Siklódi Csilla szerk.: Sport Anno (A Sportmúzeum Kincsei 1. Budapest, 1993)

Vermes Lajos a „gáncsos lovag" (Siklóssy László)

The people living in Kolozsvár finished the list of their most outstanding champions with Vermes in the yearbook of KAC (Athletic Club of Kolozsvár) published in 1890. They wrote the most beautiful words about him, and published even his photo, too. They told everything about him, what they knew and what they believed. Naturally we can find here elements which were typical of Vermes. For example we can read in the yearbook, that Vermes did research work on the history of the Hungarian athletics. We can believe this. But we doubt that Vermes found data about a long distance walk competition from Buda to Kolozsvár at the time of king Mathias, and about the fact, that Wesselényi swam across the lake Balaton. We can state that Wesselényi's act — which has never happened and which had never been mentioned by the count himself — was spread by Vermes. The straight and honest inhabitants of Kolozsvár, who were admirers of sports, welcomed Vermes with open arms, who lived among them for many years. He got an official job too, he becamen thy gymnastics teacher at the university and the secondary school of Kolozsvár. But his heart drew him back to Szabadka, Palics. His coming back was not followed by so loud publicity as we could have waited for knowing Vermes. The local newspapers knew about his new activity also only later.The ,,Vadász és Versenylap" wrote:,Jhe athletics, this noble sport of physical training, gains ground more and more amongst youth, so it is difficult to count the number of the newly established sports clubs only in the capital; and none of these clubs has at least satisfactory and adequate for the purpose sports ground, which could be used for athletic training. In Palics, the ath lets' Mecca, great things have happened, though it has been almost forgotten, that the last year championship in Palics, in contrast with the wellknown traditions, had been cancelled. And nothing could be heard about the famous organizer of the competitions; Lajos Vermes, the athlet who had taken part in every championship, was told to have been retired together with his 200 medalions, 50 cups, titles and bicycles. But in fact he did not give it up, he won without participating in the championship. This time he did not speak, (though he likes to do it), but did something: he had the first athletic sports ground of the country built. The asphalt track itself is 500 m (in ellipse), and 4 m (in width)" It is told about it, that — together with other financial assisance and offered prizes — it costed 100.000 forints. The fact is that Vermes had financial difficulties because of his generousity. It can be read in the „Pesti Hírlap" (1892., No. 99.) about the track:" - Lajos Vermes overdid the agitation for sports many times, and that is why the younger generation likes to smile when hearing his name. Anyhow it is a fact, that the „Excellency" (as he is called by his friends) had the first and wonderful bicycle track built on his own money. This asphalt track has only one deficiency: as it had been made at the time of the slower highcycles and safeties, the hightened part of it is not steep enough for the new bicycles running like a wind-storm. Anyway there is no first-rate cyclist, athlet or swimmer in Hungary who has never been at Lajos Vermes's sports ground, track and swimming pool of Palics. The kind and hospitable host, in spite of his extravagance, attracted people, so when the Achilles, who was told not to exist, organized a championship, some first class sportsmen from Budapest always were at Vermes's place and it is almost a disgrace to tell, that ,,l have never been to Palics"." We think after these there is no need for further explaining why Lajos Vermes played so important role around the times of the birth of the Hungarian competitive sports. And the sports historians cannot forget such a personality.