In July of 1928, Luz Long of Leipzig, Germany, joined the esteemed Leipziger Sport Club (LSC) at the age of 15. The club, founded in 1901, was well-respected across Germany for developing world-class athletes in various sports. It was at LSC that Luz was introduced to his beloved “sport teacher” George Richter, who coached Luz all the way through the 1936 Olympics. In 1930 as a member of LSC, Long began competing in major athletics competitions organized by the Verband Mitteldeutscher Ballspiel-Vereine (VMBV) or Central German Association of Ball-Clubs. (VMBV was the regional governing body for organized football/soccer, track & field, and other sports from 1900 through 1933.) Under Richter’s strict tutelage, Long trained in short distance running events and just about every field discipline, focusing primarily on the three jumps (high, long and triple). At the 1933 Central German Association (VMBV) Athletics Championship, Luz won the long jump with a mark of 7.32 meters (24 feet) to become Central German Champion. A month later, he won the 1933 German National Championships at 7.65 meters, setting a Saxony state record and putting him in position to place third at the 1934 European Championships.
This lot presents the actual VMBV patch removed from Luz Long’s LSC track uniform during 1933 competitions. The cut-out, oval green embroidered patch (over 3” or 8 cm wide) can be seen in one of the two included PSA/DNA Type I original photographs. While we cannot 100% conclusively photo-match it to the image, it certainly appears to be the same patch pictured. Long’s family assured us that the same track LSC uniform would typically be laundered and re-worn throughout each season. The first photo measuring 7” by 9.5” (18 x 24 cm) shows Luz about to jump from the white take-off mark with his LSC, VMBV and Third Reich Coat of Arms patches visible. The second photo measuring 6” by 9.5” (15.5 x 24 cm) shows a profile angle in perfect symmetry, perhaps taken at the exact same time. Each photo is super high-quality with no condition issues except for holes punched along the left edge from when they were previously kept in the Long family photo album.