The summer of 1956 clearly showed that, in addition to enthusiasm and a strong desire to compete, the development of quality water polo teams largely depended on available conditions — primarily swimming pools or suitable still waters, which some towns such as Kikinda, Zrenjanin, Bela Crkva, Bečej, Subotica, and Senta already had.
This year was marked by renewed enthusiasm and serious efforts to build a younger generation in both swimming and water polo. Students returned earlier from Belgrade (no longer freshmen), the Tisa River was calmer and warmer, and a small floating platform measuring 3 × 8 meters was placed near the “cabin” in Gradište, providing improved training conditions.
The role of club secretary was taken over by Ivan Jovanović, while Milivoj Marić assumed the position of coach, also remaining an active player.
The first water polo team included young players Miroljub Matić, Zlatoje Marić (goalkeeper), and Živorad Berbakov. Petar Fa joined Jedinstvo from Zrenjanin, playing both as a field player and occasionally as a goalkeeper, spending the summer with the Berbakov brothers.
To improve team coordination, the coach organized a friendly match in agreement with Branislav Milinkov from Bačko Petrovo Selo. Although Milinkov was already living and playing in Novi Sad at the time, he wanted to revive club activities in his hometown.
An Unusual Journey and Match on the Tisa
The trip to the match was an adventure in itself. Since there was no organized transport between Novi Bečej and Bačko Petrovo Selo, the players traveled on foot across fields known as “Libo” and “Medenjača.” The journey lasted about three and a half hours, with several breaks along gardens and farmland.
A memorable moment occurred when Zlatoje Marić convinced a local farmer to give several players a ride on a horse-drawn cart. The players took turns riding, and the biggest advantage was not having to carry their equipment.
After crossing the Tisa River by ferry, the team was greeted by a surprising sight — a water polo field set between two anchored ferries, directly in the flowing river at one of its fastest sections.
The match unfolded under extraordinary conditions:
- In the first half, playing downstream, the visitors took a 9:0 lead, as the home players struggled even to swim toward the goal.
- In the second half, after switching sides, the situation reversed completely, and goals began pouring into Marić’s net.
At one point, frustrated by the course of the game, a player threw the ball far downstream, forcing a temporary interruption until it was retrieved. The match continued until the home team took a 10:9 lead, when the referee ended the game — to the delight of everyone present.
After the match, the hosts treated the players to an excellent Hungarian goulash, and the team then returned to Novi Bečej on foot, arriving around midnight.
This event left a strong impression on Petar Fa, who would later recount the story for years in Zrenjanin, noting that he had never experienced anything similar while playing for Proleter.
Strong Results by Swimmers
Swimmers from Novi Bečej were very active throughout 1956, participating in numerous competitions and achieving notable results.
By the end of the year, several swimmers from Partizan Novi Bečej (the name under which they competed at the time) appeared on the official list of the best swimmers in Serbia.
Among them:
- Miroljub Matić, who ranked 14th in the 1,000-meter freestyle event with a time of 17:18.4.
The 4 × 100-meter medley relay team also achieved 14th place, with a time of 8:05.0. The team consisted of:
- Zlatoje Marić
- Živorad Berbakov
- Milan Perović
- Miroljub Matić
All members were between 15 and 17 years old.
Comments