Fun Facts — Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund were Germany's first European trophy winne...

Borussia Dortmund were Germany's first European trophy winners in 1966.

Borussia Dortmund were Germany's first European trophy winners in 1966. Many people know that. Here come some BVB fun facts with added wow factor.

Borussia Dortmund have always been strong at home

Borussia Dortmund have always been strong at home in one sense: the first home match they lost in the Oberliga West, the top division before 1963, did not come until the third season in that league, on April 2, 1950, when they went down 1:0 to eventual runners-up Preussen Dellbrueck.

in one sense: the first home match they lost in the Oberliga West, the top division before 1963, did not come until the third season in that league, on April 2, 1950, when they went down 1:0 to eventual runners-up Preussen Dellbrueck. In goal for the visitors was Fritz Herkenrath, later Germany's goalkeeper at the 1958 World Cup.

The first international: August Lenz was BVB's first

The first international: August Lenz was BVB's first Germany international in 1935.

Germany international in 1935. He played 14 internationals up to 1938. After his playing career he ran a pub at Borsigplatz in Dortmund for 33 years. Today his face appears alongside the city eagle and the BVB emblem in the logo of the ultra group The Unity.

Dortmund lions: by the time the club went

Dortmund lions: by the time the club went public in 2000, many critics and traditionalists already saw BVB as the antechamber of commercialization.

public in 2000, many critics and traditionalists already saw BVB as the antechamber of commercialization. In truth, the total marketing of Borussia began much earlier. When the club returned to the first division after four bitter years in the Regionalliga and 2. Bundesliga, a tobacco company took over sponsorship entirely.

Shirt sponsors were no longer unusual in the 1970s, but the new club logo certainly was: instead of BVB 09, a lion appeared on the crest. That remained the case until 1978.

A home match in the Westfalenstadion without Borussia

A home match in the Westfalenstadion without Borussia Dortmund?

Dortmund? Impossible - except on April 2, 1976. It was no April Fool's joke: VfL Bochum and FC Schalke 04 actually played each other that day on the turf of the World Cup arena, meaning Borussia's dearest enemies had the place to themselves. To make matters worse for local sensibilities, Schalke won 4:1. The reconstruction of Bochum's Ruhrstadion had made the one-off arrangement possible.

Weak title defense: in 1966/67, as holders of

Weak title defense: in 1966/67, as holders of the European Cup Winners' Cup, Borussia Dortmund were already out in the second round after 1:2 and 0:0 against Glasgow Rangers.

the European Cup Winners' Cup, Borussia Dortmund were already out in the second round after 1:2 and 0:0 against Glasgow Rangers. Bayern would avenge them in the final with a 1:0 extra-time win over the Scots.

Glamoroso Amoroso: in 2001 Borussia Dortmund paid the

Glamoroso Amoroso: in 2001 Borussia Dortmund paid the equivalent of 25.5 million euros to sign Brazilian striker Marcio Amoroso from Parma.

equivalent of 25.5 million euros to sign Brazilian striker Marcio Amoroso from Parma. A lot of money for a player who truly delivered in only one season. Amoroso became Bundesliga top scorer and showed his full class in the UEFA Cup semifinal against AC Milan on April 4, 2002, when he scored a hat trick in a 4:0 demolition that drove the Italian media to despair.

In the pub: BVB were founded on the

In the pub: BVB were founded on the fourth Sunday of Advent in 1909 by 18 men in the Zum Wildschuetz inn....

fourth Sunday of Advent in 1909 by 18 men in the Zum Wildschuetz inn.

Bierussia: this is not only the name of

Bierussia: this is not only the name of a well-known BVB fan club from Lower Saxony.

a well-known BVB fan club from Lower Saxony. The club name Borussia is said to go back to the Borussia brewery near Borsigplatz - at least that is how the story goes in informed circles.

First game, first win: BVB's first match took

First game, first win: BVB's first match took place on January 15, 1910, a 9:3 win over VfB Dortmund....

place on January 15, 1910, a 9:3 win over VfB Dortmund.

The first home: BVB's first playing field was

The first home: BVB's first playing field was called the White Meadow because poplars around the pitch covered the grass with white blossoms....

called the White Meadow because poplars around the pitch covered the grass with white blossoms.

Mr. Lehmann: goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, of all people,

Mr.

leads the club's internal red-card ranking with four dismissals as of December 2019.

No derby winner: BVB's 1:0 derby win over

No derby winner: BVB's 1:0 derby win over VfB Dortmund in 1913 was annulled because the goal was 22 centimeters too wide.

VfB Dortmund in 1913 was annulled because the goal was 22 centimeters too wide. The referee fetched a tape measure from a nearby farm.

Another tale from the old Oberliga: Borussia Dortmund

Another tale from the old Oberliga: Borussia Dortmund beat namesake Borussia Moenchengladbach 5:0 in 1950/51.

beat namesake Borussia Moenchengladbach 5:0 in 1950/51. The only problem was that BVB had fielded Alfred Meinsen on a forged release form. The points were stripped at the green table and Meinsen was banned until March 1953.

Europe's best: Matthias Sammer of Borussia Dortmund became,

Europe's best: Matthias Sammer of Borussia Dortmund became, in 1996, the last German player to date to win the Ballon d'Or....

in 1996, the last German player to date to win the Ballon d'Or.

These coaches led BVB twice: Uli Maslo, Udo

These coaches led BVB twice: Uli Maslo, Udo Lattek, and interim coach Helmut Witte....

Lattek, and interim coach Helmut Witte.

The same championship eleven: unique in the history

The same championship eleven: unique in the history of German championship finals from 1948 to 1963, BVB won the title twice in succession with the same starting lineup.

of German championship finals from 1948 to 1963, BVB won the title twice in succession with the same starting lineup. Those eleven names are eternal championship heroes in Dortmund.

Ref, have you been drinking? Max Michallek shouted

Ref, have you been drinking?

that question at referee Faehnrich on November 11, 1951 after a 3:2 defeat at Schwarz-Weiss Essen. Although blood was drawn immediately after the match and showed the referee had not been drinking after all, Michallek still had to pay a 100-mark fine for insulting the referee.

The BVB shirt is worth gold: from 1998

The BVB shirt is worth gold: from 1998 onward the clothing company s.Oliver paid twelve million marks per season to advertise on Borussia Dortmund's g...

onward the clothing company s.Oliver paid twelve million marks per season to advertise on Borussia Dortmund's golden-yellow shirts, a Bundesliga record at the time.

The youngest Bundesliga player: Nuri Sahin was not

The youngest Bundesliga player: Nuri Sahin was not only the youngest player in BVB history but, as of December 2019, the youngest player in Bundesliga history.

only the youngest player in BVB history but, as of December 2019, the youngest player in Bundesliga history. He made his first-team debut in the UI Cup in July 2005 and his Bundesliga debut on August 6, 2005 in Wolfsburg.

Cup curse: after finally winning a title again

Cup curse: after finally winning a title again in 1989 with the DFB Cup, Borussia seemed cursed by their own good deed.

in 1989 with the DFB Cup, Borussia seemed cursed by their own good deed. Between 1989/90 and 2008 they never again reached the final, crashing out four times in round one and five times in round two.

No room free in Berlin: for the 1956

No room free in Berlin: for the 1956 German championship final in Berlin, BVB had a major accommodation problem.

German championship final in Berlin, BVB had a major accommodation problem. There was no accommodation manager back then, and after the originally chosen hotel proved unsuitable and the opponent Karlsruher SC had already taken over another option, Dortmund only found a place to stay at the fourth attempt. The final itself, on June 24, was won 4:2.

The youngest president: in March 1979, lawyer Reinhard

The youngest president: in March 1979, lawyer Reinhard Rauball was elected BVB president at a heated members' meeting.

Rauball was elected BVB president at a heated members' meeting. At just 32, he became the youngest president in Bundesliga history.

Eleven special fun facts on the Schalke-Borussia Dortmund

Eleven special fun facts on the Schalke-Borussia Dortmund derby can be found in the Schalke 04 dossier, arranged chronologically from 1925 to 2019/20....

derby can be found in the Schalke 04 dossier, arranged chronologically from 1925 to 2019/20.