Miloslav Blažek

Miloslav Blažek
Born 22 June 1922
Přívoz, Czechoslovakia
Died 19 February 1985 (1985-02-20) (aged 62)
Ostrava, Czechoslovakia
Position Forward, Coach
Czech Extraliga team HC Vitkovice
Playing career 1949–1960
Coaching career 1965–1966

Miloslav Blažek (22 June 1922 in Přívoz – 19 February 1985 in Ostrava)[1] was a Czechoslovak ice hockey player who competed in the 1952 Winter Olympics.[2][3]

Career

Active in the 1940s and 1950s, Blažek played for Czeck ice hockey team HC Vitkovice.[4] He played for the international team on various occasions, such as the 1952 Winter Olympics; the team placed 4th out of 16 and received the second most medals.[5]

In total, Blažek played for Vitkovice from 1949 to 1960, the national team from 1949 to 1952, and coached at Vitkovice from 1965 to 1966. During his career, under Vitkovice, he won a gold medal in the Extraliga in 1952, silver in 1950, 1951, and 1953, and bronze in 1958.[6] Working as a coach in some form until 1975, he retired from official competitive competitions in 1960 after scoring 127 league goals in 180 games.[3]

Political issues

Blažek openly dissented to many of the repressive policies of the Soviet Bloc and its influence over Czechoslovakia.[6] His outspokenness about the government and suspected plans to defect led to a travel ban being imposed upon him in 1953 until 1957, preventing him from competing in competitions abroad.[3]

Legacy

Blažek has a memorial dedicated to him in the city hall of Ostrava, his hometown.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Olympedia – Miloslav Blažek". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  2. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Miloslav Blažek". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "Miloslav Blažek". www.olympijskytym.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  4. ^ "Miloslav Blazek at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  5. ^ "Miloslav Blazek". olympics.com. Retrieved 8 Jun 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Opora první mistrovské generace Miloslav Blažek by oslavil 100". HC Vítkovice Ridera (in Czech). 2022-06-22. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  7. ^ "MaR, Osobnost z historie města - lední hokejista Miloslav Blažek., In: Ostravská radnice, 2006, únor, 8". encyklopedie.ostrava.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2023-06-09.


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