| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ernst Friedrich Gass | ||
| Date of birth | 27 April 1883 | ||
| Place of birth | Switzerland | ||
| Date of death | unknown | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1897–1900 | FC Basel | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Ernst Gass (born 27 April 1883) was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder in the late 1890s.
Gass joined FC Basel's first team during their 1897–98 season. The official Swiss national championship had not yet been called into life and so the team played only friendly games. Gass played his first game for the club in the friendly away game on 13 March 1898 as Basel won 5–2 against Biel-Bienne. [1] Schwarz played in all ten of the club's friendly games that season.
The first edition of the official Swiss championship season 1898–99 was played as a knock out competition, divided into three regional groups, an east (region Zürich), a central (regional north-west Switzerland) and west group (Romandy). The winners of each group played the finals in a round-robin tournament. Gass played his league debut for the club in this home game at the Landhof on 13 November 1898. Because the game was drawn, one goal each, it required a replay. [2] This replay was held in the Stadion Schützenmatte on 18 December 1898. This was also drawn 2–2, despite an agreed 2x 20 minutes extra time. Because the Old Boys complained that the first FCB goal scored by Rudolf La Roche in the 10th minute had been scored by hand, they protested and the ASF-SFV had to deal with the matter. Subsequently, the protest was approved and the game awarded - and the disputed goal was simply deducted from the score to give the final result. Thus the Old Boys became the first forfeit winners in Swiss football history and Basel were knocked out of the competition. [3] The Old Boys advanced to the finals, but the Anglo-American Club Zürich became Swiss champions. [4]
A curiosity in their 1898–99 season was the friendly game in Zürich on 5 March 1899. The majority of them English students, had formed a club and the members of the Anglo-American Club even attended the founder meeting of the Swiss Football Association (ASF-SFV) in April 1895. They had found a place to play their games, although the Zurich commons was by no means ideal. It was often that the players found the grounds very sludgy or with freshly raised molehills. But at least, it was a homestead that was soon called "Anglo-Platz". Suddenly the announcement: "By decree of the military directorate of the canton of Zurich it is forbidden until further notice to play on the military training area Allmend". In the age of mobile communications, a short-term postponement may not attract much attention. But at the end of the 19th century constant accessibility wasn't even wishful thinking. The following could be read about the game against FC Basel which was brought forward from the afternoon to the morning: “As a result, the Anglos, who were only partially able to notify their people, started the game with only seven men. Only during the course of the game was the team completed to the full eleven. There were also replacements in Basel's team, because some players did not arrive until a later train. The appointed referee was not there because he been scheduled for the afternoon. The crowd consisted of approximately 10 to 20 spectators. Under such circumstances, such an important match should not have been played." Despite all the obstacles: The game became a demonstration of the superiority of the British players from Zurich. The Anglo American Football Club won the match 10–0, with their center forward Robert Collinson alone scoring 8 goals. By then, at the latest, it was clear that the Anglos would be unstoppable on their way to the title. [5]
In their following season Basel did not compete in the 1899–1900 Swiss Serie A, but contested 16 friendly matches. In his three seasons with the club Gass played at least 16 games for Basel without scoring a goal. [note A 1] Two of these games were in the Swiss Serie A and the others were friendly games. [6]
Ernst-Alfred Thalmann was a Switzerland national football team footballer, jurist, politician and private art collector.
The FC Basel 1898–99 season was their sixth season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. This was the first season in which they competed for the Swiss championship. The club's chairman was Charlie Volderauer, who was chairman between 1896 and 1900. He was the third chairman in the club's history, following Roland Geldner (1893–1896) and Emanuel Schiess (1896). FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof, in the Quarter Kleinbasel.
Dr Georg Emanuel Schiess was a Swiss footballer who played for FC Basel. He played mainly as forward, but also as midfielder.
Paul Hofer was a Swiss footballer who played in the late 1890s and early 1900s.
Hermann Schneider was a Swiss footballer who played for FC Basel. He played as forward.
Charles (Charlie) Volderauer was a Swiss businessman. He was founder member of the club FC Basel, played various matches for them as defender, was voted into the board of directors and was the club's president for more than three years.
Adolf Ramseyer was a Swiss footballer who played for FC Basel in the early 1900s as defender.
The FC Basel 1899–1900 season was their seventh season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. In this season they did not compete for the Swiss championship. The club's chairman was Charlie Volderauer, who was chairman between 1896 and 1900. He stood down at the AGM and Ernst-Alfred Thalmann was elected as the new club chairman. FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof, in the Quarter Kleinbasel.
The FC Basel 1897–98 season was their fifth season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. The club's chairman was Charlie Volderauer and he was chairman between 1896 and 1900. He was the third chairman in the club's history, following Roland Geldner (1893–1896) and Emanuel Schiess (1896). FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof, in the Wettstein neighborhood of Kleinbasel. The official Swiss championship had not yet been called to into life. Although this season a first, unofficial, competition was played, Basel did not compete.
The FC Basel 1895–96 season was their third season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. Emanuel Schiess was elected as second chairman in the club's history at the club's AGM. FC Basel's home ground was the Landhof, in the Wettstein neighborhood of Kleinbasel, but they also played home games at the Stadion Schützenmatte in the Bachletten quartier in Grossbasel. The Swiss national championships had not yet been called to into life.
Hans Billeter was a Swiss footballer who played as forward in the late 1890s.
Rudolf La Roche was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder in the late 1890s. He was a well-known businessman and became president of the local riding school society.
Georges Fürstenberger (1881–1941) was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder in the late 1890s. He was a well-known businessman and became president of the local riding school society.
Otto Reber was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder in the late 1890s.
Rudolf Schwarz was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder in the late 1890s.
Rudolf Iselin was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder in the late 1890s.
Adolf Rittmann was a Swiss footballer who played mainly as goalkeeper and sometimes as forward in the 1890s.
R. Sommer was a Swiss footballer who played as midfielder and forward in the late 1890s.
Josy Ebinger was a Swiss-French businessman and founder member of FC Basel. He was long-time player in their first team and played as defender and midfielder. He was active as a club official in various offices and was club chairman from October 1902 to May 1903. He was vice president of the Swiss Football Association in 1900. As businessman he was a well-known personality in the city and held high honorary positions in his hometown.
Kurt Johann 'John' Tollmann was a Swiss businessman and owned his own company in Basel, John Tollmann & Co, a tea company and had tea plantations in Ceylon. Tollmann was founder member of FC Basel. He was long-time footballer in their first team and played as goalkeeper in the 1890s. He also acted as referee and was the first secretary-treasurer of the Swiss Football Association.
(NB: Despite all efforts, the editors of these books and the authors in "Basler Fussballarchiv" have failed to be able to identify all the players, their date and place of birth or date and place of death, who played in the games during the early years of FC Basel)