2-27-1960

[953 nut 51,940]

                                     2-27-1960

U.S. Olympic hockey team beats Soviet Union

On this day in 1960, the underdog U.S. Olympic hockey team defeats the Soviet Union in the semifinals at the Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California. The next day, the U.S. beats Czechoslovakia to win its first-ever Olympic gold medal in hockey.

The 1960 U.S. team was led by Jack Riley, the head hockey coach at West Point and himself a member of the 1948 U.S. Olympic hockey squad. His players were college students and amateurs and included two pairs of brothers, Bill and Bob Cleary and Bill and Roger Christian. Interestingly, Bill Christian’s son David was a member of the “Miracle on Ice” Olympic squad in 1980 that defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union in the semifinals and two days later beat Sweden to capture the gold medal. The last player cut from the 1960 U.S. squad was Herb Brooks, who went on to coach the “Miracle on Ice” team two decades later.

The Americans had taken home silver medals in hockey at the Winter Games in 1952 and 1956, but going into the 1960 Olympics they were considered a long shot. The team managed to win its first four games against Czechoslovakia, Australia, Sweden and Germany, however, and then scored an upset victory over Canada and went on to meet the Soviets in the semi-final round on February 27. A packed crowd was on hand at Blythe Arena in Squaw Valley to witness the U.S. defeat the Soviets, 3-2, in a tightly fought game. It was the first time an American hockey squad had ever defeated the long-dominant Soviets in Olympic competition. The next day, the U.S. met the Czechs in the finals. After two periods, the U.S. was behind, 4-3; however, they scored six goals in the third period and went on to win the game, 9-4. It was America’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in hockey. Canada won the silver medal while the Soviets received the bronze.

[Ed Kennell 35,922]

Looking back now, winning the hockey  battle with the Soviets may have been the first victory in winning the Cold War.

[Buzz 502]

Pretty sure it was 1980 not 1960 but with my memory I never know.

 

[953 nut 51,940]

1 hour ago, Buzz said:

Pretty sure it was 1980 not 1960 but with my memory I never know.

 

The "Miracle On Ice" was in 1980 on a different date, while picking out topics to cover on that date I selected another story knowing this similar story would soon follow. We all have senior moments, but not so for you today.    

 

Miracle on Ice

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

Miracle on Ice

1 2 3 Total  Soviet Union 2 1 0 3  United States 2 0 2 4
Date	February 22, 1980
Arena	Olympic Center
City	Lake Placid, New York, U.S.
Attendance	8,500

 

The Herb Brooks Arena in the Olympic Center at Lake Placid, New York hosted the match

The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22. The United States national team, made up of amateur andcollegiate players and led by coach Herb Brooks, defeated the Soviet Union national team, which had won the gold medal in six of the seven previous Olympic games.

Team USA went on to win the gold medal by winning its last match over Finland. The Soviet Union took the silver medal by beating Sweden in its final game. In 1999, Sports Illustrated named the "Miracle on Ice" the Top Sports Moment of the 20th Century.^[1] As part of its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) chose the "Miracle on Ice" as the century's number-one international ice hockey story