On April 29, 1924, in Tallinn, the national basketball team of Latvia beat the Estonian team 20:16 (6:6). It was the first match in the history of the national teams of the two countries and probably the first international match in Europe.
Latvia and above all Riga got to know basketball in the early twenties of the 20th century. Americans – the employees of the Young Christian Union (YMCA, in Latvian – JKS) organized the supply of food and medicine in the European countries devastated by the war, and at the same time popularized their traditions. The success in different areas was different, but the introduction of basketball undoubtedly contributed to the positive performance of the guests.
On November 26, 1923, representatives of the largest sports associations founded the Latvian Basketball Union, tasking it with the organization of basketball life in the country itself, as well as establishing contacts with players in other countries. From January 16 to April 12, 1924, the first Latvian championships were held. Six teams took part, a rematch between the main favorites JKS and Latvian Sports Association (LSB) teams was needed to determine the winners. To the surprise of many, LSB won (25:15).
When, at the end of April 1924, LBS first organized a national team for a trip to Tallinn, the capital of neighboring Estonia, the composition consisted of absolute parity: Vilis Liberts, Nikolajs Mūzis, Kārlis Ploriņš and Alfred Ramiņš from LBS, as well as Valdemārs Baumanis, Jānis Birkmanis, Ādolfs Grasis and Bronislavs Malinovskis from JKS. All – students or pupils. The management of the team was entrusted to JKS physical education director HD Anderson.
The game, which took place on April 29, 1924 in the NMKÜ (YMCA) hall in Tallinn, “awakened the lively interest of the public and the spectators occupied every free place in the hall.” Latvia’s top five was greeted with applause, and the national anthem was played in its honor. The Estonian team represented by Unter, Pīlak (both from NMKÜ), Mast, Uetva and Zivestr (all from “Sports”) was also warmly welcomed.
Nikolajs Mūzis scored the first basket, but the Estonians soon regained what they had lost. The fight was nervous and sharp. The first half ended in a draw, in the second, after a fierce fight, the Latvian team prevailed – 20:16.
In the book “Sporta Latvija” by V. Čikas and A. Šmitas, the outcome is described as natural, emphasizing that the Latvians were superior in stature and demonstrated better harmony, perfectly complementing each other. “Center Mūzis was weak technically and in throws, but very durable and a great fighter; wing forwards – Birkmanis is fast, energetic, for accurate right-handed shots, Ploriņš, the best technician, ensured cooperation in attack, also good in shots. Defenders – Baumanis and Ramiņš – fighters to the last.”
The protocol of the game has not been preserved, so it is not known whether the reserve players were also on the field. It was only several years later that the importance of the moment came to be understood – in Europe, there is not a single international match that took place earlier, so the Latvians and Estonians were the pioneers.
To be the first – Latvian basketball players continued this tradition more than once.
In the picture: photos of the first game could not be found either in the collections of Latvia or Estonia. The picture shows the Latvian national team in the second match on January 5, 1925, when the Estonian team had arrived for a return visit. From the left: LBS chairman Fricis Ķergalvis, players Vladimirs Svistunenko, Kārlis Ploriņš, Nikolajs Mūzis, Valdemārs Baumanis, Artūrs Timpers and Ādolfs Grasis
