Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Freedom to Win: A Cold War Story of the Courageous Hockey Team That Fought the Soviets for the Soul of Its People—And Olympic Gold
Freedom to Win: A Cold War Story of the Courageous Hockey Team That Fought the Soviets for the Soul of Its People—And Olympic Gold
Freedom to Win: A Cold War Story of the Courageous Hockey Team That Fought the Soviets for the Soul of Its People—And Olympic Gold
Ebook743 pages11 hours

Freedom to Win: A Cold War Story of the Courageous Hockey Team That Fought the Soviets for the Soul of Its People—And Olympic Gold

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars

()

Read preview

About this ebook

A classic David & Goliath tale, complete with colorful heroes, cold-hearted villains, and nail-biting games—with the hockey rink serving as an arena for a nation’s resistance.

During the height of the Cold War, a group of small-town young men would lead their underdog hockey team from the little country of Czechoslovakia against the Soviet Union, the juggernaut in their sport. As they battled on the ice, the young players would keep their people’s quest for freedom alive, and forge a way to fight back against the authoritarian forces that sought to crush them.

From the sudden invasion of Czechoslovakia by an armada of tanks and 500,000 Warsaw Pact soldiers, to a hockey victory over the Soviets that inspired half a million furious citizens to take to the streets in an attempt to destroy all representations that they could find of their occupiers, Freedom to Win tells a story that ranges from iconic moments in history to courageous individual stories. We will witness the fearless escape by three brothers who make up the core of the national team. We will experience thrilling world championship games. We will watch as one brave player takes a stand and leads ten thousand people in a tear-filled rendition of the Czechoslovak national anthem amid chants of “freedom!” while a revolution rages in the streets of Prague. And we will cheer as the team takes on its nemesis one last time with the Olympic gold medal at stake.

At the heart of Freedom to Win is the story of the Holíks, a Czechoslovak family whose resistance to the Communists embodied the deepest desires of the people of their country. Faced with life under the cruel and arbitrary regime that had stolen their family butcher shop, the Holík boys became national hockey icons and inspirations to their people.

Filled with heart-pounding moments on the ice and unforgettable slices of history, Freedom to Win is the ultimate tale of why sports truly matter.
LanguageEnglish
PublisherPegasus Books
Release dateJul 4, 2023
ISBN9781639363520
Author

Ethan Scheiner

Ethan Scheiner is Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Davis. His previous books include Democracy without Competition in Japan and Electoral Systems and Political Context. He now teaches and writes on the intersection of politics and sports. His writing on sports and political resistance has appeared in the Washington Post, Stars and Stripes, Politico, and The Daily Beast.

