Just one week until the match. The boards for the benches are still being manufactured at ZDP Przejęslaw. They are supposed to be ready by Tuesday. Mr. Kazimierz Siwak’s construction company is already getting impatient; they may not manage to install them by Saturday. The city authorities have agreed to make the stadium’s sound system available and to install portable toilets and rubbish containers.
The Polish Red Cross has expressed its willingness to hold a raffle to raise funds for feeding children—it has received permission, while the army, after “difficult” negotiations, has declared that it will cook pea soup for Saturday.
Hot days have begun at the BKS office. Tickets for the event are on sale. Interest is moderate. The organizers hold daily discussions and settle details. The excitement is mounting, and the tension is growing. How will it turn out? There are still no boards for the benches. Someone, probably Darek, jokes: more spectators will get in standing up. True!!!
It is Tuesday. The boards have finally arrived. BKS juniors preparing to leave for a match in Nowogrodziec unload the truck. This does not stop them from winning 2–1. On Wednesday, installation of the benches in Sector I begins. The grass on the pitch is being mowed. At 5 p.m., a friendly match is played between the BKS Selection team and the current BKS first team. Remarkably, a handful of supporters witness a sensation. The older players win 1–0 after a beautiful free-kick goal by J. Mycka. The old-timers are in excellent spirits. Some claim that once all our invited players arrive, we will “beat” the Eagles.
On Thursday, as the mowing of the pitch is being completed (there is only one mower—perhaps a sponsor for a second one will be found?), the work is interrupted by rain. Will it clear up? The installation of advertising boards for the companies making the ORŁY–BKS event possible is under way. The stadium is beginning to look better, as if it has come back to life after two years of torpor. There is constant activity around the stadium and in the stands. The sectors are being cleaned, assisted by groups of students from Mechanik. The amount of rubbish to be removed is growing. On Friday, MZGK takes away several tractor trailers. Toilets and waste containers are set up. Mr. Siwak’s group has finished installing the boards. Mr. Romek is painting the pitch lines. There may be no time on Saturday. More advertisements are being installed. Browary Karkonoskie, the event’s main sponsor, is also putting up its advertisements.
A “quick look” at the stadium makes one realize how much more could still be done, although it is already acceptable.
The BKS office is practically “shaking.” The phones are ringing off the hook. The entire board is busy from morning until evening putting the finishing touches on the event. Everyone is worried about the weather. Rain. Will it spoil the spectacle? The final call is made to the Association of Eagles to confirm details concerning the players’ travel and the course of the event. The somewhat poor advance ticket sales are also a concern. Perhaps the tickets are too expensive?
At 4 p.m., the BKS Selection players arrive at the stadium. Each new arrival brings great joy. Wojtek Zimmermann, the main reason for all the commotion, is already there. J. Kubot, M. Galant, J. Kwiatkowski, II. Szoltysik, W. Rupa and others are present. It is a pleasure to watch them move around the pitch. Even the oldest, W. Ilczyna, looks as he did in the old days. After a brief warm-up and the selection of the lineup for tomorrow, everyone goes, as planned, for “a little black one” at Darek’s Łajba. There they all meet Axel Einsenblater, who has decided to end his football career in the match against the Eagles. Through his wife Elżbieta, a Bolesławiec native, Mr. Axel, while living in Berlin, maintains close contact with Bolesławiec and BKS. Aware of Saturday’s task, the players quickly retire for the night. Only the match organizers remain. Has everything been finalized? Saturday. The BKS manager is the first person at the stadium. It is seven o’clock. Rain begins to fall. Heavier and heavier. Damn. Is it going to ruin the organizers’ painstaking efforts? Fortunately, it stops. The army arrives. It sets up a tent for selling pea soup and for invited guests. There are many of them. Perhaps another person can be won over to BKS? We shall see.
