Sport in the district of Myszków in the years 1956-1975

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this paper is to present the development of sport in the district of Myszków. The time periods cover the years 1956-1975. The initial date is 1956 - based on the Ordinance of the Council of Ministers of 12 November 1955 the district of Myszków was established. In turn, the closing date is marked by 1975 - under the Act of the Sejm [lower chamber of the Polish parliament] of the People's Republic of Poland of 28 May 1975 on the national administrative reform, 49 provinces were established in place of the then 17 ones. Therefore, from 1 June 1975 a two-tier administrative division (provinces and communes) came into force.

The district of Myszków was established on 1 January 1956. It was separated from the district of Zawiercie. It was composed of 3 towns (Koziegłowy, Myszków and Żarki) and 23 "gromadas" [the smallest administrative units in Poland between 1954 and 1972] (Będusz, Choroń, Cynków, Gniazdów, Góra Włodowska, Jastrząb, Jaworznik, Koziegłówki, Kuźnica Stara, Lgota, Ludwinów, Masłońskie, Mzurów, Niegowa, Nowa Wieś Żarecka, Osiek, Pińczyce, Przybynów, Poraj, Siedlec, Sokolniki, Tomiszowice and Zawada) [1]. It is worth mentioning that on the day when the district of Myszków was established the "gromada" of Poraj was given the status of "osiedle" [an administrative unit in Poland in the years 1954 - 1972 which was in between a rural unit of "gromada" and "town"] [2].

The following research problems have been put forward in the study:

1. Did the establishment of the district of Myszków in 1956 influence the development of sport on

the territories making up the area?

2. What sport disciplines in the years 1956-1975 developed on the territory of the district of

Myszków?

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The work has been written with the use of the analysis of historical sources as the basic research method. Also, a method of induction, deduction and a statistical one have been used. Source materials included archival sources and literature relating to the history of physical education (especially sport) in the district of Myszków in the years 1956-1975.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Political transformations in 1956 in Poland also heralded changes in sport (in terms of management and organization). And it was not long before they were introduced. With the resolution of the Central Committee of Physical Culture (CCPC) of April 1957 the existing sports associations were transformed into professional federations of sports clubs, and in place of sports sections of CCPC sports associations having legal personality were re-established. In addition, traditional names and legal personality of sports clubs as basic links of sports movement were restored. In the same year; in May the Association for the Promotion of Physical Culture was founded, in October the School Sports Association, and in November a significantly expanded composition of CCPC was elected [3]. In turn, in 1960 CCPC was merged with the Committee for Tourism. As a result of this merger the Central Committee of Physical Culture and Tourism was set up together with its local (provincial and district) equivalents. This structure survived to 1978 [4]. What happened at the central level also had its impact on the lower levels, among other things in the district discussed in the paper.

The enforcement bodies of the Presidium of the District National Council in Myszków were its departments. The structure of the departments underwent frequent transformations. The authority responsible for the development of physical culture on the territory of the district of Myszków was the Committee of Physical Culture [5] set up in 1956, in place of which - as a result of reorganization - the Secretariat of Physical Culture was established in 1958 [6].

After 1958 there were further changes. In 1960 at the Presidium of the District National Council the District Committee of Physical Culture (DCPC) was created. The Plenum of DCPC was composed of: Henryk Rakowski (chairman), Wiktor Gębka (1st vice-chairman), Eugeniusz Stankowski (2nd vice-chairman) and Bogusław Chłosta, Małgorzata Chwaszcz, Edward Czarnecki, Stanisław Derda, Tadeusz Dyja, Leonard Flak, Edward Pelka, Waldemar Plebańczyk, Henryk Wachelka, Jerzy Wacławik and Aleksander Staśko (members) [7]. These people worked in three principal committees:

• the Committee of mass events and of the National and Youth Badge of Physical Fitness;

• Committee of sports equipment;

• Committee of tourism [8].

On 8 May 1961 the Presidium of the District National Council in Myszków revoked the resolution 10/82 of 17 May 1960 (under which DCPC was set up) and decided to establish on 12 May 1961 - the District Committee of Physical Culture and Tourism (DCPCT) [9]. Its members were: Henryk Rakowski (chairman), Wiktor Gębka (vice-chairman) and Jerzy Czyż, Stanisław Derda, Leonard Flak, Eugeniusz Gębka, Zdzisław Kaczmarek, Bronisław Pałys, Edward Pelka, Waldemar Plebańczyk, Mieczysław Raczek, Józef Sołtysik, Erwin Szczepańczyk, Jerzy Wacławik, Ryszard Walczyński, Jan Wielgos and Jerzy Zadworny (members) [10].

The development of sport in urban and rural communities was dependent on sports infrastructure. The condition of this infrastructure on the territory of the district of Myszków - in accordance with the data of 1960 - was as follows: 1 sports stadium, 11 football pitches, 14 volleyball courts, 3 basketball courts and 1 ice hockey rink (natural one) [8]. In the 2nd half of 1960s (data of 1966) sports facilities consisted of: 1 stadium with auditorium in Myszków, 9 volleyball courts, 10 pitches for grand games (including 3 temporary pitches), 1 sports shooting range, 3 swimming pools, 1 marina and 11 gyms [11]. In the following years the condition of sports infrastructure underwent change, among others in the years 1971-1974 the sports stadium in Myszków was renovated, modernized, fenced and embanked, in addition, an access road with an asphalt surface was built; a stadium in Mrzygłód was built, sports fields in Gniazdów, Jaworznik and Siedlec Duży; a gym was refurbished and a running track was built in the Secondary School of General Education (SSGE) in Koziegłowy; a new gym at the Primary School in Pińczyce was built and an asphalt pitch at the SSGE in Żarki. Also, the construction of the Communal Sports Centre in Żarki began [12].

In 1956 on the territory of the district of Myszków there were 40 primary schools and 5 branch schools, where compulsory physical education classes were conducted. Apart from that, there were 3 secondary schools and 1 vocational school, where School Sports Clubs (SSC) operated. In primary education the only SSC existed in Poraj. The reason for such poor development of sport in primary schools was the lack of gyms. In the district, taking into account 1956, there were only two gyms (Poraj and Gniazdów). One of the main deficiencies was also the lack of sports equipment, suitable teaching staff, and school sport facilities, which to a large extent would have contributed to improving the standard of physical education at schools [13].

Significant changes in sport on the territory of Myszków occurred in 1957. The Company Sports Club "Unia" was converted into a Sports Club (SC) "Unia", the Company Sports Club "Stal" in SC "Jedność", and the Company Sports Club "Stal Światowit" in SC Stal Światowit [14].

In 1960 on the territory of the district sports activity was conducted by: „Unia” Myszków, „Jedność” Myszków, Association for the Promotion of Physical Culture (APPC) Światowit, „Górnik” Poraj, „Unia” Natalin, 3 SSC and 16 clubs of Rural Sports Teams (RST). As far as team sport games are concerned it can be noted that these clubs specialized in football (19 teams), volleyball (16), handball

(5) and basketball (4). In addition, on the territory of the district of Myszków table tennis (12 sections), athletics (7) and chess (7) were popular. There was also one section of cycling, weightlifting and ice hockey [8].

From among the above-mentioned 19 football teams only one played matches in the 3rd league

- "Jedność" Myszków (1959 and 1960) [15]. The remaining teams competed in "B" class („Unia” Myszków, „Jedność” Myszków, RST Koziegłowy, RST Mrzygłód, APPC Światowit), in "C" class („Górnik” Poraj, „Jedność” Myszków, RST Żarki and „Unia” Natalin), in the junior class („Unia” Myszków, „Jedność” Myszków and RST Mrzygłód) an in "W" class - the so-called country group (RST Przybynów, RST Jaworznik, RST Niegowa, RST Jastrząb, RST Choroń and RST Trzebniów). The "W" class matches were played by the teams that lacked sufficient funds to cover the costs of play away from home, referees, and the purchase of sports equipment (e.g. balls, football boots or nets for goals). In volleyball 10 teams participated in the "W" class matches, and 6 teams in interschool competitions. Also, 6 sections of table tennis, 4 athletic ones and 4 chess ones participated in the "W" class competitions. Similarly, 6 teams of table tennis, 3 athletic ones and 3 chess ones played in interschool games. In the competition between schools also basketball players (4 teams) and handball players (5 teams) competed. In turn, the section of ice hockey took part in the matches of the Silesian League, and the cycling section (RST Myszków) and the section of weightlifting (Żarki Letnisko) played in the competitions at the provincial and central level [8].

In accordance with the data of 1962, on the territory of the district of Myszków 4 sports clubs were active: SC "Unia" ran 6 sections (football - "A" and "C" class, juniors and youngsters; track and field events and table tennis), SC "Jedność" - 5 sections (football - "A" and "C" class, juniors and youngsters; volleyball), SC "Światowit" - 4 sections (football - "B" class, juniors and youngsters; ice hockey) and SC "Unia Masłońskie" - 1 section (football) [16].

