13.01.2019 /

A Brief History of the Cycling Club in Kharkiv

As noted in the previous article, on January 20, 1913, the first open cross-country skiing race for the city championship was held in the Ruska Lozova area, organized by the Cycling and Sports Club (CSC).

And on February 9, 1913, the sports enthusiasts’ club organized a race for its speed skaters. A week later, a competition was held to determine the VSK’s top skater.
Since this organization played a major role in promoting winter sports among the residents of our beloved city, I’d like to tell you more about it today. It all began on February 9, 1912, when V. A. Peters, V. F. Milfort, N. S. Illarionov, and A. G. Gnedich, a petition was sent requesting approval of the draft charter for the Kharkiv Bicycle and Sports Club.

After that, starting on February 14, as is customary, the authorities began verifying the trustworthiness of the organization’s founders. Based on the results of this investigation, it was determined on March 20 that “the individuals named in the petition have not been and are not currently under trial or investigation during their residence in the Kharkiv Governorate; they are of good character and conduct, and have not been involved in matters of a political nature.”

Then, from April 14 to 18, summonses were sent to the four founders of the CSC, instructing them to appear on April 21 for the approval of the draft charter. Wilhelm Andreevich Peters was elected as the organization’s representative.

Following comments made by officials of the Presidium regarding amendments to certain provisions of the charter and with the consent of Wilhelm Andreevich, the CSCcharter was approved, and the society itself was entered into the registry after these changes were made. This was completed by the VSK’s founders by May. Following the general meeting of the society’s members on May 25 and the meeting on May 29, the following individuals were elected:

— Chairman: Alexander Rudolfovich Janson;
— Vice Chairman: Wilhelm Andreevich Peters;
— Secretary: Alexander Lvovich Blinder;
— Treasurer: Karl Karlovich Schmidt;
— Heads of Property and Administration: Wilhelm Franzovich Milfort and Boris Osipovich Barsky.

As early as September 5, 1912, a design for the CSC badge was submitted to the governor of Kharkiv for review, and it was approved by the end of the month. Thanks to this, we can still see today a beautifully preserved symbol of one of our city’s finest sports organizations.

The information contained in the CSC charter is also interesting. For example, advocates of a healthy lifestyle who lived in Kharkiv more than 100 years ago pointed out that:

The purpose of the club is to promote the development of sports by providing its members with the opportunity to participate in the following sports:
a) cycling, motorcycling, ice skating, and skiing;
b) track and field, weightlifting, and fencing;
c) team sports: soccer, lawn tennis, hockey, polo, and others.

“The society has an official seal, and its members are entitled to wear badges when visiting the society’s premises or participating in tours, competitions, games, and entertainment events organized by the society.”

With the proper authorization from the authorities, the VSK could organize public competitions, lectures, movie screenings, evening events, excursions, and outings, to which outsiders could also be admitted for a separate fee. It could also award prizes and certificates to participants in athletic competitions.

Membership in the cycling and sports club was open to individuals of either gender who had reached the age of majority, whose admission had been approved by the board, and who paid the prescribed initiation and annual dues. However, there were still restrictions on membership. For example, the following individuals could not be admitted as members of the Cycling and Sports Club:
— enlisted personnel (i.e., soldiers) and cadets on active duty;
— those who had been deprived of or had their rights restricted by a court;
— those under administrative exile or under police supervision;
— students at educational institutions of the War Department.

In various sports games and competitions (as noted in § 20), visitors—other than members of the Sports Club—and outsiders of both sexes could participate at the discretion of the board and under special conditions established by the general meeting. Non-members were also permitted to wear the club’s badges.

Judging by newspaper articles from that time, however, the CSC’s plans were simply grand:

The winter season is over. Our soccer players are eagerly awaiting the time when the snow melts and they can start training.
This season, the “Sporting Club” soccer field in the city park is scheduled to open, and if an agreement can be reached with the city, the VSK will build a large-scale sports complex—featuring a cycling track, a running track, a lawn tennis court, and a soccer field—no earlier than this fall.

Track and field classes will begin this spring at the Phoenix and VSK clubs. This spring, CSC plans to organize a series of road bike races.

The Cycling and Sports Club also devoted considerable attention to soccer. In the spring of 1913, the club’s soccer team took part in the Kharkiv championship matches. It then actively participated in other games as well, although it did not become the city’s top team.

However, the CSC declined to participate in the track and field competitions held in Kharkiv in April 1913 for a number of reasons.

With the outbreak of World War I, people had little time for sports, and many members of the cycling club went off to the front. Any war can easily shatter plans and lives. But despite its short existence, the Cycling and Sports Club still made a significant contribution to the development of sports and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle in our city.

Anton Bondarev
Latest posts by Anton Bondarev (see all)

CategoriesSport