Soviet hockey player Alexander Ragulin: biography, sporting achievements

It was hockey that became for the Soviet people of the post-war time that outlet, that part of life that invariably evoked pride in the hearts of people. Regular victories at major world competitions, unforgettable super series with Canadian professionals - all these events made hockey the number one sport in the Soviet Union. One of the sportsmen who forged the glory of Soviet hockey was Alexander Pavlovich Ragulin, a magnificent "San Palych" for young hockey players and "Big Rag" for overseas professionals. The man who left the brightest trace not only in domestic, but also world hockey.

Ragulin Alexander Pavlovich: biography, childhood

The Soviet Union lived the last days without war, when the boys were born in the family of the architects Ragulins, Paul and Sophia. Immediately three brothers: Alexander, Anatoly and Michael. It happened on May 5, and a few months later the family of Ragulins was evacuated to Kemerovo, where it spent most of the war time.

After the war the family went back to Moscow. All three boys went to the same school - No. 51 Frunzensky district, in one class. As is usually the case with twins, and the interests of the brothers were the same. And the fascination impressed with its diversity and it was difficult to combine with each other. The fact is that in addition to playing hockey for the school team, the twins were pretty successful in music. Alexander chose a double bass for himself, while the rest of the brothers practiced pianoforte and cello.

Hockey

Decisive, in the struggle between music and hockey, was the appearance in the life of the twins Nikolai Semenovich Epstein, a famous hockey coach. Classes were held in the Moscow region of Voskresensk, in the hockey club "Chemist". The positions on the court for the brothers were different: Anatoly got into the gate, the youngest of the twins, Michael, played the attacker, well, Alexander took the position of the defender. As time showed, it was the right choice. It was at this position that Alexander was able to fully realize his natural data, becoming the real standard of the attacking defender.

Having started a career in one club, after a while, fate scattered brothers in different teams. In 1962 Alexander was invited to the leading team of our country, Moscow CSKA. But a year later the trio of brothers was reunited in an army club.

Style of play

Ragulin Alexander Pavlovich, the height, whose weight is quite impressive, just different for the defender (weight at the height of 185 centimeters was 105 kilograms), was not a typical defender in the direct sense of the word. In addition to conducting the power struggle, Alexander stood out with a wonderful ride and a great sense of play. This allowed him to be useful not only in defensive actions, but also to actively help the team when attacking other people's gates. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that Alexander Ragulin scored a lot of points, despite the fact that his main task still was to protect their own goal.

USSR national team

At that time, many talented hockey players, reaching the draft age, automatically got a note to the army clubs. Often, getting into the leading club of Soviet hockey opened the way to the national team. In the same way, the sporting fate of Alexander Ragulin also evolved. Having reached the age of 21 in CSKA, after a lapse of six months, Alexander tried on a hockey sweater of the national team of the Soviet Union on an ongoing basis. Although the debut in the USSR national team Ragulina took place as a player of the "Chemist", in 1961 at the World Championships in Switzerland.

The team then did not quite successfully, finishing in third place. Ragulin Alexander - hockey player, who spent all seven matches, having thrown in them one washer and having noted one effective transfer. But two years later, at the Swedish world championship, the Soviet team led by Anatoly Tarasov and Arkady Chernyshev managed to win the gold of the world championship. This championship became a triumph for the 23-year-old defender of the team, Alexander Ragulin. As a result of the championship, the defender of the army got into the symbolic national team of the championship, becoming one of the strongest defenders of the world. During his career, Alexander participated in eleven World Championships, never without a medal.

Olympic Games

The peak in the athletic career of each athlete is participation in the Olympic Games. Given that the Olympics are held every four years, and the sporting life is short enough, participation in even one Olympics is an unquestionable success. In the life of Alexander Ragulin, there were three Winter Olympics, and each of them brought Olympic gold to Alexander.

The debut for Alexander Olympic Games took place in 1964 in Austrian Innsbruck. Our team approached this tournament in the rank of one of the favorites. Along with the national teams of Czechoslovakia, Sweden and Canada, our hockey players were the main contenders for Olympic gold. The sharp struggle did not work out, the Soviet national team skated on its rivals, leaving them no chance. Eight games - eight wins. Again, the impassable Alexander Ragulin was shining in the team. After playing all eight matches, he scored 3 goals and gave 6 assists. With 9 points scored, Alexander Ragulin became the most effective defender of the Olympic tournament, hitting his team in the symbolic team. And Alexander was our only defender, who for eight games played did not earn a single minute of penalty time.

Later Alexander Ragulin took part in two more Olympic games, and invariably these competitions ended with the triumph of our hockey players.

Role in the team

Already at a young age, having got into the army team, Ragulin Alexander Pavlovich, whose photo you see in the article, deserved the nickname "San Palych". Having managed in a short period of time to win unquestioned authority in the team, Alexander throughout his sports career was the leader not only on the ice, but also in the locker room. About him very warmly responded to young players, considering him a kind of mentor, a senior friend. Often, all disputed or conflict situations within the team were resolved with the help of Ragulin.

Life after hockey

At the age of 32, Alexander Ragulin decided to end his career as an athlete. But finally it was not possible to break with hockey. The coaching career began. The first stage was the management of the children's and youth school CSKA. Then followed a short voyage to the Novosibirsk SKA. Unfortunately, Ragulin was unable to repeat his ice feats in the coaching field.

Later, Ragulin was the president of the sports organization "veterans of hockey", he was a member of the Council of the President of the Russian Federation for Physical Culture and Sports.

November 18, 2004, the great hockey player was gone. Alexander Ragulin was buried at the Vagankovo Cemetery.

Sports achivments

Alexander Ragulin has a great achievement. By the number of victories in major world competitions, he confidently holds the lead among all the hockey players of the planet.

He has three Olympic gold medals, ten wins at the World Championships, nine at the European Championships. 9-fold champion of the Soviet Union, participant of the super series of the USSR - Canada 1972.

In total for club career he spent 427 matches, having thrown in them 63 washers. As part of the national team, Alexander played 102 games, scoring 14 goals.