Related to Freedom to Win

Related ebooks

Sports & Recreation For You

View More

Related articles

Related categories

Reviews for Freedom to Win

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings

0 ratings0 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

    Book preview

    Freedom to Win - Ethan Scheiner

    Vedbook_preview_excerpt.html}Iו_ {Ѱ|]ʐ@R)"AR&\^܌Ȉt /B/\xҦZkXxS~I;ܸ*ef1|Xub슗u~qx5U2E)]N}n]E .'ݴݍPl=5x#o~ڪxҜǺ,>x܅x^b?~"0w~.W]/{yV]{K2]AZc놦 :?|(o?;_>:V;CI Ǫ]ӭ0ȇX4]Fy1X~m[[~scM 9 Pݤ8·\&ʋ,be;u_ Fႃ\|68AԎ@.uOC] ֡w(/=s Uob_ĖO;;Yg?WN}'oV.6}Cݖ]TiŠS{gnkNXî!z:"/k)Veߝ*ZAMXNEX/$S=BE}A,~~=9GzÈwKYpߪPbwG>޴A?" JB0q,RUnk0S -TX!_Gۇ,xA>*&|i|?U7 Av/~=iADܯ?("T(%5^7?];CԱ_e¹Vİ}6 C-{䯠q4b|hlIDIB?Q|*[A "`u:X%J( zUDvQ ̐`\y U8ނRaWrp Hu0 ;7*n"H%7H"mjP~+~=ɀ^x }e;uISX8{6Ӊ~8.$ԷB$+ewQO㱏l)m/Z0A&!a;"^6/@c 6ßl]m{|.\uQߒ_M 4ԯ=k݉me]@`nBt$ XJ)OjN"IVxc׸d fS9 05:0E'jW Y~ {H|4!G4PNu+G7adObVĚݖS]vʢ=۫!{v.)"od"fN/?R-'[)El+l؀\E7IpcבrU'znh mC uT)׎WGRjJ'tR:-T@jk\Jpԑecr"{M|%{hZqyԌ.gA\TcYlv }v=h$x{䝗!&BWnN b/pYh8Rt7]P<ֻ UR4!g Q(K4_*t9CǺ7?3rϓk`IP@emp7ypFohJzcLC&s WkhTdqyO{HA-{p6*UWȴݫ*ؚf]ȩ(S脍@0P*YԥX5$0Օ $YquW\F_|\eJSq>@rƾ,f&w۷ l@bx*Vmv\V$)Lc/PӠ?.>D{8op T"BYv}1?ʳa媂h#B:~B"onoP5 1@:B:*?mЈk!0 vKNu{F=ؙ.8:Pw*i7SSxƹ<1~(n# Fډ 9G@G1cUxF˻,#~ynL=qy͎;.a>uGR~Z⊻mGwZ5F;$/oZTNrm.Lp9wu. Iճ'W뮻o4@ۃcO/tl^ Sn"Q tPDA8&2B(‰$P pk]vHXi@D¶:Bб>װIi0\ENXp*e@3ɥq*߁FS8Z6 ?,-W<-d]h'[:ԅܿQz[F,ZFw ټPS t/Eo``G(H;p,  hs?BU=q^}XM v>9d_ #.[߆V`^l-5ʼn6{V{rȎx2Z }h\J/>YL0/5̂]RΑv& AԐ@#.zˉ`l oFB5t !?'^^4sa;Zc`M4&rҴ2D8fր %Lm8">5YGP?S]<7hS|[!Zmp2d+3Z\A ݝP^KEț)_dB ?/z(B0P@}|n>{6-.x- !_f}'PR^Uo1MSo6QNpɚ3W6'B)(4ɗ?>q}'WAR- #HlJBnԐc2 "z¦.Re3b%Vܺn zSt40@Wlu ~ g|k և9|GJJ9ФFBʩW5>]oV{$X<]^[P|`d?&] 5BdeTJ0^ŰH,X&KdxZ Ν7}ä=ʬ$`FiOlC9ot0ZEY{B3 Z^M`K0,R_xE1 A7L3L=D2Hrv`RV󅨨/=SXD@$),Bq!R>*EhJpAEH17&=c. FEFlorzZ W ]u{CLX-= B J,(8Lѻ@Rİ̃,-SYMYHUJ}ri KSR Y%M]F.