21.11.13

Ezüstlabda


The precursor of the Hungarian Cup was the Ezüstlabda (Silver Ball). The knockout tournament was instituted in 1903. The trophy was to be retained by any club winning it either 3 times in succession or 5 times in total.
1903:
The following clubs entered the first edition of the Ezüstlabda: 
Ferencváros
Műegyetemi FC
MUE (Magyar Úszó Egyesület (Hungarian Swimming Association))
 33 FC
Magyar Athlétikai Club
Postás SE. 
Törekvés.

The opening round was played in April/ May:
Műegyetemi FC
7
0
Törekvés
33FC
3
2
MUE
Magyar Athlétikai Club
2
2
Postás
Magyar Athlétikai Club
1
3
Postás
Ferencváros
bye

The semi-finals were scheduled for May:
33 FC
3
2
Postás
Ferencváros
W-O
Műegyetemi FC
This game never took place- Ferencváros advanced to the final

Ferencváros  therefore reached the final without playing a match.
The final did not take place until December...
And who can resist the story of a cup final which is delayed after the ball is booted into a river? The mighty Danube no less. The match between  Ferencváros and  33FC was played at Margitsziget , an island in the Danube on which stood Hungary's first (and at the time only) turf football pitch.  The first match was drawn 1-1 and in the early stages of the replay the ball found itself in the river. Ferencváros went on to win 3-0.
Ferencváros:
 Oláh  ,Berán, Manglitz , Gorszky, Bródy, Lissauer, Weisz, Kovács , Pokorny, Novotny, Scheibel
scorers: Pokorny, Bródy, Kovács 


The Ezüstlabda was contested over 7 seasons before Ferencváros took possession of the trophy having gained 5 wins. The finals were as follows:

1903
Ferencváros
1
1
33FC
Ferencváros
3
0
33FC
1904
Ferencváros
3
2
Műegyetemi AFC
1905
Budapesti TC 
3
1
Ferencváros
1906
Ferencváros
1
1
Postás
Postás could not fulfil the replay fixture and the trophy was awarded to Ferencváros

1907
Magyar Athlétikai Club
?
?
Budapesti TC 
1908
Ferencváros
7
2
Budapesti AK
1909
Ferencváros
4
2
Magyar Athlétikai Club

















The trophy rests at Ferencváros