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That is Elmar Buaris in a Latvian jersey of US Riga, circa 1944. US stands for Universitates Sports. The owl is a symbol of wisdom.
The next question of course is who was this Elmar Bauris. As I understand it Bauris, born in 1913, was bandy star who converted to Canadian hockey. The game was played in Latvia several years before the Russians adopted it in earnest. The Russians recruited Bauris and other Latvians to Moscow to teach them how to play. After 10 years playing for Dynamo Riga, Bauris would play one season with Moscow Spartak as a 38 year old, but shoulder and rib injuries kept him quiet.
Bauris was apparently also quite the accordion player! He also took up tennis competitively after his hockey career ended.
Special thanks to @DidzisRudmanis
1 comment:
The information is not completely true. Not Russians recruited Bauris and other Latvian ice hochey players to teach them to play hockey but Latvians showed to Russians what is Canadian hockey. Bauris was Soviet hockey star of forties and fifties. Most of his carier he played not in "Dinamo" Riga but in "Daugava". Now (November 13, 2012) he is 95. Tomorrow I am going to interview him.
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