| Dr. Franjo Bučar
(Zagreb, November 25, 1866 - December 26, 1946) |
Dr. Franjo Bučar was a historian and a prominent sports worker, a founder of numerous sports clubs, Croatian Sports Federation (1909) and the Yugoslav Olympic Committee.
He was president of Croatian Sports Federation (1914 - 1919), Yugoslav Olympic Committee (1919 - 1927), and a member of the International Olympic Committee (1919 - 1946).
He should be given credit for improved working conditions of physical education teachers, construction and remodeling of gymnasiums and sports grounds, founding of the Gymnastics Teachers Association of Croatia and Slavonia (1896) and of the two-year Physical Education College in Zagreb (1941). It is as a result of his efforts that physical education today is conducted under professional supervision of physical education teachers.
He was the first propagator of numerous sports: skiing, skating, fencing, tennis, ice hockey, grass hockey, soccer.
He was a prominent member of Hrvatski sokol (Croatian Falcon, the athletics association) and Croatian Athletic Federation, of the Slavic Athletic Federation, a delegate in the International Gymnastics Federation, editor of numerous magazines and the author of numerous athletics and sports manuals.
He received numerous local and international awards, acknowledgements, diplomas, medals, plaques and decorations.
"Bravery in our hearts,
Strength in our muscles,
Homeland in our thoughts."
the motto of Hrvatski sokol
Participants and teachers of the Course for gymnastics teachers held in Zagreb in the period 1894 - 1896.
Izidor Kršnjavi, the initiator of the course and head of Department for Religious Affairs and Education in the then government is sixth on the left, Franjo Bučar, course manager is eighth on the left.