end. 1945 saw the club end up in 8th place. In 1946 the club ended up second from last after a poor season, however the club's youth squad won the unofficial youth championship, first defeating IFK Göteborg and then playing 4–4 against AIK in the final, winning on drawing the winning lot, in the youth squad there were players like Sylve Bengtsson, Gunnar Johansson, Olle Ericsson, Östen Ståhl and Åke Hallström, who all later became noted players in the club's history. Halmstads BK returned to Division 1 after only 1 season in Division 2, the club crushed Örgryte IS with 6–1 in the 1947 qualify, the team also played their first match outside Sweden this year, they defeated Helsingør IF with 8–2 and the youth squad won the youth championship again after defeating Djurgårdens IF with 2–1. Just like the year before Halmstads BK time in Division 1 only became 1 year as they ended up dead last in 1948. In 1949 Kalmar FF proved too strong and Halmstads BK ended up in 3rd place in the league, the club also refused to participate in the district championship as a protest to the "unsporting behavior" the district association had showed the club the previous year. The 1950s started poorly as the club reached 2nd place behind Råå IF; several injuries to key players disturbed the season, and in 1951 the club board decided to rejuvenate the squad and which led to a 7th place. In 1952 the club yet again ended up in 2nd place, the club also went on a trip, first to Germany, where they played a series of matches, and then to the French Riviera, where the club played a game and enjoyed the weather and beach, they then returned home and played a game against Brazilian team Corinthians with a mixed team of Halmstads BK and IS Halmia players, the Brazilians won with 10–1, Sylve Bengtsson returned from the 1952 Summer Olympics with a bronze medal. 1953 saw a change in the league system and Halmstads BK was lucky as the club was able to stay only because of better goal difference as 6 teams was relegated. Things changed in 1954 as Halmstads BK dominated the new league and won promotion with 12 points ahead of IK Sleipner in second place, then made yet again a trip south, this time to North Africa and Spain, bowling