Tasmania 1900 Berlin
Encyclopedia
SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin was a German association football club
based in the Berlin district of Neukölln
.
of the German Football Association
(Deutscher Fußball-Bund or German Football Association) in Leipzig
in 1900. After World War II, the team was dissolved by the Allied authorities. It was reformed in 1946 as SG Mitte-Neukölln before once again taking on the name of the original sports club and becoming SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin in 1949.
In 1965, Berlin's only Bundesliga
side, Hertha BSC, had its license revoked and was relegated for breaking the league's player salary rules. The German Football Association
wanted to keep a club in the city of Berlin for political reasons and this led to one of the strangest episodes in the Bundesliga's history.
Both Karlsruher SC
and FC Schalke 04
tried to avoid being demoted by laying claim to Herthas place. It was decided to suspend relegation for one season and increase the number of teams in the league from 16 to 18 to accommodate the two teams which would normally be promoted from the Regionalligen (the Regional Leagues being the leagues below the Bundesliga at the time). Cold War politics led to a space being held for a team from the former capital city to replace Hertha.
The winner of Regionalliga Berlin, Tennis Borussia Berlin
, had failed to advance to the Bundesliga through the regular promotion round that saw Bayern Munich
and Borussia Mönchengladbach
move up. After the Regionalliga second place finisher, Spandauer SV
, refused an offer of promotion, the way was clear for third-place club Tasmania 1900 to take up the opportunity to represent Berlin in the Bundesliga — just two weeks before the start of the 1965–66 season.
A top performer in the relatively weak Regionalliga Berlin, Tasmania 1900 would find themselves seriously overmatched in the Bundesliga. Despite a season-opening 2–0 win over Karlsruher SC at the Olympiastadion
, they would go on to become the worst team in league history — in a 34-game season they won only twice. They scored only 15 goals while conceding 108 and finished the season in last place earning just 8 of a possible 68 points. The only team not to beat Tasmania was 1. FC Kaiserslautern
which managed only two draws (0–0 and 1–1) against them. The 0–0 result at Betzenberg was the only point earned by Tasmania away from their home stadium.
Tasmania were relegated at the end of the season and returned to the Regionalliga Berlin. Although the team made it to the promotion round twice between 1966 and 1973, they never managed a return to the Bundesliga. In 1973, the Neukölln sports association declared bankruptcy.
in 2000. While the new club's first team had to restart in the lowest division in 1973 and quickly rose through the ranks again, the club's youth teams were permitted to remain in the leagues the played in under the old name.
1965-68 Gyula Lóránt
1968-69 Milan Antolković
1969-70 Hans Hipp 1970-72 Peter Velhorn 1972-73
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
based in the Berlin district of Neukölln
Neukölln
Neukölln is the eighth borough of Berlin, located in the southeastern part of the city and was part of the former American sector under the Four-Power occupation of the city...
.
Tasmania 1900
The team was founded on 2 June 1900 as Rixdorfer TuFC Tasmania 1900, changing its name when Rixdorf was re-named Neukölln in 1912. Tasmania Berlin was a founding clubFounding Clubs of the DFB
The DFB was formed January 28, 1900 in Leipzig. The commonly accepted number of founding clubs represented at the inaugural meeting is 86, but this number is uncertain. The vote held to establish the association was 62:22 in favour . Some delegates present represented more than one club, but may...
of the German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
(Deutscher Fußball-Bund or German Football Association) in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
in 1900. After World War II, the team was dissolved by the Allied authorities. It was reformed in 1946 as SG Mitte-Neukölln before once again taking on the name of the original sports club and becoming SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin in 1949.
In 1965, Berlin's only Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
side, Hertha BSC, had its license revoked and was relegated for breaking the league's player salary rules. The German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
wanted to keep a club in the city of Berlin for political reasons and this led to one of the strangest episodes in the Bundesliga's history.
Both Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
and FC Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
tried to avoid being demoted by laying claim to Herthas place. It was decided to suspend relegation for one season and increase the number of teams in the league from 16 to 18 to accommodate the two teams which would normally be promoted from the Regionalligen (the Regional Leagues being the leagues below the Bundesliga at the time). Cold War politics led to a space being held for a team from the former capital city to replace Hertha.
The winner of Regionalliga Berlin, Tennis Borussia Berlin
Tennis Borussia Berlin
Tennis Borussia Berlin is a German football club based in Berlin-Westend.- History :The team was founded in 1902 and takes its name from its origins as a tennis and ping-pong club. "Borussia" is a Latinised version of Prussia. In 1903 the club took up football and quickly developed a rivalry with...
, had failed to advance to the Bundesliga through the regular promotion round that saw Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
and Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
move up. After the Regionalliga second place finisher, Spandauer SV
Spandauer SV
Spandauer SV is a German association football club that plays in Berlin.-Early years:The capital city was one of the earliest centres of German football and was home to 1. Spandauer Fußballklub Triton, formed on 24 May 1894, and Sportclub Germania Spandau, formed on 15 October 1895...
, refused an offer of promotion, the way was clear for third-place club Tasmania 1900 to take up the opportunity to represent Berlin in the Bundesliga — just two weeks before the start of the 1965–66 season.
