Talkin’ Sports
With Pat
The other day Feb. 22 was the anniversary of
one of the biggest upset in sport history.
The U.S. Hockey team beat the Russians in Lake Placid New York. This game is now known as the miracle on
ice. Score USA 4 Russia 3. The Russian team had won 6 of the previous 7 Olympic
gold medals. This game was not the gold
medal game that was played the next day; U.S. beat Finland.
Some points U.S. team youngest ever
average age 21. Most were college
players, only one Buzz Schneider played on the 76’ team.
The Russian team most were active military
played in a well-developed league of world class training facilities. The Russian team would have 3 players
Tretiak, Kharlamov, & Fetisov enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Vladislav Tretiak at the time was considered
the best goalie in the world.
Two days after that loss the Russians beat
Sweden 9-2 for the silver medal they were so upset by their loss they did not
turn in their medals to have their names in graved. They would go on to be a force until 91’ with
the collapse of Russia.
One more note- Al Michaels was given the
assignment as play-by-play because he was the only member of ABC’s announcing
team to have called the sport before.
The game would make him famous winning “Sportscaster of the Year.” So “Do you believe in Miracles?” Worked for him right place, right time.