The Best Teams Around
(A true experience in the early 1940's in Danzig, Germany formed the basis for this story.)by
U. (Rick) Woelcke
"The crowd of youngsters in their early teens jumped up and down screaming with excitement, "Come on Rudy...Go, go, go...Come on...!" while others hollered, "Stop him...Hold him...Stop Him!"
I was in goal and, with only seconds left in the game, I watched Rudy manoeuvre that soccer ball with expertise, leaving the defence behind him and charging straight towards me. There was nobody between myself and Rudy. As he was rapidly closing the gap between us, I had only one thought, "We can't lose the game now. We just can't!"
I moved to meet Rudy head-on and lunged straight for the ball and for his legs.
Koenig Street and Garten Road had been arch rivals for a long time. Their rivalry, however, was a friendly one. No gangs, no "rumbles," just a soccer ball and the prestige of being called "the best team around" (whatever dimensions around may have implied). A prestige that was taken very seriously, especially by youngsters 12, 13 or 14 years of age who were just as excited about soccer as kids in Canada are about hockey.
At the time of this story, I was 13 years old and a member of the Koenig Street "soccer team," not to be confused with a regular 11-player team. These street teams sprang into existence without planning or try-outs. We started to kick the ball around and somehow a group of five to eight began to play regularly and called themselves a team. This "team" automatically assumed the responsibility of either defending or pursuing the "best team around" reputation for its street or particular neighbourhood area.
Games were usually played on weekends on the rough grounds of a nearby pasture or on the street. A couple of field stones sufficed as goalposts. Games lasted one hour with change of sides and a brief break after half an hour. There had to be an equal number of players on each team, and a referee was unnecessary. Self-imposed rules of fair play, more often than not, worked very well.
About three or four streets were involved in this competition, and even though there was no organized schedule, it became quite clear after a few games which of the teams were the serious contenders.
Koenig Street and Garten Road had been able to maintain a good reputation for some time now, but it was Garten Road, with Rudy Stoepke, their fast and strong centre, who had time and again foiled Koenig Street's bid for the "best team around" reputation.
I had been playing in goal off and on and had often dreamed of becoming the hero of the team by keeping Rudy at bay and thus leading my team to victory. The crowd, thousands of them, would roar their approval and my teammates would carry me on their shoulders around the soccer field, acknowledging me as the greatest goalkeeper ever!
So much for my dreams. Only two weeks earlier, Garten Road had clobbered us 5:0. after our team had dropped exhausted and disheartened onto the grass by the ditch bordering the field, Rudy had come swaggering by suggesting we switch to "dodge ball". Dodge Ball was played mainly by girls and, for "macho" 13-year-old boys, this was the ultimate insult.
A few days after this shameful loss, our street sent out another challenge to Garten Road. This time we were determined to win at all costs. Rudy's insult had not been forgotten, and we practised every spare minute. Comments at school and around the neighbourhood, as well as Rudy's and his team's bragging, had created considerable interest in our rivalry and the forthcoming game.
On the day of the game, the young and truly bipartisan crowd of spectators had swelled in numbers. Spurred on by the bitter memory of Rudy's insult and by the shouts of our supporters, we had been able to hold Garten Road to 0:0 at half-time. With five minutes left in the game, the cocky over-confidence of the other team's goalkeeper, who had ventured out too far from his goal, had resulted in a 1:0 for us.
After the bedlam, created by the antics of the young crowd and by our team, had finally ceased, Garten Road with Rudy immediately seized the initiative after the kick-off. Koenig Street tried their best to ward off the attack, but Rudy, realizing what was at stake, played like a pro. A few of his shots went wide, but then he got a break-away and headed straight for our goal.
"So close to victory," I thought, "so close to being 'the best team around,'... around ... around ..."
"I think he's coming around." I heard the distant voice of my mother.
"Are you all right, boy?" Her voice seemed closer now.
I tried to open my eyes. "Ouch!" What an aching head!
I could hear more voices now and squinted carefully in the direction of the sound. I realized I was lying on the chesterfield in our living-room. Crowded around were many faces: my parents, team-mates, Rudy...
Rudy??!!
What on earth had happened? Slowly I began to sit up, gingerly touching my sore head. I felt a big, sore welt on one side.
As if some dreadful tension had suddenly been relieved, everybody started to talk at once. "Great guy..." "...fantastic goal-keeping..." "...what a game," and so on and so on!
Gradually the events came back to me. "Did we win?"
My friends fell silent. For a moment, I felt like crying with a deep sense of disappointment, aggravated by that painful lump on my head. At that point, Rudy pushed forward and grabbed hold of my hand. "Have you ever got a hard head! My knee is still sore!" Apparently my forward lunge had missed the ball but not Rudy's knee.
"And by the way," Rudy continued with a sheepish grin turning to my teammates, "You guys better stick to soccer. You're too tough for dodge ball!"
The ice was broken and once again everybody was talking, shouting and reliving past heroics on the soccer field until my parents, gently but firmly, pushed the jabbering, excited crowd out the door.
I was lying back, flushed with pride, tears in my eyes, and a nasty headache. I had actually become a hero, just like in my dreams...well, almost like it!
The greatest reward, however, was still to come. For weeks both teams were known as "the best teams around."
