Basler Sportclub Old Boys, commonly known as BSC Old Boys, Old Boys Basel or simply Old Boys or when written just OB, is a Swiss sports club based in Basel. The club is mainly known for its football but it also has track, swimming and tennis sections. The association's colors are yellow and black.
Chart of BSC Old Boys table positions in the Swiss football league system
In 1876 the gymnastics teacher at the then secondary school, Adolf Glaz, founded the RTV/Realschüler-Turnverein (secondary school student gymnastics club). In 1893 he introduced his students to the new football game. From then some members of the club met regularly during the summer and autumn holidays and the RTV had a football team. When the students finished school, they could no longer be members of the student association. That is why they founded their own football club in 1894.[1] Since they founded the club because they had become too old for the school club, they called the new club the "Old Boys".[2]
Although the first national championship in Switzerland took place in 1897–98 it is considered as unofficial because it was not organized by the Swiss Football Association (SFA; founded in 1895 with OB as founder member). OB did not participate in this first championship, but did in the second edition during the following season.[3]
The first edition of the official Swiss championship was played in the 1898–99 season as a knock out competition, divided into three regional groups, an east (region Zürich), a central (regional north-west Switzerland) and west group (Romandy). The winners of each group played the finals in a round-robin tournament. OB played against FC Basel in the central group semi-final, at the Landhof on 13 November 1898 and drew 1–1 with their local rivals.[4] It therefore required a replay. This was also drawn, despite an agreed two times 20 minutes extra time. Because OB complained that the first FCB goal had been scored by hand, they protested and the SFA had to deal with the matter. Subsequently, the protest was approved and awarded - and the disputed goal was simply deducted from the score to give the final result. Thus OB became the first forfait winners in Swiss football history.[5] OB advanced to the finals, but the Anglo-American Club Zürich became Swiss champions.[6]
The Swiss Serie A season 1903–04 was again divided into three regional groups, east, central and west. OB were allocated to the central group together with the Young Boys, FC Bern, Floria Biel/Bienne, and two further teams from Basel FC Basel and Fortuna Basel. The Young Boys and the Old Boys ended level on points and so a play-off match was arranged. The OB won the play-off 3–2 and therefore qualified for the finals. In the finals St. Gallen first drew 1–1 against group west winners Servette, then they won 1–0 against central group winners OB and because the OB beat Servette 2–0, St. Gallen won their first ever championship title.[7]
The club was founded as FC Old Boys Basel but became BSC Old Boys at the beginning of the 20th century. As explained in 1899, 1904 and 1913, the club finished as runners-up in the Swiss Series A, but in 1932, the club was relegated from the professional leagues. After spending many years in the amateur leagues, OB managed to climb back into the Nationalliga B in 1987, the same year that local rivals FC Basel were relegated from the Nationalliga A, meaning the two clubs would meet again. In the 1995/96 season, Old Boys were relegated again from the professional divisions to the amateurs and they now play in the Second Group of Swiss 1. Liga.
BSC Old Boys play at the Stadium Schützenmatte, but the original home ground of the club was Margaret Meadow. The club had to move stadium because the IWB, the Industrial Works of Basel, bought the grounds and developed their head-quarters there.
In 1922, a swimming section was founded, which later merged with other clubs, and in 1927, a tennis club was founded. In 1935, it split to become Tennis Club Old Boys, today's home club of Roger Federer.
The 1932–33 season was the Fussball Club Basel 1893's 40th season in their existence and their 33rd consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football. They played their home games in the Landhof in the district Wettstein in Kleinbasel. The club's chairman Franz Rinderer was confirmed at the AGM for the second consecutive period.
Ernst-Alfred Thalmann was a Switzerland national football team footballer, jurist, politician and private art collector.
The 1971–72 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 78th season in their existence. It was their 26th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium. The club's chairman was Félix Musfeld for the second year in a row.
The FC Basel 1898–99 season was their sixth season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. This was the first season in which they competed for the Swiss championship. The club's chairman was Charlie Volderauer, who was chairman between 1896 and 1900. He was the third chairman in the club's history, following Roland Geldner (1893–1896) and Emanuel Schiess (1896). FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof, in the Quarter Kleinbasel.
The FC Basel 1900–01 season was their eighth season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. The club's new chairman was Ernst-Alfred Thalmann, who took over the presidency from Charlie Volderauer at the AGM. He was the fourth chairman in the club's history. FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof in the Quarter Kleinbasel.
The FC Basel 1903–04 season was their eleventh season in their existence. The club's chairman was Ernst-Alfred Thalmann, who took over the chairmanship at the AGM for the third time in the club's history. FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof in the Quarter Kleinbasel.
The FC Basel 1918–19 season was their twenty-sixth season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. The club's chairman was August Rossa who took over from Franz Rinderer at the club's AGM. FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof in the district Wettstein in Kleinbasel. World War I was still being fought as the Swiss season started.
The FC Basel 1919–20 season was their twentyseventh season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. The club's chairman was Bernard Klingelfuss. FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof in the district Wettstein in Kleinbasel.
Josef Kiefer is a retired German footballer who played for FC Basel. He played in the position of defender.
The 1950–51 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 57th season in their existence. It was their fifth season in Nationalliga A the top flight of Swiss football following their promotion from the Nationalliga B in the season 1945–46. For the second consecutive season Basel played their home games in the Stadion Schützenmatte in the Bachletten quartier in the southwestern edge of the city of Basel. Jules Düblin was the club's chairman for the fifth successive season.
The 1953–54 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 60th season in their existence. It was their eighth consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion from the Nationalliga B the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the Landhof, in the Wettstein Quarter in Kleinbasel. Jules Düblin was the club's chairman for the eighth successive season.
The 1960–61 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 67th season in their existence. It was their 15th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football since their promotion from the Nationalliga B the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the Landhof, in the Wettstein Quarter in Kleinbasel. Ernst Weber was the club's chairman for his second consecutive season.
Adolf Ramseyer was a Swiss footballer who played for FC Basel in the early 1900s as defender.
Henri Eugen Strauss, or Eugène Strauss as he was known in Lausanne, was a Swiss international footballer who played as midfielder in the early 1900s.
Hans Billeter was a Swiss footballer who played as forward in the late 1890s.
Otto Reber was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder in the late 1890s.
Rudolf Schwarz was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder in the late 1890s.
Ernst Gass was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder in the late 1890s.
Alfred H. Devick was a Swiss footballer who played as defender or as midfielder in the 1890s and early 1900s.
Fussball Club Basel 1893 has a long and illustrious history, that spans the period from 1893 to the present day. Having competed at the highest level of football in Switzerland for most of this time, FCB currently play in the Swiss Super League. The club was founded on 15 November 1893.
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