This made him the idol of the whole of Latvia, people went to the Riga Sports Palace to watch Riga “Dinamo”, but even more Helmut. Four pucks thrown into the goal of the world’s best ice hockey goalkeeper at the time, Vladislav Tretjak, in one match in Riga, one of the best strikers of his time, world champion – these are just some of Balder’s achievements. After a break of several years, last week Helmuts Balderis played hockey again and at the age of 71 he scored a goal and made an assist on the field of “Rīga Arena” – he did this as part of the Latvian Hockey Federation team in a friendly match against the Saeima unit of the Republic of Latvia.
It’s a little before two in the afternoon, and he suddenly walks through the service entrance of “Arena Riga”, holding a huge bag of hockey equipment in his hand as a light shopping bag. Smiling, in excellent physical shape – not overweight. Helmut Balder will be 72 years old this summer, but he looks 20 years younger. At that moment, the author of these lines is talking sincerely with another Latvian hockey personality, this loosens the situation, he approaches Balderi, I start a conversation through a joke, Helmuts loosens up, and a real reporter’s success can come true – an interview with Balderi. The best hockey player of all time in Latvian hockey has not been an active hockey player after the end of his professional career, even less so in recent years, when he prefers tennis in sports activities.
Helmut, will we be able to see you on the ice tonight, is that true?
Let’s ask Ralf (Bukarts – Latvian Hockey Federation board member and Balder’s teammate in the match against the Saeima team Ralfs Bukarts – author), he will tell you.
With a smile and a joke, Balderis turns to the passing Bukart with the question: “People are rumouring, is Balderis going on the ice tonight or not?” Ralf Buckart, shaking Balder’s hand and smiling, replies with a counter-question: “Does Balder have options?”
Today you have a match against members of the Saeima, but of course we are all waiting for the world championship in the Czech Republic and the participation of the Latvian hockey team in it after last year’s third place triumph…
What am I waiting for? The guys themselves understand that they have to fight, they have to prove that it was not in vain. I just want to wish the guys no injuries and to have victories and the strength to fight in every game like last year when they won medals, with the same attitude.
Last year, the Latvian national team had excellent physical preparation, the ability to play matches well two days in a row, to break difficult games.
As much as it is written in the press now that there is the same physical preparation, maybe something even better has been invented.
But maintaining their level is extremely difficult.
If the guys were training, I think it’s normal.
Compared to the previous year, the composition of Latvia has changed – there is no Artūras Šilova, there will be Elvis Merzlikins, other players are also missing.
I think Elvis will be successful and everything will be fine. It is possible that Shilov will also drive by.
Do you remember your first World Championship?
Yes, 1976 in Katowice, Poland (as part of the Soviet Union national team, because Latvia was occupied at that time and could not participate with its national team – the author). We lost to the Poles with 4:6. There was such an accident.
But there were also excellent tournaments for you with the USSR national team.
It was excellent, gold medals in Prague (in 1978 – the author), in Moscow, then in Germany for the third time. We played well in the so-called Canada Cup against the Canadian national team (there was such a tournament in the seventies and eighties, where the USSR competed against the National Hockey League professionals from Canada – the author). A lot has been experienced – successful and unsuccessful.
That’s the sport. Sports and life are not always predictable.
That’s how it is.
You inspired many generations to bring children to train in hockey with your excellent game as part of Riga “Dinamo”. Do you see the big role you have in Latvian hockey not only as a hockey player, but as a personality?
There are many students who grew up at the Balder Hockey School. Even today, maybe someone will be together on the ice. But it’s not just my merit, I think it was the performance of the hockey players of the “Dynamo” years, when people came and survived. You couldn’t get tickets then. And that’s why they also took their children to play hockey.
The nineties of the last century, and the opportunity to wear the Latvian shirt appeared. You did it too.
Yes, I was captain and coach in one person.
That was already the second half of your career.
That was the time, nothing can be done about it, that it did not happen earlier. It was a great pleasure to put on the shirt of Latvia and to be independent from the Soviet Union, to go out on the field and represent my country.
In 1997, the Latvian national team entered the elite group of the world championship for the first time, and the phenomenon began when thousands of fans went to the world championship every year to see the games in person.
More and more people go every year.
Hockey also gives us as a society a kind of social proof that we can be one of the best in the world?
I think that’s also how people feel about hockey. But only when you play well, then everyone else is there.
***
Twenty minutes before the start of the match against the Saeima team, Helmuts Balderis takes the hockey players of the Latvian Hockey Federation unit to the field – Balderis is dressed in the crimson red uniform of the Latvian national team, his shirt is decorated with the number 19 and the captain’s patch. Walking along the corridor with his skates on, Balderis jokes: “I can’t wait…”
In the following match, Helmuts Balderis showed excellent hockey technique and understanding of the game, scoring goals and making assists for his partners. He was recognized as the game’s most valuable hockey player. After the match, Balderis, a member of the World Hockey Hall of Fame, was like to be picked out – practically all the participants of the game wanted to take a picture with him. Thank you, Mr. Balder, for being you for Latvia!
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