SK Rapid :: 125 years: Happy birthday, SK Rapid!

This happened 125 years ago on this day Birth of rapids! In the crisis meeting on January 8, 1899 asked the secretary of the Jewish Society, Wilhelm Goldschmidt Important request to change name. The “Fast” gym was born! It emerged from the first workers' football club in Vienna, which had been in existence since 1897.

Here is the Neue Wiener Abendblatt newspaper's report on this historic meeting:

“1. Vienna Workers' Football Club. On Sunday 8 d. At the general meeting held, Karl Paleck was elected president, Wilhelm Goldschmidt secretary, and Captain J. Kailić and Karl Schedewe second captains. After a long discussion, Mr. Goldschmidt's request to change The name of the club and the name SC Rapid was chosen.

Why the quick name? The term means “very fast” – quite appropriate for a football club with high goals. At the same time, there was a successful club in Berlin called the Berlin Football and Cricket Club “Rapid” 1893, which was used as a model.

The club colors were still in the early years blue And red, Schmelzer's showground served as home. There was no talk of a real football field, as most of the budget was spent on footballs, as they regularly broke on the uneven ground. At that time, no one would have doubted that these first players would join what is now the most popular club in Austria.

Over time, those became primary Blue and red Rudolfsheimer to Hütteldorfers in green and white – It is known beyond the country’s borders thanks to its national and international successes. Hundreds of thousands now admit to being Rapid fans, and tens of thousands cheer on the players on the field week after week, in victory or defeat, in the sun or below zero, both in Hoteldorf and outside.

788 players have already donned their boots for the Rapid first team – and many more women and men will do the same and give their all for the green and white!