WHERE WE PLAY

Every Wednesday (7 pm to 8.30 pm) from September to June we play at the Bayard Rustin Educational Complex (formerly School for Humanities) at 351 W 18th Street, New York City (between 8th and 9th Avenue) on the 7th floor (west) gym.

Come by if you are interested!

HISTORY OF THE CLUB

"The club was founded in 1963 by some Swiss guys that played soccer every week. At that time Soccer was not that popular and in order to rent a gym we were called the NY BALL CLUB. We did knock a few lights down and whenever the custodian showed up we threw the ball to each other by hand. 

We played on 99 Street on the EAST SIDE , the lower HARLEM AREA. In those days we would collect $ 1.00 every time we played from each player, later on, after lots of heated discussion we raised the fee to $ 2.00.

The tradition had it that we would go to the SWISS INN (WILLY ZAECH, MARIA) after soccer. 

The "older players" would have cocktails and then wine, appetizers and large main courses.  The "poor and younger” players would order WURST SALAD APPETIZER for $ 1.80 and eat all the bread which was free plus one domestic Beer.

....

We lost the gym in 1973 and used 3 different ones. Finally in 1975 I introduced TINO MAX ANTOINE RUEFENACHT to the Club, he liked the "SWISS CLUB SYSTEM", therefore we agreed with him under the condition that he would be PRESIDENT FOR LIFE. He accepted with much gusto.  

We finally were able to secure the current gym at 18th street.

At one time they decided to cancel on us and our President wrote a letter to Mayor Ed Koch and the Swiss Ambassador. (To get the attention of both gentlemen he - on purpose - made a few grammatical and spelling errors.) 

It worked, ever since we have our gym and sometimes but very rarely even hot water.

During all these times a lot of interesting people joined and most of them went back to Switzerland, they all advanced their careers due to the wisdom learned after Soccer at Willy and Maria's SWISS INN and now the MONTBLANC. 

Some of us more active ones would sometimes after Dinner go and hit a few Bars etc... at that time "what happened in Manhattan" stayed in Manhattan.

 I do hope that our CLUB survives another 50 years."

 Contributed by Georges Meier, former Manager and Club Idol.