CROATIA, ZAGREB AND SAKIC. PART ONE

I was really surprised when I got an email from my Croatian friend who told me that our famous JOE SAKIC has Croatian ancestors. His parents were born where and used to live in the village not too far from his own home. So I have to apologize for my critical words addressed to one broadcaster who kept calling him "Josef Sakitch"...
Once again, you never know...
So I have some research done for Croatian hockey history and it's capital - the beautiful ZAGREB. Enjoy!


JOE SAKIC or "Josef Sakitch" if you want...

A game on ice that could be considered forerunner of ice hockey is mentioned for the first time in our territory in last century (this was written at 1991).
In 1894 Dr. Franjo Bucar, pioneer of sport, came back from Sweden to Zagreb. From 1892 to 1894, Dr. Bucar studied gymnastics and modern sports at the General Gymnastics Institute in Stockholm.
In 1894, on his return to Zagreb, Dr. Bucar founded Skating Section in the First Skating Association.
Two first public ice hockey matches were played in Zagreb, in the winter 1916/17, between the Croatian Academic Sports Club (CASC) an the First Croatian Skating Association (FCSA). The CASC won the first match 2:0 and the score of the second was 6:0 in favour of the FCSA.
On 21 November 1922 Winter Federation of Zagreb was founded that included skiing, skating and hockey.
On 3 February 1924, the first ice hockey match with 6 players was played between the Croatian Academic Sports Club (CASC) and ZKD. The CASC won 4:1.
In 1930, the clubs "Marathon" and "Concordia" from Zagreb and the Sports Association of Karlovac founded ice hockey sections.
In the same year, the Sports Association "Slavija" founded ice hockey section in Sisak.
In 1935, ice hockey section was founded in Varazdin.
On 9 November 1935, the Croatian Skating and Ice Hockey Federation was founded in Zagreb and began its activity.
In 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1940, the clubs from Zagreb, Sisak, Karlovac and Varazdin played matches for the "Championship of Banovina(*) of Croatia".
In 1939, the clubs from Croatia "Marathon" and "ZKD" took part of the first Championship of Yugoslavia.
After the second WW, in 1947, the ice hockey club "Mladost" from Zagreb won the title of national champion of the first Championship of Yugoslavia held in Zagreb.
In 1949, the ice hockey club "Mladost" was again the champion of Yugoslavia.
In 1956, the ice hockey club "ZAGREB" became the champion of Yugoslavia.
In 1989, the ice hockey cklub "Medvescak-Gortan" from Zagreb became the champion of Yugoslavia.
In 1990 and 1991, the ice hockey cklub "Medvescak-Gortan" was the champion of Yugoslavia.
During the World Championship 1947 held in Prague, Yugoslavia became a member of the IIHF.
In 1989, the club "Medvescak-Gortan" organized ice hockey quarter finals Tournament for the European Cup.
In 1990, the club "Medvescak-Gortan" participated in the final European Championship in Dusseldorf and was placed seventh (from 8 teams).
It should be mentioned, that many ice hockey players from Croatia played in Yugoslav team, that took part in the World championships of Seniors, the World- and European Championship of Juniors as well as in the Olympic Games in the period from 1939 to 1991.
All those years, Croatian clubs played an important role on competitions within the Championship of Yugoslavia
Croatia has no tradition in hockey. However, one of the greatest hockey players of today is Joe Sakic, Canadian Croat. His both parents are from Croatia (his father is from Imotski, and mother from Lika). Joe contributed greatly to the final victory of Canadian national team at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games held in Salt Lake City.

Two outstanding hockey players of Croatian Origin were brothers Frank and Peter Mahovlich. Frank is now a Canadian Senator and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Many thanks to Mr. Wally Cencich for this information.

FRANK MAHOVLICH