Sven Bergqvist
Encyclopedia
Sven "Svenne Berka" Bergqvist (b. August 20, 1914 in Stockholm
, Sweden
- d. December 16, 1996) was a bandy
, ice hockey
and football
player.
known as Södermalm
. At the age of 16 he made his debut as a bandy goalie
in Hammarby IF:s
senior team. The year after he debuted in Hammarby's senior soccer team as well as the senior ice hockey team. Bergqvist would stay as the goaltender
in the soccer team from 1932 to 1946. Meanwhile he played defender in the hockey team for 13 seasons and won several national championships. In bandy he did four seasons in the highest Swedish division before giving it up. Bergqvist also played one game in the Swedish handball elite league (though not for Hammarby IF but for SoIK Hellas).
In his early twenties Bergqvist got his international breakthrough when he started as a goalie in the national soccer team
and in his second cap, June 30, 1935, defeated Germany. After that he stayed on as a national goalie for 35 caps between 1935 and 1943. He played 55 caps for the Swedish national ice hockey team. He is a "Big boy
" in both football and ice hockey.
In 1936 he represented Sweden at both the summer olympics
in Berlin
and the winter olympics
in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
, representing Sweden in ice hockey and football. He also was offered a place in the Swedish national handball team
but had to decline. Bergqvist also turned down an opportunity to become the first Swedish professional football player, when Racing Club de Paris gave him an offer.
Sven Bergqvist later became manager for Hammarby IF's Fotball team
between 1944 and 1946. After that he coached the Swedish national ice hockey team at the winter olympics in St. Moritz
.
December 3, 1955 Bergqvist was injured due to an automobile accident and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. This didn't stop him from exercising sports at an elite level. He took up archery and was chosen to represent Sweden at the 1960 Summer Paralympics
in Rome
, but he had to decline due to financial reasons since he would have had to pay all expenses himself.
Sven Bergqvist was inducted in the International Hockey Hall of Fame
1999.
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
- d. December 16, 1996) was a bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
, 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...
and football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player.
Athletic career
Sven Bergqvist grew up in a working class home in the south parts of StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
known as Södermalm
Södermalm
Södermalm, often shortened to "Söder", is a district in central Stockholm. It covers the large island formerly called "Åsön". With a population of 99,685, it is one of the most densely populated districts of Scandinavia...
. At the age of 16 he made his debut as a bandy goalie
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
in Hammarby IF:s
Hammarby IF
Hammarby Fotboll is a Swedish football club based in Johanneshov - just south of Södermalm, the southernmost district of Stockholm city centre...
senior team. The year after he debuted in Hammarby's senior soccer team as well as the senior ice hockey team. Bergqvist would stay as the goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
in the soccer team from 1932 to 1946. Meanwhile he played defender in the hockey team for 13 seasons and won several national championships. In bandy he did four seasons in the highest Swedish division before giving it up. Bergqvist also played one game in the Swedish handball elite league (though not for Hammarby IF but for SoIK Hellas).
In his early twenties Bergqvist got his international breakthrough when he started as a goalie in the national soccer team
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
and in his second cap, June 30, 1935, defeated Germany. After that he stayed on as a national goalie for 35 caps between 1935 and 1943. He played 55 caps for the Swedish national ice hockey team. He is a "Big boy
Stora Grabbars Märke
Stora Grabbars Märke is an honorary award within Swedish sports, created in 1928 by Bo Ekelund. The recipients are called a 'Stor Grabb' and has to gather a certain amount of points according to different rules depending on the sport in question...
" in both football and ice hockey.
In 1936 he represented Sweden at both the summer olympics
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...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and the winter olympics
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...
in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
, representing Sweden in ice hockey and football. He also was offered a place in the Swedish national handball team
Field handball
Field handball was the original form of what is now team handball and was played at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin....
but had to decline. Bergqvist also turned down an opportunity to become the first Swedish professional football player, when Racing Club de Paris gave him an offer.
Sven Bergqvist later became manager for Hammarby IF's Fotball team
Hammarby IF
Hammarby Fotboll is a Swedish football club based in Johanneshov - just south of Södermalm, the southernmost district of Stockholm city centre...
between 1944 and 1946. After that he coached the Swedish national ice hockey team at the winter olympics in St. Moritz
Ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics
In Ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics, Team Canada returned to its dominance, winning their fourth Gold Medal out of the first five Olympic Games.-Rival United States teams:...
.
December 3, 1955 Bergqvist was injured due to an automobile accident and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. This didn't stop him from exercising sports at an elite level. He took up archery and was chosen to represent Sweden at the 1960 Summer Paralympics
1960 Summer Paralympics
The 1960 Summer Paralympics, originally known as the 9th Annual International Stoke Mandeville Games, were the first international Paralympic Games, following on from the Stoke Mandeville Games of 1948 and 1952. They were organised under the aegis of the International Stoke Mandeville Games...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, but he had to decline due to financial reasons since he would have had to pay all expenses himself.
Sven Bergqvist was inducted in the International Hockey Hall of Fame
International Hockey Hall of Fame
The International Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, on the Kingston Memorial Centre grounds features many exhibits within their museum about the history of ice hockey.-Historic Hockey Series:...
1999.