Panionios G.S.S. (

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

: Πανιώνιος Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Σμύρνης, ''Panionios Gymnastikos Syllogos Smyrnis''), the ''Pan- Ionian Gymnastics Club of

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...

'', is a

multi-sport club founded in 1890. Originally based in Smyrna/Izmir, the club was uprooted in the population exchange between Greece and Turkey following the

Asia Minor Catastrophe Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

in 1922. It is now based in the

Athenian Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

suburb of

Nea Smyrni Nea Smyrni ( el, Νέα Σμύρνη, ''Néa Smýrni'', "New Smyrna") is a municipality in South Athens, Greece. At the 2011 census, it had 73,076 inhabitants. It was named after İzmir in Turkey, which Greek's called it as Smyrna, whence many ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

, where many of the refugees from Smyrna settled. The Panionios football team has won the Greek Cup twice (

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...

) while the Panionios basketball team won the Greek Cup in 1991. Panionios has a long tradition of raising talented athletes in many sports (e.g.

Fanis Christodoulou Theofanis "Fanis" Christodoulou ( el, Θεοφάνης "Φάνης" Χριστοδούλου; born May 22, 1965) is a Greek former professional basketball player. He played mainly at small forward, but his complete all-around skills allowed him t ...

Thomas Mavros Thomas Mavros ( el, Θωμάς Μαύρος, born 31 May 1954) is a Greek former international football player who played as a striker. He was "the flag" of AEK Athens, that led the club to huge success, during the 70's and 80's. Mavros is rega ...

Nikos Anastopoulos Nikos Anastopoulos ( el, Νίκος Αναστόπουλος; born 22 January 1958) is a Greek former footballer who was one the most prolific strikers in the Greek league during the 1980s and widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the ...

Dimitris Saravakos Dimitris Saravakos ( el, Δημήτρης Σαραβάκος; born 26 July 1961), nicknamed "The Kid" ''( el, "ο Μικρός")'', is a Greek former international footballer who played as a forward. Saravakos is widely considered to be one of ...

, etc.)

History

Smyrna era (1890–1922)

Panionios was founded in 1890 under the name

Orpheus Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with J ...

, by Greeks of

in the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. The name related with the legendary musician of ancient Greece, because the main activity of the club was the music. Three years later, in 1893, members of Orpheus who wished the activities of Orpheus to be focused on sport withdrew from the club and founded a new club. That was named Gymnasium and it was the first exclusively Greek sport club in Smyrna. In 1896, Gymnasium organized the first Panionian Games and in 1897 participated in the foundation of SEGAS along with 25 clubs from Greece and two from Cyprus. In October 1898, Orpheus and Gymnasion merged again to form Panionios GSS. The next years Panionios took part in all Panhellenic Games. It also took over the organisation of Panionian Games. Between 1898 and 1922, the games were held 19 times. These games together Panhellenic Games were the most important Greek athletic events. In 1900, Panionios organised the first poetry competition. The winner was Stelios Sperantzas with the poem anthem of Panionios. The first years, Panionios hadn't got its own gymnasium. The club rented out a court near the wharf, from the French company of Smyrna. In 1910 the French company sold the area and Panionios stayed homeless. Thanks to

Chrysostomos of Smyrna Chrysostomos Kalafatis ( el, Χρυσόστομος Καλαφάτης; 8 January 1867 – 10 September 1922) known as Saint Chrysostomos of Smyrna, Chrysostomos of Smyrna and Metropolitan Chrysostom, was the Greek Orthodox metropolitan bishop o ...

, Panionios was allotted a big area for its gymnasium near the Greek cemetery. The inauguration of new stadium was held in 1911 during 14th Panionian Games.

Athens era (1922–1938)

The presence of Panionios in

finished with the

. After the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the expulsion of Greek of Asia Minor, Panionios threatened to be dissolved. The club rescued thanks to its president, Dimitrios Dallas. He tracked down the survivors athletes of Panionios and regrouped the club. The first years Panionios hadn't got own sport facilities. The offices of the club were temporarily accommodated in a small room in

Panathenaic Stadium The Panathenaic Stadium ( el, Παναθηναϊκό Στάδιο, Panathinaïkó Stádio, ), as spelled by Philostratus. or ''Kallimarmaro'' (Καλλιμάρμαρο, , lit. "beautiful marble") is a multi-purpose stadium in Athens, Greece. ...

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

. In 1923 Panionios reestablished the Panionian Games in Athens with the participation 10 athletic clubs. Panionian games were repeated in 1925, during 35th anniversary of Panionios. In November 1937, Panionios Board of Directors led by President D. Karabatis and the Municipality of

agreed to relocate the club in Nea Smyrni, the Athens suburb that was mainly inhabited by Greek Asia Minor refugees coming from Smyrna, the club's historical home. Construction works started in 1938, and were completed one year later, 1939.