In October 1962 on the territory of Myszków SC" Unia" and SC "Jedność" merged into the Inter-Company Sports Club (ICSC) conducting its activity in seven sections (4 sections of football in "A" and "B" class, juniors and youngsters; track and field events, handball and volleyball). School Sports Clubs were active at the SSGE in Koziegłowy, Myszków and Żarki. They played in interschool competitions. In turn, taking into accounts RST, in 1962 on the territory of the district of Myszków there were 24 RST clubs (966 members), having 4 competitive sections (1 cycling section, 2 football sections - Mrzygłód in "B" class and Przybynów in "C" class and the section of weightlifting in Żarki Letnisko). The remaining RST clubs played with the neighbouring RST in the "W" class [16].

A year later - in 1963 - on the territory of the district of Myszków there were as many as 28 RST clubs. In turn, ICSC ran 8 sections (4 football sections in "A" and "C" class, of juniors and youngsters; track and field events, volleyball, table tennis and chess). It is also worth mentioning that in the SC "Światowit" in 1963 there was no section of ice hockey any longer [17]. In 1964 the number of RST in the district of Myszków, compared to the previous year, increased by the subsequent four clubs (32 RST). They ran 8 competitive sections (cycling - men's and women's section; track and field events - Żarki; football - Mrzygłód in "B" class, Przybynów in "C" class and Koziegłowy in "C" class; weightlifting, wrestling - Tomiszowice) [18]. A year later the number or RST in the district of Myszków increased to 36 (similarly as in 1964 they had 8 active competitive sections) [19].

In 1964, ICSC expanded to include a tourist section (9 sections in total), and SC "Unia" Masłońskie, in addition to the football section ("B" class), it gained three more sections: of volleyball, table tennis and the tourist one [18]. Next, in 1966 the number of sections in ICSC Myszków decreased from 9 to 7 (football - "A" and "B" class and juniors; volleyball - men's and women's "A" class; table tennis - "B" class and chess - "A" class). Whereas SC "Unia" Masłońskie became a one-section club (a football team in the "B" class) [11]. In 1967 in ICSC it was even worse. It was the effect of inappropriate financial management of the club. The sections of table tennis and women's volleyball were closed down. Poorer and poorer sports results, disastrous financial situation and no prospects for development led to the collapse of the club. In December 1972 ICSC was dissolved and the club disappeared from the sports map, but no for long. On 6 January 1973 during a meeting of competitors and fans in the seat of the Myszków Paper Mill (MPM) SC "Papiernik" was established. The director of MPM - W. Suwalski was appointed the President of the club. The first section of the club taken over from RST was the cycling section, but in autumn 1973 more sections were set up - of football and athletics [14].

In 1975 on the territory of the district of Myszków the activity - in the field of union sport - was conducted by 3 sports clubs: SC "Mystal" set up in 1973 at the Myszków Metallurgical Plant (football and volleyball); SC "Papiernik" at MPM (cycling and football) and SC "Unia" at the Cardboard Plant in Masłońskie (football) [20].

It is also worth noting, that the sports activity in the 2nd half of 1960s, as well as in the 1st half of 1970s, was also continued by the District Council of RST. In 1967 in the rural area there were 40 clubs of RST [21]. Whereas at schools SSC were quite active. In 1965 SSC from the district of Myszków had 25 sections registered in the School Sports Association (SSA) (11 sections of handball, 10 athletic sections and 4 gymnastic sections) [19]. A year later - in 1966 - SSA was engaged in sport-related work on the premises of schools in 72 sections (of which 15 sections operated at secondary schools) [11]. Whereas in 1967 27 SSC conducted sports activity at schools (including 4 secondary schools), which ran the total of 66 sections [21, 22].

The problem presented in this study, referring to the history of physical culture, is a part of complex issues, which could be described as the depiction of the development of sport in the context of wider organizational and social changes in a given region. Such determinants as e.g. the establishment of a district, development of supporting facilities, change in financial situation of clubs - are aspects related to a number of very different forms of physical culture [23]. Such relationship was also observed in the case of the development of cycle speedway in Częstochowa - a city approximately 40 km away from Myszków. The development of this sport constitutes a fragment of a separate study [24].

CONCLUSIONS

To sum up, it must be noted that the establishment of the district of Myszków had a significant impact on the development of sport in areas making up this territory. The development of sport on the territory discussed was influenced by the creation, in consequence of the establishment of the district, of organizational units responsible among other things for determining directions and programmes for the development of physical culture and in this respect making long-term plans. The organizational units were the following: Physical Culture Committee (established in 1956), Secretariat of Physical Culture (established in 1958 in place of the then Physical Culture Committee), DCPC (set up in 1960) and established a year later (in 1961) - DCPCT. Whereas sports practised in the district of Myszków in the years 1956-1975 were primarily the following: cycling, basketball, track and field events, football, handball, volleyball, weightlifting, chess and table tennis.