|o@Z pFo _^r-RNf*TȼrcW!BT=o&`Y<~LYnI+O٣f`Pɟcv brIVv'~9(//pqΡ%q>n/ۻ3(d"3m= Ox.NRA}#\c7rkޠCP^ [v7ЖrC>Ԩq ˺gM@06/PYNQ4X@`x2sgXsՍ5?PXjiQ@YB3< DD S ˌWk?ĵɥN2NI]YZQ=㈒Lm-UO^ߥZ?" 'Eb)zYr*k=~3*c7 zŌmAlW1!eQ}7玓@RE eW`sևzܜ; F؇ܙ~MXY^ՉnGQ;;*43Du\[5 Qa_ݒV}9 F %o [# E ]xîѣgS suڃ{x.dPaQ(('< I:e,8IiYB׾tsU* P7*Ep7?oP&0  *cq/ЇoDv7Q#W33^YBt^" H:2j^eJ㩊YZLO,qN`i7˃Òp?luC߅ޗГ˺M 2m/PQݮk`,8!pj!;2i͓r:ZPz-UeVػ,|м1:acQ]!4LB]9?{QY1% Wʏp*O {-E#yz.JM\3(jr0 eo1s$ZMS0#x7f^ڐk<7|8G9Q-s X썔=xOsiƹZwW௄ozV쌫=8v"0x`mbIkC`0x<uɸ+52R9+7nE^1D2\ד hl!NV]r.@{W\;cn3WVt+wǼ5QGf`ђ0n'SaGr箝YrhbݾS0j93D%V^&6$o&Ĥ>H"Ų(%ً |r*aMyDi( IN@/!&W:cUX<9+aQ"Ll{b<l fzġӍyTFFN.#֔; V}PA =*j SͲ =3GTt >syʜVQQg6;Ώ MLFy2}4QxN+}J5SrCBLw6)0$$Xv`Ni`Q= ;'%31ocX_@]GU;cnR8gr#I| حS }/!NQx7'R`*a6*\p+!rǞ1,1#Äa΄;Ly :e:BУpZ?,\K",7qBҸ 3%YلA*;usp)WhS\l6'"5)wogMpWhck](!$ S~W2bXnNo_t@:Ny|7TGKS.C`xBϹnY4/[* LNP],d|DU N'̰2N+l)fr*YŁkc%Q>Br؃ n[khDf#XN?aңvLh]-I^)fNK8n0a׍,uãYO(WNG&cJae^8i5Z-ڡBEehM@8},m/rh){Ʃ^zE{{‘}t# U&MgY.rP{KIQ[8at 0f.yzLa: Gb2p}tWi%Cz@׌owq:6ZtI3M6 !/b3&J4͞0 )3*{-~fB0?M s,p٢2@m11ѱ' (l MstI' /: ]5Uن'sZ0;4z 5 R=.xGџ.ߔXF]`7@_RlsQ2ĄnF:]bet 3#pB,/&l 3>yGlxo{ ni13yn]L EtZhk6z2[)5AI֛fሂWINʗȼ񩯇kh \ 1*;$QA 9\NNG)ë_>Ws@mڽïϳ1g?XNbt%* Dwܡ༩[wX̜pf$c_VKδ&ڊ^ EN%Zک zFE)*91x=!׍eLd9ia0X5GaTDJ\eEIUzJk'@YqzeؑR@ϟɏ]Q`0gbZRgRYynC^0-Vis#n^/@3GJהv{sܴ"~k'0YoF \,KΤ,޴ܓ:\(9K}}e*hfx5 {_;΀d`X!Wm!gHIVi58\i0YuTdeSg EȤ=>M(R2| 4uSՈ7`/imB#ÈR(^+" г <qlDM%"7BQ6ఎ^83f9ܯ?H_NB*޿Z>mxEE:H#N\TN~_5xwo$LΖϨIJL m0dik]aZkT%"yu5o݃*Pi K :x3\TA_:W4a5(gHwMjNfnHۢ wPZ340I:ZlPkhTfN1l}ugwR/) 1A "ΐṼm5y눂u 6W]ۢ4#gFKhNF4"HEh`tJQ]ZS4]'ZH_ğMfY|vi5e XHG=djj9"HcM^L-E|8&_E׽ٳt_i&!++iSdģGY5fS)J ~E[nNsFĭu?O1fgXrcW7@!ǝ%>N8t6Hӂ#4Njxc& y! ^æUz|6#ΤEo&`Wݙ䩵l6h~m0GP\(>Ie dXvO _u0'203̯&0`lBLOϠŝHGmJV:X?Zd-(ʓmEP\Nj4敊lQ)i.8ry\u7jqVɩ͊~ЄaP1_zp@jhB0o;OQRKV%<22vV\0\&%,n)2ыvp=RL܏D\/w_<[$ιx2ݰ[ "^-AT@ d=Wb`IWZ©%gnC!bj)UkOT0P WR.