Anatoli Firsov
Encyclopedia
Anatoli Vasilievich Firsov (1 February 1941 in Moscow
, Soviet Union
- 24 July 2000 in Moscow
, Russia
) was a Russian
ice hockey
left wing and center, who competed internationally for the USSR
. In the IIHF World Championships, he won the scoring title four times and was named the best forward three times. He was also named the most valuable player
in the Soviet hockey league three times.
No one was as selflessly dedicated to hockey as Firsov or as hard on himself and fanatical in workouts. He even augmented the tough drills designated by Anatoli Tarasov
. Coming down the ice with the puck, he would perform a variety of hops, skips and jumps at the same time.
Firsov first came to the Central Red Army
and coach Tarasov as a scrawny kid-his bones protruded from under the thin layer of muscle. But at training sessions, he strengthened his body by choosing the roughest, toughest defense men as his opponents, Alexander Ragulin
and Viktor Kozkin. He eventually would become one of the best forwards in Soviet hockey. Despite this he would not participate in the 1972 Summit Series against Canada. Many believe this was a result of Tarasov's excludement on the coaching staff.
Only a person who had a tough time making it in hockey could be so intensely dedicated to the game. I really had it pretty hard, Firsov wrote in his autobiography
. There were three kids in the family. My father was killed in the war when I was just a month old. My mother worked as a stoker at the kindergarten, and we didn't have any extra money. I learned how to make my own hockey stick, but with skates it was a much more difficult problem. That's why the leaders of our backyard team put me on the defense line. At that time, defensemen were considered to be second rate players. So kids without skates or a stick, and smaller kids, were put in the position.
In 1989, Firsov was elected
to the Congress of People's Deputies, running on a policy of improving health conditions and sporting facilities.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
- 24 July 2000 in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) was a Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
left wing and center, who competed internationally for the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. In the IIHF World Championships, he won the scoring title four times and was named the best forward three times. He was also named the most valuable player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
in the Soviet hockey league three times.
No one was as selflessly dedicated to hockey as Firsov or as hard on himself and fanatical in workouts. He even augmented the tough drills designated by Anatoli Tarasov
Anatoli Tarasov
Anatoli Vladimirovitch Tarasov was an ice hockey coach, styled by Encyclopædia Britannica "the father of Russian hockey", who established the Soviet Union as "the dominant force in international competition"...
. Coming down the ice with the puck, he would perform a variety of hops, skips and jumps at the same time.
Firsov first came to the Central Red Army
HC CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow is a Russian ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. It is referred to in the West as "Central Red Army" or the "Red Army Team" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army, popularly known as the Red Army...
and coach Tarasov as a scrawny kid-his bones protruded from under the thin layer of muscle. But at training sessions, he strengthened his body by choosing the roughest, toughest defense men as his opponents, Alexander Ragulin
Alexander Ragulin
Alexander Pavlovich "Rags" Ragulin was a defenseman for the Red Army ice hockey team, CSKA Moscow , a 10 time World Champion, and a 3-time Olympic champion ....
and Viktor Kozkin. He eventually would become one of the best forwards in Soviet hockey. Despite this he would not participate in the 1972 Summit Series against Canada. Many believe this was a result of Tarasov's excludement on the coaching staff.
Only a person who had a tough time making it in hockey could be so intensely dedicated to the game. I really had it pretty hard, Firsov wrote in his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
. There were three kids in the family. My father was killed in the war when I was just a month old. My mother worked as a stoker at the kindergarten, and we didn't have any extra money. I learned how to make my own hockey stick, but with skates it was a much more difficult problem. That's why the leaders of our backyard team put me on the defense line. At that time, defensemen were considered to be second rate players. So kids without skates or a stick, and smaller kids, were put in the position.
In 1989, Firsov was elected
Soviet Union legislative election, 1989
In 1989, elections were held for the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union. The main elections were held on 26 March and a second round on 9 April...
to the Congress of People's Deputies, running on a policy of improving health conditions and sporting facilities.
Awards
- Soviet MVPSoviet MVP (hockey)The following is a list of the Most Valuable Players in the Soviet ice hockey league, which existed from 1946 to 1991 .*1967-68 Anatoli Firsov*1968-69 Anatoli Firsov*1969-70 Viktor Konovalenko*1970-71 Anatoli Firsov...
: 1968, 1969, and 1971 - Soviet scoring champion: 1966
- Soviet goal-scoring leader: 1966
- IIHF World Championships scoring leader: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971
- IIHF World Championships goal-scoring leader: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971
- IIHF World Championships best forward: 1967, 1968, 1971
- Order of the Red Banner of LabourOrder of the Red Banner of LabourThe Order of the Red Banner of Labour was an order of the Soviet Union for accomplishments in labour and civil service. It is the labour counterpart of the military Order of the Red Banner. A few institutions and factories, being the pride of Soviet Union, also received the order.-History:The Red...
(1972) - two Orders of the Badge of HonorOrder of the Badge of HonorThe Order of the Badge of Honour was a civilian award of the Soviet Union.It was instituted on 25 November 1935 and conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding achievements in production, scientific research and social, cultural and other forms of social activity, for promotion of economic,...
(1965 and 1968)