Rudi Ball
Encyclopedia
Rudi Victor Ball (June 22, 1911 – September 1975) was a champion ice hockey
player.
Ball was born in Berlin, Germany and died in Johannesburg
, South Africa.
Ball was the sole Jewish athlete to represent Germany in the 1936 Winter Olympic Games
. Helene Mayer
, also Jewish, represented Germany at the Summer Games
that year. There was much controversy about his inclusion in the 1936 German Olympic Ice Hockey team at the time by the Nazi government. Ball was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.
He played in total 49 official games for Germany, between 1929 and 1938, and scored 19 goals. Ball was voted as the best European ice hockey player in a French Sports Magazine in 1930. He was considered one of the most popular and dreaded European ice hockey players prior to the Second World War. Ball scored over 500 goals during his career.
He and his two brothers, Gerhard Ball and Heinz Ball, represented Germany in many international competitions in their hockey
careers. While reasonably short, Ball was considered extremely fast on the ice and was admired as having much skill and ability.
Ball was included in the 1932 German ice hockey team, to play at the 1932 Olympic games
, held in Lake Placid
. The German team won the bronze medal
. He played all six matches and scored three goals.
, refused to play unless Ball was included. Ball also believed a deal could be struck to save his family in Germany if he returned to play in the games. The German selectors also realized that without Ball and Jaenecke the team would not stand a chance of winning. Another factor was that the Nazi party could not overlook the fact that Ball was without doubt one of the leading athletes in his sport. With much controversy Ball was included in the German team to play at the 1936 Olympic games. One report of the time proposed that Ball was playing against his will. The deal for Ball's family to leave Germany was also agreed. After Ball was injured, the Germans took 5th place in the Olympic tournament
. Ball played four matches and scored two goals.
Ball followed his brother, Heinz, to South Africa in 1948. He died in Johannesburg
in 1975.
Germany – 1932 & 1936 Olympics
Germany – World Championships (1930, 1932 & 1938)
Club Level
Berliner SC
(1928–33)
ECH St Moritz (1933–34)
Diavoli Rossi Neri (1934–36)
Berliner SC
(1936–44)
SG Eichamp Berlin (1946–48)
Tigers IHC (1949–50)
Wolves IHC (1950–51)
Awards
Olympic
Bronze (1932)
World Championship Silver (1930)
European Championship Gold (1930)
World Championship Bronze (1932)
European Championship Bronze (1936 & 1938)
8 German Championships (1928–1944)
Spengler Cup
(1928–29, 1934–35 & 1935–36)
South African Championship (1951)
IIHF Ice Hockey Hall of Fame (2004)
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...
player.
Ball was born in Berlin, Germany and died in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa.
Ball was the sole Jewish athlete to represent Germany in the 1936 Winter Olympic Games
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
. Helene Mayer
Helene Mayer
Helene Mayer was a world champion Olympic fencer who competed for Nazi Germany in the 1936 Summer Olympics, despite having been forced to leave Germany and resettle in the United States because she was of Jewish family background.She was Jewish, and was born in Offenbach am Main.-Fencing...
, also Jewish, represented Germany at the Summer Games
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
that year. There was much controversy about his inclusion in the 1936 German Olympic Ice Hockey team at the time by the Nazi government. Ball was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.
Career
During his playing career, spanning from 1928 to 1952, he won the German Championship 8 times (1928–1944) and participated for Germany in the 1932 and 1936 Olympic Winter Games and in four World Championships 1930–1938.He played in total 49 official games for Germany, between 1929 and 1938, and scored 19 goals. Ball was voted as the best European ice hockey player in a French Sports Magazine in 1930. He was considered one of the most popular and dreaded European ice hockey players prior to the Second World War. Ball scored over 500 goals during his career.
He and his two brothers, Gerhard Ball and Heinz Ball, represented Germany in many international competitions in their hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
careers. While reasonably short, Ball was considered extremely fast on the ice and was admired as having much skill and ability.
Ball was included in the 1932 German ice hockey team, to play at the 1932 Olympic games
1932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
, held in Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
. The German team won the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
. He played all six matches and scored three goals.
1936 German Olympics
In 1936, because he was Jewish, Ball (the 25-year-old captain) was initially overlooked for selection in the German ice hockey team. His good friend and teammate, Gustav JaeneckeGustav Jaenecke
Gustav "Justav" Jaenecke was a German ice hockey player who competed in the 1928 Winter Olympics, in the 1932 Winter Olympics, and in the 1936 Winter Olympics, and tennis player who played in five International Lawn Tennis Challenge ties for Germany.He was born in Berlin, German Empire and died in...
, refused to play unless Ball was included. Ball also believed a deal could be struck to save his family in Germany if he returned to play in the games. The German selectors also realized that without Ball and Jaenecke the team would not stand a chance of winning. Another factor was that the Nazi party could not overlook the fact that Ball was without doubt one of the leading athletes in his sport. With much controversy Ball was included in the German team to play at the 1936 Olympic games. One report of the time proposed that Ball was playing against his will. The deal for Ball's family to leave Germany was also agreed. After Ball was injured, the Germans took 5th place in the Olympic tournament
Ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics
At the 1936 Winter Olympics, Great Britain won the men's ice hockey competition. While only one player on the team was born in Canada, nine of the thirteen players on the roster grew up in Canada, and eleven had played previously in Canada.-Medalists:...
. Ball played four matches and scored two goals.
Ball followed his brother, Heinz, to South Africa in 1948. He died in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
in 1975.
Teams
International LevelGermany – 1932 & 1936 Olympics
Germany – World Championships (1930, 1932 & 1938)
Club Level
Berliner SC
Berliner Schlittschuhclub
Berliner Schlittschuhclub is an ice hockey team in Berlin, Germany. They are a member of the Berliner SC sports club, and currently play in the Regionalliga under the name ESC Berlin...
(1928–33)
ECH St Moritz (1933–34)
Diavoli Rossi Neri (1934–36)
Berliner SC
Berliner Schlittschuhclub
Berliner Schlittschuhclub is an ice hockey team in Berlin, Germany. They are a member of the Berliner SC sports club, and currently play in the Regionalliga under the name ESC Berlin...
(1936–44)
SG Eichamp Berlin (1946–48)
Tigers IHC (1949–50)
Wolves IHC (1950–51)
Awards
Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Bronze (1932)
World Championship Silver (1930)
European Championship Gold (1930)
World Championship Bronze (1932)
European Championship Bronze (1936 & 1938)
8 German Championships (1928–1944)
Spengler Cup
Spengler Cup
The Spengler Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. First held in 1923, the Spengler Cup is often cited as the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. The event is hosted by the Swiss team HC Davos and played each year in Davos, Switzerland, between...
(1928–29, 1934–35 & 1935–36)
South African Championship (1951)
IIHF Ice Hockey Hall of Fame (2004)