Waclaw Kuchar
Encyclopedia
Wacław Michał Kuchar was a Polish
sports champion, olympian, and multiple soccer, track and field
and ice skating
champion of the country.
Kuchar excelled in many sports - track and field, soccer (firstly - forward, then midfielder, at the end of his career - defender), skiing
, speed skating
and ice hockey
. Even though born in Łańcut, his whole life was connected with Lwów
, where he played for Pogoń Lwów
- one of the most important and most popular sports clubs of interwar Poland. After finishing his career, he became a referee, coach and sports official. To this day Kuchar is regarded as an excellent example of fair play
.
In 1926, in a poll held by the Polish sports daily Przegląd Sportowy
, Kuchar was chosen as the athlete of the year. A year later he came in 10th in the same poll. In 1924, at the Paris
Olympic Games
, he played on the Poland national football team
.
Wacław Kuchar was champion of Poland in:
As a soccer player representing Pogoń Lwów, Kuchar achieved these successes:
On the National Soccer Team of Poland he achieved:
Wacław Kuchar as an ice skater:
Kuchar is most famous for his sports achievements, but also he was a captain in the Polish Army. He participated in the Polish-Ukrainian War
of 1919 as well as the Polish-Soviet War
of 1920; for his merits Kuchar was decorated with several medals.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
sports champion, olympian, and multiple soccer, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
and ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
champion of the country.
Kuchar excelled in many sports - track and field, soccer (firstly - forward, then midfielder, at the end of his career - defender), skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
and 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...
. Even though born in Łańcut, his whole life was connected with Lwów
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, where he played for Pogoń Lwów
Pogon Lwów
LKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
- one of the most important and most popular sports clubs of interwar Poland. After finishing his career, he became a referee, coach and sports official. To this day Kuchar is regarded as an excellent example of fair play
Fair Play
Fair Play or Fairplay usually refers to Sportsmanship.It may also refer to:* Fair and unfair play, in cricket* The Fair Play for Cuba Committee, an activist group in the United States early in 1960...
.
In 1926, in a poll held by the Polish sports daily Przegląd Sportowy
Przeglad Sportowy
Przeglad Sportowy is the oldest and largest Polish sports daily, founded in 1921 in Kraków. In 1926 it initiated an annual, popular plebiscite for the Polish Sportspersonality of the Year...
, Kuchar was chosen as the athlete of the year. A year later he came in 10th in the same poll. In 1924, at the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
Olympic Games
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
, he played on the Poland national football team
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
.
Wacław Kuchar was champion of Poland in:
- 800-meter race (1920, 1921),
- 110-meter hurdle race (1920),
- 400-meter hurdle race (1923),
- high jump (1921, 1923),
- tentathlon (1923, 1924).
As a soccer player representing Pogoń Lwów, Kuchar achieved these successes:
- years of career - 1912-1935,
- Champion of Poland: 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926,
- top scorer of Poland: 1922 (21 goals), 1926 (11 goals),
- altogether he played in 1052 games, scoring 1065 goals.
On the National Soccer Team of Poland he achieved:
- 23 official international games,
- 5 goals,
- debut - February 18, 1921, HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
- Poland 1-0 (it was the first, historic game of the Polish Team) - last game: October 27, 1928, CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
- Poland 3-2 - Trainer of Polish National Team 1947-1949.
Wacław Kuchar as an ice skater:
- participated in the European Speed Skating Championships for MenEuropean Speed Skating Championships for MenThe International Skating Union has organised the European Speed Skating Championships for Men since 1893. Unofficial Championships were held in the years 1891-1892.-History:-Distances used:...
of 1925, - 22-time Champion of Poland (Including single-distance titles) in the period 1922-1929.
Kuchar is most famous for his sports achievements, but also he was a captain in the Polish Army. He participated in the Polish-Ukrainian War
Polish-Ukrainian War
The Polish–Ukrainian War of 1918 and 1919 was a conflict between the forces of the Second Polish Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic for the control over Eastern Galicia after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary.-Background:...
of 1919 as well as the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
of 1920; for his merits Kuchar was decorated with several medals.
See also
- LwówLvivLviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
- Pogoń LwówPogon LwówLKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
- Polish-Ukrainian WarPolish-Ukrainian WarThe Polish–Ukrainian War of 1918 and 1919 was a conflict between the forces of the Second Polish Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic for the control over Eastern Galicia after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary.-Background:...
- Polish-Soviet WarPolish-Soviet WarThe Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
- List of famous Leopolitans
- History of football in Poland