The story begins in February 1900 with Franz John, a Berliner, and the 18 names on the club's corporate charter, the first of many Bayern players to come. The team's rise began in 1907, when the Bayern Reds moved to their new home, the Bayern Ground on Munich's Leopoldstrasse. Local opposition team, FC Wacker, found out which way things were heading with an 8-1 defeat in the opening match.
Bayern's first success was a top place in Munich football, an achievement spectators at the Bayern Ground watched in relative comfort from a proper stand. Their first real peak came in 1910, when the team became Eastern Region Champions.
The following year Bayern defended their title undefeated, despite raising more than a few smiles in short trousers. By then they had a national player in the squad. Max 'Gaberl' Gablonsky first put on the German strip for Germany's 3-0 defeat by Belgium on 16th May 1910. After that, things moved quickly. By 1920, Bayern had 700 members and had become what it is today: Munich's biggest football club.
In 1926, the team won the South German championship and in 1932 achieved its first national title, defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0. The goal-scorers were Rohr and Krumm, the stars were Heidkampf and Breindl, and coach, masseur, organiser and manager all rolled into one was Richard 'Little' Dombi.
Bayern became a household name in Germany, but after Simetsreiter, Goldbrunner and Moll had boosted the 1936 Olympic team in Berlin, the football spirit died. TheSecond World War broke out and was to still the pulse of sport in Germany for many years.