New Smyrna (Nea Smyrni) era (1938–today)

After the construction of stadium, Panionios regrouped the football team. Panionios football team won the championship of EPS Athens in 1951 and it was the runner-up of Panhellenic championship the same year. The next year it was the runner up of the Football Cup where defeated by Olympiacos in the replay game (the first match had finished 2-2). Panionios football team evolved to one of the protagonists of Greek championship with steady presence in first division. It was runner-up of the championship one more time, in 1971 and also it has won two football cups in 1979 and 1998. Furthermore, Panionios has important presence in basketball and the last years in water polo. Panionios Basketball team has won a

Greek cup The Greek Football Cup ( el, Κύπελλο Ελλάδος Ποδοσφαίρου), commonly known as the Greek Cup or Kypello Elladas is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation. The Greek Cup is the second most ...

in 1989 and one time was a runner-up of the

championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...

(1987). The team has a steady presence in the first division finishing many times in the top four of the championship. The Panionios basketball women team has won a

in 2007. The last years, Panionios has a successful team in water polo. So far, it has played two times in the final of LEN Trophy and five times in the final of Greek cup. The most successful department of Panionios is the Track and Field team. The women Track and Field team has won 21 Panhellenic championships so far.

Departments

;Current * Panionios F.C.: The football team competes in the

Greek Superleague The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...

since the 1997-98 season. *

Panionios B.C. Panionios B.C. ( Greek: Πανιώνιος KAE), known in European competitions as Panionios Athens is the Greek professional basketball club that is based in Nea Smyrni, Athens, and that plays its home games in Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece. ...

: The men's basketball team competes in the

Greek A2 Basketball League The Greek A2 Basket League ( el, Ελληνική Α2 Μπάσκετ Λιγκ, link=no), is a professional basketball league in Greece. It is the 2nd-tier level of pro competition, among clubs in the country. It is organized by the Hellenic Baske ...

, following the first ever relegation from the

Greek Basket League The Greek Basket League (GBL), often also referred to as the Greek A1 Basketball League, or Greek Basketball Championship (originally called Panhellenic Basketball Championship), and also known as the Stoiximan Basket League for sponsorship reaso ...

in the 2014-15 season. The women's basketball team competes in the

Greek Women's Basketball League The Greek women's Basketball League, also known as A1 Ethniki (A1 National) Women's Basketball is the most important competition of Greek women's professional basketball. It is organised by the EOK (Hellenic Basketball Federation). It began with th ...

. It also the club's only section to finish 1st in its respective championship, becoming Greek champions in 2006-07. * Panionios W.P.C.: The men's water polo team competes in the A1 Ethniki division since 2002-03, following promotion from the Beta Ethniki and then immediately from A2 Ethniki. The women's team competes in the Beta Ethniki. *

Panionios V.C. Panionios Volleyball Club is the volleyball department of the Greek multisport club of Panionios, based in Nea Smirni. It is one of the oldest sport sections of the club with presence since early 20th century. The colours of the club are red and ...

, The men's volleyball team shall compete in the A2 Ethniki Volleyball for the first time in 2015-16, following promotion from ESPEDA's first division in 2014-15. It is the oldest volleyball club in Greece. The women's team also competes in the A2 Ethniki, also being the first of its kind in Greece. * Panionios H.C.: The handball team failed to compete in the 2014-15 Beta Ethniki, due to lack of a home ground. *Panionios Gymnastics *Panionios Swimming *Panionios Chess *Panionios Track and field *Panionios Judo ;Older Departments not currently operating * Cycling * Rowing * Weightlifting

Titles and honours

; Panionios F.C. *

Greek Cup The Greek Football Cup ( el, Κύπελλο Ελλάδος Ποδοσφαίρου), commonly known as the Greek Cup or Kypello Elladas is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation. The Greek Cup is the second most ...

**Winners (2): 1979, 1998 * Balkans Cup **Winners (1): 1971 ;

: **Winners (1): 1991 * Greek basketball women's Championship **Winners (1): 2007 ; Panionios Water Polo * European LEN Trophy ** ''finalist: (2) 2009, 2011'' ;Panionios Athletics *21 Greek women's track and field championships: 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 *1 Greek indoor championships, Men: 1987 *2 Greek indoor championships, Women: 1995, 1996 *1 Cross Country Championship, Men: 1923 *2 Cross Country Championship, Women: 1966, 1997 ;Panionios Cycling *1 Greek Championship, Overall Standings: 1949 *1 Greek Road Championship, Men: 1951 *1 Greek Track Championship, Men: 1947

Notable supporters

* Demetrios S.Giannaros, Greek-American, vice-president of

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...

parliament *

Alexi Giannoulias Alexi is a given name that is a variant or nickname of Alexander or Alexandra. Notable people with the name include: Men * Alexi Laiho (1979–2020), full name Markku Uula Aleksi Laiho, Finnish singer, composer, and guitarist of the death metal ...

, Greek-American,

Treasurer of Illinois The Treasurer of Illinois is an elected official of the U.S. state of Illinois. The office was created by the Constitution of Illinois. Current Occupant The current Treasurer of Illinois is Democrat Mike Frerichs. He was first elected to head ...

* Isidoros Kouvelos, Greek businessman, Minister, Dora Bakoyanni's husband * Alexander Onassis, Greek businessman

References

External links

* {{Panionios G.S.S. Multi-sport clubs in Attica Athletics clubs in Greece Sports teams in İzmir Ottoman İzmir/Smyrna Nea Smyrni 1890 establishments in the Ottoman Empire Sports clubs established in 1890 Sports team relocations