–1922). His father was a wine‑merchant who owned Château Capbern‑Gasqueton and, after 1894, the renowned Bordeaux estate Château Calon‑Ségur in Saint‑Estèphe. Henri had four younger brothers—Etienne, Edouard, Lionel, and Georges—and grew up in a family involved both in viticulture and sport.
He married Germaine Lasseverie (1897–1980); the couple had at least three children: Philippe (1921–1995), Hubert, and Catherine. Philippe later inherited the family wine business.
Football playing career
Gasqueton’s senior football career spanned from 1907 to 1916 with VGA Médoc, a club founded in 1907 by him and his brothers as part of the larger “Vie au Grand Air du Médoc” association. He appeared primarily as a midfielder; detailed statistics on appearances and goals are not recorded.
Sports administration
- President of VGA Médoc (1910–1920): Gasqueton oversaw the club’s development during its early years, guiding its activities in football, field hockey, and cricket.
- Founding president of the Ligue du Midi de Football Association: He helped establish this regional governing body for football in southwestern France; exact dates of his tenure are not specified but fall within his broader administrative period.
- Second president of the Aquitaine Football League (1920–1924): Succeeding Guy Morat, Gasqueton led the league during its formative post‑World‑War I years.
Later life and death
Henri Capbern‑Gasqueton died in 1972 at the age of 85 or 86. His contributions to early French football, particularly in the Aquitaine region, are noted for helping organize and professionalize the sport at a regional level.
Legacy
Gasqueton is remembered as both an early player and a key administrator who helped lay the foundations for organized football in southwestern France. His family’s wine enterprises continued under his descendants, linking his legacy to both sport and viticulture in the Gironde region.