Gustav Björk

Gustav "Måsen" Björk (10 July 1900 – 12 May 1928) was a Swedish football player, best known for being a prolific goalscorer for Hammarby IF. In 1921, he won two caps for the Sweden national football team.[1]

Gustav Björk
Björk in 1923.
Personal information
Full name Gustav William Björk
Date of birth (1900-07-10)10 July 1900
Place of birth Stockholm, Sweden
Date of death 12 May 1928(1928-05-12) (aged 27)
Place of death Stockholm, Sweden
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1916–1925 Hammarby IF 150 (88)
Total 150 (88)
International career
1921 Sweden 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Athletic career

Football

In 1916, at age 16, Björk was promoted to the senior squad of Hammarby IF.[2][3][4] Björk soon became known as a prolific goalscorer and established himself as one of Hammarby's key players, together with goalkeeper Victor Olsson and defender Gösta Wihlborg.[5][4][6]

In 1920, Hammarby debuted in the Svenska Serien, by then the highest league in Swedish football. The club finished third in the table, three points behind winners Örgryte.[7] The same year, Björk won two caps for the Sweden national football team, featuring in two 0–3 losses against Norway and Finland[8][6]

In 1922, Hammarby had an other strong showing where they went to the finals of Svenska Mästerskapet, a cup by then held to decide the Swedish champion, losing 1–3 to GAIS in a game where Björk scored the consolidation goal.[9][4]

In 1924, Hammarby IF was one of the founding members of Allsvenskan, a new league that was established to determine the Swedish champion.[10] He was forced to retire from football in 1925 due to suffering from diabetes.[11]

Other sports

Like many footballers at the time, Björk also played bandy with Hammarby IF between 1918 and 1925.[12][10][6]

In 1921, the club founded their ice hockey department, and on 7 March the same year, Björk became the very first goalscorer for Hammarby IF in a 7–5 win against IF Linnéa.[7] He was part of their roster for two seasons in total.[13]

Personal life

Björk died on 12 May 1928, aged 27, due to appendicitis.[14][6]

Works cited
  • Persson, Gunnar (1996). Hammarby IF: En klubbhistoria 1897–1997 (in Swedish). Strömbergs Bokförlag. ISBN 91-7151-097-4.

References
  1. "National football team player Gustav Björk". EU-Fotball.info. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  2. Persson, p. 60-62
  3. "1917" (in Swedish). HIF Historia. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  4. "Julkalendern lucka 3: SM-spel med silver" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014.
  5. "Oövervinnerliga GAIS imponerade ej igår" (PDF) (in Swedish). Idrottsbladet. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  6. "Gustav Björk". HIF Historia (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  7. "1921" (in Swedish). HIF Historia. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  8. "Sveriges landslagsmän 1908-2017". Swedish Football Association (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  9. "1922". HIF Historia (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  10. "1925". HIF Historia (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  11. "1926". HIF Historia (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  12. "1917" (in Swedish). HIF Historia. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  13. "Gustaf Björk". Eliteprospects. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  14. "1928". HIF Historia (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
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