̨i=xqP}8;-|R]\Sml;KO! @BMkV~ob[ܤZ$ofW5CVgiT6 TDl/oWԚ2 <ܷK5~ mͭ$v< CgwT0ELL*p#d([Q~;Kh ꯣ(i7<&,5J= Ix<'h{JH*O.w= ,?Qv5)ZCp>>68 *ZtxS cm/"D/Y @iZϋf96=~(%$ɰ'ӂ-P*=X,sWH.YAV 1hܙu^bc5KKGԦxP|GOIF^@weyYg R [ &:rlMU: -BKb=^Z4P ~mzE_/oLQWA_O 'q݋NK _g:_D!WpxTpB.d1_銉kf,QKʮռ VJN܄[Kx-s@p"3)ڥrlynSgDd6ŠCP̈pn/#p`o15Q[#pcc&5iwxd9L`XNi|NhICQ S&ނVT 8eVNY~;WhQuXhشp[aQl!+2vX@lD Ct_O3t ";Zj1٣"k͞8n8U3jNR lv@@;Ae&>:-GCFCzy"\BH'l!Wڲ|7 ~(Tkc\4Gj wYp2:b' a{^[|j@zLeG ;EF H#Nsu*00̃2gMx[=Cm)P!>K`x-F6=2O|4,嬃9BA4nO'Y)['Xf_ M9\OD qs -9! r4aBt_u4 &hr?y˅cBJ|۳9?Twl[%}|64ެ h^@ m#J(itv@' >[sܹdIz<#Geh;9cz2C"FZ؍C'Ӓz5Gz^ th shr{Yh'O*h"\(u-Y5teM]bD9as~쑤ƴGuvjTa?7~ W5S}"JMt϶A9s"iǜ:IvB_?ysG-h]M,/ ՞H'f-i QdFVGuh$SiY.c t CtgxpM:E5ClSk5qJ^! ~)|V=`h]gSEU7i[d G4#I$ Iwy %McH; ;D-TIAڐlj1}F0+-DYM%v2o^#Fѽϩ"K짒cU3Rn*\D!Mj;)Us4%a$ŕ8ZH TNa6Zo՘68X{k85DqҪ]tjK2CY@U 1҄{Y]F}9Hx9Y2uX_%oAŏA}aFWu#gHJ,=Vm@ ( gU敠 |g85fjo+L ʙAĬi5_hse0gFS.ȫd#-]Y շnl'sL`Z&x!P> XoN 20zQ1&W䚩 _&#so#6I)W ,_funj,wFM84ڬG-6۷Œļ!g&zڑVb.BR5ZuD*A-W&v"D06,=Ҏ2aQCCԳsG#+q~3>&:z{ !A *sqD-5Q[Hw~So8c&\64צfd(BE{EwxMTyc565fنwɁ0L <(לͮ3tm|"C*k5"d*V 4#YЕՅP%(wo6Tnlݤ&q-sU4Z*B2*xp%ӗhY3eCѮoΉ`Tyj&2Sqn%XbX@>v,У)j >L#Lszi'F!hOP9CվQg^2NPnLVAж@0'N9D=2=7rc(@2DF>NW+Я\P`a}duJMCw+Npgan]fzղQnRKz:{ƽPWԢMf8w&O> k)exH5j\њWRt>kk׊L%z*!Mig49y֝;^DAe3GXg~?Jظ+_(2C){1AoYȞa<ρ(7{ ^!3T0뭞 JEқԬ[KMF}UM$ 9x'2O7 Ȯf3* ȊYݗV6GttvZá¶Ѥ@ϼ:^he2nY{){iήX ,L*|Mr38k )l{B.)KcTo%l+;v!> ,b5hJ/9a!2=-sa^ͅMib[JAݑ-__ExS3{*_$f"~:_#MUEW g<%$膪F-Z&M r3+=2X> %|D Xl%O՜%2Z<7bwrLNIX"t"tbmRͤ$m |:6vxlB얂 qyq 34T@jvm#12]visĆQ(5 d0ad-sVgNyl>:-yU]CN0)o43Tp8I-82,1 0iځE/a V!ԳyNvn: -KrEut(MVI`_ec!bj~DOuYd"c5R6Zgu4,I9=.;z1RJ͆4gd]=xђ,NYeXyJ bEcPǪl(fP_{kCT]_=mmPE'Ư&4pyo8c6Y`c"]o>#hO'P7j1*סjШ5q̃h_.