The Rundsporthalle was opened by the former Leverkusen mayor Wilhelm Dopatka, Dieter Kürten was the host at the opening event that included mini-football, music and dance. The singer Bata Illic, the duo Nina & Mike plus the Bayer 04 Veterans team led by goalkeeping legend Fredy Mutz provided an entertaining evening. Berti Vogts, Wolfgang Kleff and Wolfgang Fahrian were there along with Manfred Ommer, the Olympic medal winners Rita Wilden and Harald Norpoth and Olympic championr Willi Holdorf. A USA basketball team from the German Bundesliga played for ten minutes against the TuS 04 basketball side.
Just one month later, several of the downlighters at the Rundsporthalle fail during the first competitive match for the women's basketball side. The technicians are unable to effect a repair during an eight-minute break. Despite the reduced lighting, the match is concluded.
Up to February 2009, the sports hall was officially named the Wilhelm-Dopatka-Halle after the longstanding Leverkusen mayor. It was later renamed the Smidt Arena after a new sponsor. Since the takeover of the furniture store by the Ostermann company, the hall has been called the Ostermann Arena since October 2016.
Christoph Daum was born on 24 October 1953 in Zwickau. As a child, he moved to West Germany with his mother and grew up in Duisburg. He developed a great enthusiasm for football at an early age, even though it soon became clear that his future lay less on the pitch than on the sidelines. Even at a young age, his passion for analysing, explaining and improving things became apparent.
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When the Bayer 04 players celebrated Christmas in 1960, they spent the winter in second place in the Oberliga West 2 on 20 points - but already five points behind leaders Schwarz-Weiß Essen. However, coach Erich Garske's team are struggling to get back on track in the new year. A goalless draw against Bonner FV at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium was followed by a 2-1 away defeat in Erkenschwick. The following home game also yielded just one point. As a result, the team's promotion ambitions dwindled to a minimum, as the gap to the coveted spot has now grown to a challenging ten points.
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In this video you can see impressive and important goals in Bayer 04 history from the month of February. It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.
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It is 11 February 2006 and Schalke 04 and the Werkself kick off at 3.30 p.m. in a match that ends up being historic - at least from a Bayer 04 perspective.
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As league leaders, the Werkself welcomed the relegation-threatened team from Rhenania Würselen. On 4 February 1951, 5,000 spectators line the touchlines despite the Sunday carnival parades. And they see a home team that is superior on the pitch. Without Theo Kirchberg, who was ill, and Emil Becks, who was suspended, the hosts attacked the opposing goal from the start. Battling against a strong wind in the first half, Bayer 04 created chance after chance, but were repeatedly thwarted by the Würselen goalkeeper. With the score at 0-0 at half-time, Karl Heinz Spikofski tried his luck on 55 minutes and hammered the ball into the opposition net from 20 metres out. Rhenania can no longer counterattack. The siege of the Würselen penalty area continued right to the end, but the game ended in a narrow 1-0 win.
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