Joan Gamper
Hans Max Gamper-Haessig[1] (German pronunciation: [hans maks ˈɡampər ˈhɛːsɪg]; 22 November 1877 – 30 July 1930), commonly known as Joan Gamper (IPA: [ʒuˈaŋ ˈɡampər]), was a Swiss-born football executive and versatile athlete. He founded football clubs in Switzerland and Spain, most notably Barcelona and Zürich.
Joan Gamper
30 July 1930 (aged 52)
Swiss and Spanish
- Athlete
- businessman
Liberation Party of Pardi
Team
Team
Excelsior
He is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the amateur beginnings of Barcelona, being the fundamental head behind the foundation of the club in 1899, and then serving as the club's first captain between 1899 and 1903, netting over 100 goals in just 48 matches for Barça and in 1902, he captained his side to a victory in the Copa Macaya, the club's first title.[2] He then served as its president on five separate occasions between 1908 and 1925. One of his main achievements was getting the funds for the construction of their own stadium in 1909, the Camp de la Indústria, which is regarded as the main element that helped the club grow in the 1910s.[3] Under Gamper's leadership, Barcelona won eleven Championat de Catalunya, six Copa del Rey and four Pyrenees Cup.
Early years[edit]
Hans-Max Gamper (his mother's maiden name – Haessig – is generally appended in Spanish sources) was born in Winterthur, Switzerland. He was the eldest son and third of five children born to August Gamper and Rosine Emma Haessig. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was eight and the family moved to Zürich. He became a citizen of the city and in his later youth started to learn his craft as a tradesman in an apprenticeship at the silk trade house Grieder at the centrally located Paradeplatz.[4] As a youngster, Gamper was a keen cyclist and runner. In 1893, 15 years old, he was one of the pacers of Swiss champion Edouard Wicky in a match race competition over 100 km (against Gaston Béguin).[5] Throughout his life he was a lover of all sports and, apart from football, he also played rugby union, tennis and golf.[6] In Switzerland, he was highly regarded as a footballer. His first football club was Excelsior Zürich which was playing in the same colours (red and blue) as later Barcelona.[7] After some members of Excelsior split off to form Turicum Zürich, they reunited with Excelsior in 1896 to form FC Zürich. Gamper was a co-founder and the first captain of the club's history. In the early years of football in Switzerland, it was allowed to play for an indefinite number of teams from other cities as a guest player in friendly games – Gamper is known to have played among others two games for Winterthur and Basel. Hans Gamper representing Zürich was in 1898 holder of the Swiss records over the 800m and 1600m track distances.[8] He also organized the first international athletics competition in Zürich during autumn of the same year. Today, this event is one of the most renowned international athletics events worldwide, the Weltklasse Zürich (organized by FC Zürich spin-off LC Zürich). In 1897, work took him temporarily to Lyon in France, where he played rugby for Athletique Union.[6] The other names they called him, all came from the difficulty the Catalan people had, pronouncing the German "H" and "G": Hans became Kans, Gamper became Kamper. But he is most known as Johannes, becoming Joan Gamper.
Legacy[edit]
In 1966, the Barcelona president Enric Llaudet created the Joan Gamper Trophy in his honour.[22] This is a pre-season tournament featuring international teams as guests and is traditionally used by the club to unveil the team for the forthcoming season. The club also permanently retired his club membership number and the city named a street, Carrer de Joan Gamper in Les Corts district, after him. In 2016, also in Zurich, a small street in a central location of the city already named "Gamperstrasse" has been dedicated to him.[26]
In 2002, Barcelona marked the 125th anniversary of his birth. In 2004, the Winterthur Group, a Swiss insurance company with offices in Barcelona since 1910, became sponsors of the Barcelona basketball team, which led to the team featuring the birthplace of Gamper on their shirts and in their name Winterthur FCB until 2007, after Winterthur Group was purchased by AXA. Perhaps this and the fact that the club developed into a polideportivo, the very personification of Gamper, is the most fitting tribute to this all-round sportsman. Today, Barcelona is "more than just a football club". It promotes amateur track and field sports and has rugby union and cycling teams. All of these were sports played by Gamper. Barça also has professional basketball, handball and roller hockey teams as well as amateur indoor football, women's football, volleyball, baseball and field hockey teams. Over the years, they have even had an ice hockey team.