@d"},To~~#K@S'r*A;ˢaO^eATuԶ5ڗ2Yu:}/Rz:z}},P/?Y[N%wrP9߄Y/U!K3ZuM?&Q̇2vh@lnKX̷߸Oߕy0}3P2hY"A}[URll|C[\4P)Elm'gB˲B!U%XM[65vKט:}CȮ'Ϋ[;ն:XX%K.F&` /EJ-\[iBtGJ,%Gxĝ-, WT]N,Y@:oւG]j6 w~Z:E R%ߥ;qqhËri4;bfl`-ens"KݛLMىXeú ~zaΓjjjl:#_X/NQB鍱YOj{jIz)d'ȧ$p!${`3e@k;Dۑ=1l˳d'$a^[%0^ybT"hcM9?ӡ*^k"zQ4z0Z Y\ME00FcV u?6,Xh}n;*ͨci" [a`TNL#Hٺ`tRvk/CHeSP=NͧZ, ; AX>R)hXem k%!@ ewxmVف7UpOOh) 9m*W9mg{/Ŧ`[=/&*g=<nv.ʴSCnS"U|TҁC hm6KUDD=tS݁i7LF'F&P'9EM*^mhOp4K^ t+o2Bh>дJfa֦瞂]kc3 (h[j:/޼6't;\Au_+ϼz!Cj( e$G.$& Y&ȧ|D(9υ[&.F&-OLbu,#66p:zu[iv^A[.94Z{ۓ&]*WVAUUϧ\1ѵ+;\ ehޠ:cLa)ej.jǙn1R/EY7\Fx与V!K4w^TXGAMGR_[PJPRfVd4o4)$cm,6s 96"g̤lS ic _Mt&cs4EFŚW_յ{gh~9޴iO"&]z8sћ{Ftx^ȶ*S_ Afx8b&j.=ZD.1IEX:k1dQM5I9&zVJf紒/"7u,{9\lx_kfh:nYtڮEυ!1G/I{NS-8L9OgWʹs=3S_:{1!.4W+lyax bqX.I-|561)mL&Jnf,?K̔0Ѳ!\8wE_Z[l6ߓ\Zjg[jH2m.b8E g~icֽ6eNGO IU^tOjbי"Јz\tϭaG߃:+R΂F0liy)rڲEg[Ԋ]SRWm֮7s PiJw`N)oBOr<&2󕋜J&AǽĭtӲͅ6bŘx0h}rcG*29=ni;n%zaN7=xg[oaʦknHt,9Kx8\Dz?N3"yZ@Qiteo #Rj}C94F2S:S+,ny5X9R7mٶpt'˷)Ky>d[f|}m+XL-[~֮y3 ,NxJŶ?^.l>Cx2!N،q]3(n^$h͹ p:?TDP35P,Ǧ:W+ 70KFDMzX^{FiNjBAľ}H3(lvGvc+(PϾ qڷiX,G'u4ubDW$9iKo햪=u$Bt8jK{!Kyd>~nyR*يCF/=m^l0Us#!s*;XdS4>j94M8}N عI֛T%هޑ?FEDdrï)(˖sFmpg[0b'cU@b"}~tAqƋ"/$JօBc 92j1f+%YJIur{Rb1}kV8}Qٷ6#L{K֝O)fCF- #0\,۵9a0y3P5.$EW3_el;k4v6k]K W] WkWe #sVR?S>_w7y@ "0_Cb+`$9DU2&_D7 md61Ks47VG8pNV@s!&*QL`u[oѹͽpL۬aRJ]`E=,E٬v9@X/[׻JDx6H,0l0sE$0gJ;BWTu"00X poʟ 9h2:6{F濇NjY{$)n "bkf){{mvg2`eݫf(ԡ`04Gx5ͨ59iY&q8O|C2o%fY3fIjquҤ M~Ɂ?.ME ΌգXGIYN+߸Տ*K7MiQHsh~uJKU<nhlzXB)U#$Y _ܧ5BcEOPwgFaTO6> +ܭ$kU zRdLhࡥWٍv77% RAkyuG.Nj9PtbǶtfepm4ZQ0U(\+QsFWkYUD#˜6=X$M^["ODμĐ+xRaFžw15OGerJ(uNq%xϦ?-榳K+N}}Hcs0zjy6X۶V*/& ML9]+\`n(:mWj"[ZfsOˈrns7~X>Yo$c >zYucO%,@$.h"M2{hЌhݛ_7hZ=6j9/b.3 2B_Uq12QM7΢M& A#[B bq`RS%IwDwP4?gKZTg;F~)yF-]eV_$79kFcP-iқlCɞ:6y]Tw8TjSσmR
    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1