Gustav Björk
# Gustav Björk

Gustav "Måsen" Björk (10 July 1900 – 12 May 1928) was a Swedish football player, best known for being a prolific goalscorer for Hammarby IF. In 1921, he won two caps for the Sweden national football team.

## Athletic career

### Football

In 1916, at age 16, Björk was promoted to the senior squad of Hammarby IF. Björk soon became known as a prolific goalscorer and established himself as one of Hammarby's key players, together with goalkeeper Victor Olsson and defender Gösta Wihlborg.

In 1920, Hammarby debuted in the Svenska Serien, by then the highest league in Swedish football. The club finished third in the table, three points behind winners Örgryte. The same year, Björk won two caps for the Sweden national football team, featuring in two 0–3 losses against Norway and Finland

In 1922, Hammarby had an other strong showing where they went to the finals of Svenska Mästerskapet, a cup by then held to decide the Swedish champion, losing 1–3 to GAIS in a game where Björk scored the consolidation goal.

In 1924, Hammarby IF was one of the founding members of Allsvenskan, a new league that was established to determine the Swedish champion. He was forced to retire from football in 1925 due to suffering from diabetes.

### Other sports

Like many footballers at the time, Björk also played bandy with Hammarby IF between 1918 and 1925.

In 1921, the club founded their ice hockey department, and on 7 March the same year, Björk became the very first goalscorer for Hammarby IF in a 7–5 win against IF Linnéa. He was part of their roster for two seasons in total.

## Personal life

Björk died on 12 May 1928, aged 27, due to appendicitis.

## Works cited

* Persson, Gunnar (1996). Hammarby IF: En klubbhistoria 1897–1997 (in Swedish). Strömbergs Bokförlag. ISBN 91-7151-097-4.