Browary Karkonoskie sets up its stands. Mrs. Danuta from the Polish Red Cross arrives and arranges her stall. Tomek brings the sound system from BOK. The first sounds come from the large loudspeakers, and Jarek Molenda, the match announcer, begins his major role on this day. Loud music summons the supporters. It can be heard far beyond the stadium. If only we could have such a sound system at every league match! A dream. At 10:30, the stewards’ briefing takes place. This is Staszek Zapiórą’s “department.” At 11, the stadium gates open. The first supporters enter. Music rings out all around. Despite the cold and intermittent rain, there is somehow a cheerful feeling. Something great is happening in Bolesławiec. After all, personalities from the world of sport—with a capital “S”—are arriving.
Two matches—BKS–SPARTA Ziębice (1–0) and BKS–Kem-Bud Jelenia Góra, youth players (4–3)—serve as the introduction to the main event.
At 2 p.m., the Eagles begin arriving at the stadium. Zygmunt Kalinowski and Janusz Sybis are the first to report, warmly welcomed by the organizers. The head of the Eagles, Mr. Stanisław Łudzik, appears. Andrzej Szarmach arrives. Everyone is surprised by the arrival of Robert Gadocha and Ryszard Milewski, who get out of a worn-out “Wartburg.” More follow: Adam Musiał, Adam Nawałka and Marek Kusto—the Kraków group—as well as Henryk Miłoszewicz and Mirosław Okoński from Poznań. Waldemar Prusik, Karol Kordysz, Krzysztof Surlit and Zbigniew Seweryn arrive. Unfortunately, the main figure is missing—coach Kazimierz Górski; illness prevented him from coming. Lesław Ćmikiewicz will perform the coach’s duties. Mr. Walawko, a journalist from “Piłka Nożna,” arrives. Telewizja Lokalna Bolesławiec films everything as it happens. There are interviews and photographs. A grand gala. R. Gadocha seems to be a pea-soup enthusiast. He eats a triple portion. Everyone enjoys hot drinks and dishes. We move among the stars of Polish football, who turn out to be very sociable and extremely friendly. We take countless commemorative photographs. The TLN camera records everything. We brush shoulders with the great world of people from the Polish national team—players who together played 416 matches wearing the Eagle on their chests. Impressive. A moment later, they board a bus provided by MZK to go to the municipal bathhouse. The changing rooms and washrooms will be there.
After fifteen minutes, they return. Escorted by police with sirens sounding, they enter the stadium. Both teams warm up. All the players are introduced. Jarek Molenda performs his great role. He seems to surpass himself. He gives the impression that sports announcing is his everyday bread. He does it brilliantly. He conducts “live” interviews. The supporters are in an excellent mood, absorbing the atmosphere of the match. Each name is met with tremendous applause as it is announced. The atmosphere is that of a great celebration. It brings a tear to one’s eye. Anyone who remembers the years when Górski’s team was at its finest can now watch them from the stands.
Anyone who did not come to the stadium that day should regret it. A wonderful match, beautiful plays, shots, goalkeeper saves and plenty of goals. It is a pity they all went into the BKS goal. “The Devil,” A. Szarmach, displayed his scoring prowess, beating our goalkeepers three times. Józef Kawałko stayed in goal the longest without conceding, showing that he still possessed excellent skills. The remaining goals were scored by H. Miłoszewicz and M. Kusto. The result—5–0 (2–0) for the Eagles—reflects the class that Mr. Górski’s players continue to display.
It is a pity that Z. Peterka, J. Urbanowicz and Z. Mandziejewicz were absent from the Bolesławiec team. The result could have been more favorable.
During the interval, Eagles goalkeeper Z. Kalinowski saved penalty kicks. K. Marczewski, P. Rapacki, D. Mucha and E. Kaput could not force him to concede. Only M. Chojnacki—currently a Kem-Bud Jelenia Góra player—succeeded. The main prize—a mountain bike—and other smaller prizes donated by sponsors were also raffled off.
After the match, a press conference was held at the Pegaz club, attended by representatives of both teams and supporters, followed by a brief banquet at the “Słoneczna” Restaurant, which concluded with everyone singing “Sto lat” together. A wonderful event.
(More about the match and its behind-the-scenes details in the next issue of “GB.”)