Vladimír Zábrodský

Vladimír Olegovic Zábrodský (7 March 1923 – 20 March 2020) was a Czechoslovak ice hockey and tennis player. Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, he won a silver medal with the Czechoslovakian national team at the 1948 Winter Olympics, and won the world championships (1947 and 1949). Zábrodský was also a tennis player and member of the Czechoslovakian Davis Cup team. He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1997.

Vladimír Zábrodský
Born (1923-03-07)7 March 1923
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Died 20 March 2020(2020-03-20) (aged 97)
Stockholm, Sweden
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Centre[1]
Shot Left
Played for LTC Prague
Spartak ČKD Sokolovo
Bohemians ČKD Praha
Playing career 1939–1965
Medal record
Representing Czechoslovakia
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1948 St. Moritz Men's
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1947 Prague Men's
Gold medal – first place 1949 Stockholm Men's

Ice hockey career

He was one of the inaugural members of the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997.[2][3] He played in the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League for LTC Prague from 1940 to 1950, Spartak ČKD Sokolovo from 1950 to 1960, and Bohemians ČKD Praha from 1963 to 1965, collecting 306 goals.

Tennis career

Zábrodský also represented Czechoslovakia in the Davis Cup during 1948, 1955, and 1956. He made his Davis Cup debut for Czechoslovakia in the 1948 Europe Zone second round tie against Brazil. He played the doubles rubber with Jaroslav Drobný, beating the Brazilian pair of Manoel Fernandes and Ernesto Petersen in straight sets. He also participated in the 1948 Europe Zone Final, where he played in the dead singles rubber against Torsten Johansson, losing in four sets. Zábrodský's last Davis Cup appearance was in the losing second round tie against Denmark in the 1956 Europe Zone draw. Zábrodský played in five singles Davis Cup rubbers, two of which he won and also in five doubles rubbers, with three wins.[4]

Personal and later life

Zábrodský was born in Prague. His mother was Russian, and his brother Oldřich was also a hockey player.[5]

In 1965 Zábrodský defected to Sweden, where he would spend the rest of his life. Zábrodský and his wife used fake passports and traveled through Hungary and Yugoslavia before reaching Switzerland, where Oldřich, who was playing for Lausanne HC, met them. He took up coaching ice hockey, and worked for Leksands IF, Djurgårdens IF, and Rögle BK.[3] Later on Zábrodský returned to tennis, serving as a coach. He died on 20 March 2020 in Stockholm at the age of 97.[6]

References
  1. Vladimir Zabrodsky, EliteProspects.com
  2. "V 97 letech zemřel Vladimír Zábrodský, dvojnásobný hokejový mistr světa". Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). Prague, Czech Republic. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  3. Podnieks, Andrew (20 March 2020). "Hall of Famer Zabrodsky passes". IIHF. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  4. "Davis Cup - Players". www.daviscup.com. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  5. Alena Gilbert: Hokejista Oldřich Zábrodský o životě v emigraci at Krajane.net, 3 June 2008.
  6. Lazarová, Daniela (20 March 2020). "Czech hockey legend Vladimir Zábrodský dies at 97". Radio.cz. Czech Radio.
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