The University of Zagreb founded way back in 1669 is the cradle of Zagreb sports. Clearly, there were no signs of sports life back then in Zagreb, but with the opening of a modern university in 1874 when the Croatian history professor, Dr. Matija Mesic was chosen to be the first dean, the teachers and students established the first mountain climbing societies. The first president of the Croatian Mountain Climbing Society was a doctor and the founder of Croatian botany, Dr. Josip Schlosser. In the last two decades of the last century, the term "sport" referred only to ice skating, gymnastics and roller skating. No game existed which attracted the attention of the general public. In the summer of 1893, members of the Croatian Sikol in Zagreb gathered around Professor Franjo Bucar, the founder of Croatian sports. In his hands, he held a round object made of leather – a ball. But for what kind of game asked the curious high schoolers and college students. Franjo Bucar had just returned from his studies at the Stockholm Central Institute, he gathered a large crowd and proceeded to kick the ball into the air. Slavko Rutzner-Radmilovic, a student of Slavic languages, called the new game – soccer! This is how the most popular game both here and abroad came to be. Professor Bucar explained the rules of the game and the high scholars immediately challenged their college counterparts to a game behind the building of the Croatian Sokol on today's Mazuranic Square. The young people were fascinated by this new game. Ten years later, more precisely, on November 6, 1903, students of Zagreb University founded the first sports society in Zagreb called "HASK" – the Croatian Academic Sports Club. This was done in the "Mirna Koliba" pub which is the "Dva ferala" restaurant today found on the corner of Ante Kovacic and Preradoviceva streets. The club received its name from Dr. Milovan Zoricic, a world renowned attorney, the first Croat to serve as a judge for twelve years on the International Courts of Justice in the Hague. Today as "HASK" celebrates its ninetieth anniversary, we can with pride point to its distinguished history. It is full of great events, the heroic achievements of its eminent members because this very "HASK" has laid the cornerstone of Zagreb and Croatian sports! Celebrated Croatian greats grew up in its ranks. The brilliant soccer player, Ico Hitrec, the greatest name in the game during his time, emerged from "HASK". Another member of "HASK" was the famed scientist and table tennis player, Professor Zarko Dolinar, who captured eight gold medals at world championship competitions. Dr. Dolinar still holds an unusual world record. He is the only athlete in the world who was a world champion as well as a doctor of science. It is little known in the public that our eminent chemist and recipient of the Nobel Price for chemistry in 1975, the academic, Vladimir Prelog, was a "HASK" athlete and the first Croatian champion in the modern pentathlon in 1923! In 1911, the renowned soccer club, "Gradanski", was established in Zagreb. Its results and successes amazed the entire soccer world. We can today, with certainty, say that Gradanski was one of the best European soccer clubs of all time! All sports associations were established in Zagreb building the foundations of nearly all sports. With great style, Zagreb athletes have captured European and world championships as well as Olympic medals. The "Mladost" waterpolo team, the "Cibona" basketball Club, the "Zagreb" handball team and the Medvescak bowling club – all have been the best in Europe several times. The Dinamo soccer team, by the legendary coach, Branko Zebec, took the UEFA Cup in 1967. The general saying that the culture of a people can be proven is displayed here as Zagreb athletes have spread Zagreb's reputation around the world.