Cold War Czechoslovak hockey star defects to Canada (132)

Vashi Nedomanský is the son of Czechoslovak former legendary ice hockey forward Václav Nedomanský aka “Big Ned” who is best known as the first ice hockey player to defect to North America to play.  We hear a dramatic true story that combines sports, politics, espionage, corruption, and life-changing events that played out on a global stage. Among the stories we hear are the vivid descriptions of the 1969 Ice Hockey World Championships where the Czechoslovak National Team faced the Soviet national team for the first time since the 1968 Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia.  Vashi is currently finishing a film that will reveal his father’s incredible story for the first time in his own words. Visit the show notes here to see the trailer and the 1969 Ice Hockey World Championships. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode132/ If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us get new guests. If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Back to today’s episode, we welcome Vashi to our Cold War conversation… There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode132/ If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media. If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook. Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye. Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations 0:00 Introduction and Vashi Nedomanski's father's defection story 12:02 Vashi's father's professional ice hockey career and political climate in Czechoslovakia 16:44 Prague Spring and the Soviet invasion 19:00 The 1969 World Championships and its political implications 27:06 Vashi's birth, early life, and family's decision to defect 38:16 The methodology and journey of the Nedomanski family's defection 44:25 Arrival in Canada and challenges faced by the Nedomanski family 49:14 Erasure of Vashi's father from Czechoslovak ice hockey history and consequences faced by family 56:02 Vashi's own professional hockey career and experience of discrimination 58:04 Vashi's return to Czechoslovakia and his father's popularity 1:00:52 The making of Vashi's documentary about his father's life and journey Chapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices