A page from the Wisła calendar: Henryk Reyman was born 128 years ago

Exactly 128 years ago - on July 28, 1897 - Henryk Reyman was born, the legendary footballer of Wisła Kraków, top scorer, captain of the Polish national team at the Olympic Games, and a heroic soldier repeatedly wounded in the fight for Poland's independence.

Henryk Reyman took his first steps in football on Jabłonowski Square. The vast area in front of his family's tenement house served as a market square, but when business was over, the space was taken over by local boys eagerly chasing rags. Reyman also played for a school team, which used the telling name "Polonia." However, the young and talented player was quickly persuaded to join Wisła by his brothers Witold and Tadeusz Rutkowski. Not only were they Henryk's older cousins, but they were also players in Wisła's first team, so their influence was considerable. Thus, in March 1910, Henryk Reyman became a footballer for the Sports Society. He remained associated with the club throughout his life, becoming an undisputed legend.

Reyman made his debut for the first team in 1914. Shortly thereafter, Wisła suspended its activities due to the outbreak of World War I. Reyman was among those who revived his beloved club in 1918 and laid the foundations for its continued success. This was a difficult task, not only because of Wisła's difficult financial situation, lack of equipment, and lack of a home pitch – above all, the borders of the reborn Poland were still undetermined and its independence was threatened. During this time, Reyman fought in the Polish-Ukrainian War, the war with Czechoslovakia over Cieszyn Silesia, the Silesian Uprisings, the Polish-Soviet War… In the following years, he remained a professional officer in the Polish Army, combining his love of Wisła with his military duties. This often required enormous sacrifices, as when Reyman was stationed in Vilnius and commuted hours by train to each of his club's matches. Reyman's deep devotion to the club's colors, high charisma, and unwavering character were the qualities that predisposed him to the role of team captain, a position he was entrusted with in 1923. Henryk Reyman also demonstrated the highest level of sportsmanship on the pitch and led Wisła to great successes: in 1926, the "Reds" won the Polish Cup in the first edition of the competition, in 1927 they won the Polish Championship in the first edition of the national league, and a year later they defended that title. Significantly, Reyman was the top scorer in both championship seasons, and in the Polish Cup final, he scored the winning goal.

Henryk Reyman remained an active footballer until June 1933, later remaining active in the game as an activist and coach. During World War II, he was wounded in the Battle of Bzura, managed to escape captivity, and hid under a false identity, as the Germans had issued a death sentence against him in absentia. After 1945, Reyman dedicated himself to rebuilding Polish football from the ravages of war, assuming the position of captain of the Polish Football Association (PZPN) (national team coach). As a pre-war officer, however, he was soon ostracized from public life. He was only able to return to sports activities after the political thaw of 1956. He once again assumed the role of national team coach and led the Polish national team to, among other things, a memorable 2-1 victory over the USSR in 1957. Henryk Reyman died of cancer in 1963. Today, he is the patron of the stadium where Wisła Kraków plays its home games. A street named after him runs alongside the stadium, and at its end stands an obelisk dedicated to him. His commemorative plaque bears these words that beautifully capture the stature of Henryk Reyman: "He lived for the glory of Polish sport – a role model for younger generations." Reyman remains a model athlete and man of honor, and the values ​​he espouses inspire future generations of players, activists, and fans of the White Star.