Viktor Balck - Karlskrona, Sweden - Childhood Homes on Waymarking.com

Viktor Gustaf Balck (1844-1928) is called “The Father of Swedish Sports".
Born and raised in Balckska grocery farm which was located here on the site before it burned down in 1887 by the city fire in Karlskrona. There are now shop premises on site.

Victor Balck became very interested in sports when he came to the Swedish Military Academy in Stockholm in 1861. Here, sports and gymnastics were part of the education. Balck had never played sports before but when he first participated he became so excited that he promised himself that he would dedicate his life to physical exercises.

After his education in the military, he took an education at the Gymnastics Central Institute. After graduating here in 1868, he became a teacher at the same place and later principal. .
In 1875, Balck co-founded several Swedish sports organizations. He also helped form the organization that later became the Swedish Gymnastics and Sports Association and became chairman of the board.

At the Congress on Sports at the World's Fair in Paris in 1889, Black was a team leader for Sweden. He met Pierre de Coubertin who was organizing the Olympic Games and Balck became one of eight vice presidents.
In 1897, Balck was involved in forming the Swedish General Sports Association. When the 1912 Olympic Games were awarded to Sweden, Viktor Balck was the natural choice to be elected chairman of the organizing committee.

Balck also wrote a lot about sports. In 1874 he co-founded Tidskrift för Gymnastik, while in 1881 he founded Tidning för Idrott, the first ordinary sports newspaper in Sweden. In 1884-1886 he published a book in three volumes, Illustrated Sports Book, a manual for various sports and games.

Text on the sign:

Victor Balck
(1844-1928)
- The father of Swedish sports
Vice-chairman of the national sports federation 1903-1913
Member of the International Olympic Committee 1894-1920
Chairman at the 1912 Olympic Games
Born and raised in Balckska grocery farm which was located here before the city fire in 1918

Name of Famous Person: Viktor Balck Physical Address: Norra Smedjegatan, Karlskrona What is this person famous for?: Viktor Gustaf Balck is called “The Father of Swedish Sports Website verifying legitimacy of site: [Web Link] Personal Experience: We saw the sign as we walked past the house. Afterwards, we became interested in knowing more about Balck, as he had apparently had such a great influence on sports in Sweden. Additional Website verifying Site legitimacy: Not listed Other information about area: Not listed

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