Josef Malecek

Josef "Pepa, Pepi, Joe" Maleček (June 18, 1903 – September 26, 1982) was a Czechoslovak hockey player who was a major star throughout Europe during the inter-war period.

He made his debut with the Czechoslovak National Team at the 1922 European Championship and was playing club hockey for AC Sparta Praha at the time.

He soon emerged as the top player both on the national team and in domestic Czechoslovak hockey. Malecek joined LTC Praha in 1927 and the club soon became one of the best in Europe. With Malecek at the forefront, they toured around Czechoslovakia, destroying their opponents and winning the Czechoslovak Championship every year.

Malecek played on a line with Karel Hromadka and Jiri Tozicka on both LTC and the national team. At the 1927 European Championship, the organizers presented a new trophy to the winners (Austria) - a statue of Malecek. He was well on his way to becoming the eminent player in Europe.

After the 1929 European Championship (won by Czechoslovakia), the SPORT newspaper wrote the following about Malecek: "It was the ultimate excellence in a hockey rink. He dazzled the crowd in a way so that even the most rabid Hungarian had to admit that he was the King of the tournament. His amazing movement and puck skills in combination with his incredible way to constantly set up his teammates was a thing of beauty."

Malecek soon became a national icon. In 1933 a prominent Czechoslovak newspaper, Ceske Slovo, proclaimed Malecek as the most popular athlete in the country. The same year he became the first European player to receive an offer to play in the National Hockey League. Malecek declined the invitation, wishing to remain in his hometown of Prague.

He excelled in all facets conducive to putting the puck in the net, with an excellent hockey sense and an incredible ability to deke around defenders. He had a hard and accurate shot, especially from the left. Malecek was a quick skater who could effortlessly control the pace of the game. He had it all.

Malecek appeared in a total of 17 major tournaments with the Czechoslovak National Team between 1922 and 1939, missing only the 1932 Winter Olympics after breaking his leg. In 107 games played for the national team, he scored 114 goals. He won four gold medals at the European Championships.

As he aged, Malecek wanted a fresh start, away from the LTC club, that had numerous younger players in their ranks. In 1943 he joined OAP Bratislava and played for them and later SK Bratislava until 1948. He also served as a player-coach for the clubs.

After the Iron Curtain descended over Czechoslovakia in 1948, Malecek elected to leave the country. He crossed the border with a fake Peruvian passport, and though the guards recognized him, they allowed the legend to leave with a smile.

He later served as a player-coach in Switzerland and Germany and only retired as an active player in 1955, at the age of 51. Malecek then moved to the United States, where he lived the remainder of his life.

Malecek is credited as the first hockey player to score 1000 goals. In fact, he scored more than 2000 over the course of his entire career, including all games. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2003.