A top performer in the relatively weak Regionalliga Berlin, Tasmania 1900 would find themselves seriously overmatched in the Bundesliga. Despite a season-opening 2–0 win over Karlsruher SC at the Olympiastadion
Olympic Stadium (Berlin)
The Olympiastadion is a sports stadium in Berlin, Germany. There have been two stadiums on the site: the present facility, and one that is called the Deutsches Stadion which was built for the aborted 1916 Summer Olympics. Both were designed by members of the same family, the first by Otto March...
, they would go on to become the worst team in league history — in a 34-game season they won only twice. They scored only 15 goals while conceding 108 and finished the season in last place earning just 8 of a possible 68 points. The only team not to beat Tasmania was 1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...
which managed only two draws (0–0 and 1–1) against them. The 0–0 result at Betzenberg was the only point earned by Tasmania away from their home stadium.
Tasmania were relegated at the end of the season and returned to the Regionalliga Berlin. Although the team made it to the promotion round twice between 1966 and 1973, they never managed a return to the Bundesliga. In 1973, the Neukölln sports association declared bankruptcy.
SV Tasmania-Gropiusstadt 1973
A successor team, SC Tasmania 73 Neukölln was created, becoming SV Tasmania-Gropiusstadt 1973SV Tasmania-Gropiusstadt 1973
SV Tasmania-Gropiusstadt 1973 is a German football club based in Berlin-Neukölln, Germany, currently playing in the Landesliga Berlin Staffel 2 .- History :...
in 2000. While the new club's first team had to restart in the lowest division in 1973 and quickly rose through the ranks again, the club's youth teams were permitted to remain in the leagues the played in under the old name.
Dubious distinctions
As the worst team in Bundesliga history, SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin is the holder of a number of dubious records:- 50th out of 50 in all-time Bundesliga standingsHistoric Ranking of the Fußball-BundesligaThe All-time Fußball-Bundesliga table is a ranking of all German football clubs based on their performance in the Bundesliga, the top division of German football. In this ranking 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw, and 0 for a loss, although the Bundesliga awarded 2 points for a win...
- fewest points collected in a season: 8 points under the old scoring method of two points for a win, 10 points under today's system that allows three points for a win
- fewest wins in a season: 2 (tied by Wuppertaler SV in 1974–1975)
- most defeats in a season: 28
- only Bundesliga team without an away win
- longest winless streak: 31 games (14 August 1965 – 21 May 1966)
- most home defeats in a season: 12
- most consecutive home losses: 8 games (28 August 1965 – 8 December 1965), tied by Hansa Rostock in 2004–05
- most consecutive losses: 10 matches, tied by Arminia Bielefeld in 1999–2000, whose fans began to derisively chant "Tasmania Bielefeld!" during the record tying match
- worst ever goals for-and-against: 15–108
- fewest ever goals for a team's leading scorer: 4 by Wulf-Ingo Usbeck
- biggest losing margin at home: 0–9 to Meidericher SV (26 March 1966); this record was almost tied when Bayer LeverkusenBayer LeverkusenBayer 04 Leverkusen is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the most well-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports.-Origins and early years:On 27 November...
won at SSV Ulm 1846SSV Ulm 1846SSV Ulm 1846 is a German association football club from Ulm, Baden-Württemberg and is one of the country's largest and oldest sports clubs with over 12,000 members in more than twenty different departments. The modern-day club was formed out of 5 May 1970 merger of TSG Ulm 1846 and 1...
9–1 in 2000, Leandro Fonseca scored for Ulm in injury time - until 1993, most minutes played without scoring a goal: 831 minutes (2 October 1965 – 11 December 1965), since surpassed by 1. FC Saarbrücken1. FC Saarbrücken1. FC Saarbrücken is a German association football club based in the city of Saarbrücken, Saarland. The club began its existence as the football department of Turnverein Malstatt formed in 1903...
and 1. FC Köln1. FC Köln1. FC Köln is a German association football club based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was formed in 1948 as a merger of the clubs Kölner Ballspiel-Club 1901 and SpVgg Sülz 07.... - smallest ever crowd at a Bundesliga game: 827 (15 January 1966 against Borussia MönchengladbachBorussia MönchengladbachBorussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
) after crowds of 81,500 at their first home game and 70,000 at their second
Former managers
Gunther Baumann 1963-64 Franz Linken 1964-65 Heinz-Ludwig SchmidtHeinz-Ludwig Schmidt
Heinz-Ludwig Schmidt is a former German football manager.Schmidt coached SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin during the 1965–66 Fußball-Bundesliga season.- External links :...
1965-68 Gyula Lóránt
Gyula Lóránt
Gyula Lóránt , also referred to as Gyula Lipovics or Lóránt Gyula, was a Hungarian football player and manager...
1968-69 Milan Antolković
Milan Antolkovic
Milan Antolković was a Croatian footballer who played international football for the both the Croatian and Royal Yugoslav national teams....
1969-70 Hans Hipp 1970-72 Peter Velhorn 1972-73