A short history of football in the Dutch East Indies
The turn of the century
The first mention of football in the archipelago originates from Medan. On 16 November 1887, the “Gymnastiek Vereeniging” was founded there, and apart from gymnastics, its members soon began to play cricket and football, later followed by tennis and athletics. As early as 1890, a team from Penang crossed the Straits to play a cricket match (in the morning, Penang won) and a football game (in the afternoon, drawn). However, after a few years activities ceased, partially because of the foundation of a cycling club (Deli Wielrijders Club) in 1893. Thereupon, little or no football was played in Medan until the foundation of the Sport Club Sumatra’s Oostkust (better known as S.O.K. or simply Sportclub) on 1 June 1899.