July 1 1904
Foundation of the “Turn- and Spielverein der Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co.“ („TuS Bayer 04“). Retired major Albert Mandel, who became the director of the Leverkusen plant’s welfare department in 1903, is the first chairman.
1905
SC Bayer 05 Uerdingen is founded.
May 31 1907
TuS 04 Leverkusen creates a football department.
1920
The Turn- and Sportverein Bayer Dormagen is founded.
June 08 1928
The governing club of „Sportvereinigung Bayer 04 Leverkusen“ is born with football, handball, fistball, athletics and boxing departments.
1936
In the playoff promotion match against Solingen 95 the Bayer footballers wear the Bayer cross on their chest for the first time.
1950
Foundation of the TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen disabled sports department.
July 13 1951
Official foundation meeting of the “Ruder-Tennis-Hockey Club Bayer Leverkusen” in the plant cafeteria of the Bayer AG. Director Dr. Fritz Jacobi is voted chairman of the newly founded club.
1952
Dieter Engelhardt becomes the first Bayer sportsman to compete at the Olympics in Helsinki. Engelhardt finishes 30th in the marathon that was won by legendary Emil Zatopek.
In the same year SV Bayer Wuppertal is founded.
1964
Willi Holdorf wins the first gold medal for Bayer at the 1964 Olympic games in Tokyo in the decathlon. Three days earlier Bayer 04 athlete Wolfgang Reinhardt wins the silver medal in the pole vault – Bayer’s first ever Olympic medal.
May 12 1979
With three matches left to play before the end of the season Bayer 04 Leverkusen secure promotion to the 1. Bundesliga with a 3-3 draw against Bayer 05 Uerdingen.
1981
Foundation of the “Herbert-Grünewald-Stiftung zur Förderung von Sportmöglichkeiten von Behinderten” on the 60th birthday of former Bayer chairman of the board Dr. Herbert Grünewald. Grünewald came up with the idea of helping disabled sportsman and sportwomen and Bayer donated three million Marks to the cause.
July 01 1984
Turn- und Spielverein 1904 (TuS 04) and Sportvereinigung Bayer 04 merge to become TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen e.V.
May 18 1988
UEFA Cup final Bayer 04 Leverkusen versus Espanol Barcelona. The Bayer 04 players manage to come back from a 3-0 deficit after the first leg by winning their home game 3-0. Bayer 04 win the penalty shootout 3-2 and lift the 1987/1988 UEFA Cup.
1992
Bayer athletes win five gold, five silver and two bronze medals at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. It was the biggest haul of Bayer athletes at the Olympics to this day.
June 12 1993
DFB Cup final in Berlin: Bayer 04 Leverkusen – Hertha BSC Berlin reserves: Ulf Kirsten gets the only goal of the day in the 77th minute and give Bayer 04 their first ever Cup triumph.
May 15 2002
Despite a brilliant performance Bayer 04 Leverkusen lose the UEFA Champions League final 2-1 against Real Madrid.
The most important Bayer sport facts:
- 28 Bayer sports clubs
- over 50,000 members
- 50 sports
- 20 first division teams in 16 sports
- 60 Olympic medals
- 47 Paralympic medals
- 200 World Championship medals
- 100 European Championship titles
- over 800 German Championship titles
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