Athlete. He received notoriety in the first half of the 20th century as an award-winning Swedish athlete. He was considered a “Ball Genius” and practiced sports such as ice hockey, bandy, handball and being a soccer goalie. In 1935, he made his debut for the Swedish international soccer team playing 35 games until 1943. During the same period, he played 55 games for the Swedish international hockey team. In Berlin, Germany at the 1936 Olympic Summer Games he represented Sweden in soccer as well as hockey. From 1944 to 1946, he coached soccer, and this followed with becoming a federal ice hockey coach at the 1948 Olympic Games. After his sports career declined, he was seriously injured in a car crash in December of 1955 leaving him to be wheel-chair bound for the rest of his life. For the 1960 Paralympics in Rome, he was chosen to represent Sweden in archery but declined the offer for financial reasons as he was expected to pay his own way. In 1999 he was elected to the International Ice Hockey Association Hall of Fame and in 2012 to the Swedish Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
Athlete. He received notoriety in the first half of the 20th century as an award-winning Swedish athlete. He was considered a “Ball Genius” and practiced sports such as ice hockey, bandy, handball and being a soccer goalie. In 1935, he made his debut for the Swedish international soccer team playing 35 games until 1943. During the same period, he played 55 games for the Swedish international hockey team. In Berlin, Germany at the 1936 Olympic Summer Games he represented Sweden in soccer as well as hockey. From 1944 to 1946, he coached soccer, and this followed with becoming a federal ice hockey coach at the 1948 Olympic Games. After his sports career declined, he was seriously injured in a car crash in December of 1955 leaving him to be wheel-chair bound for the rest of his life. For the 1960 Paralympics in Rome, he was chosen to represent Sweden in archery but declined the offer for financial reasons as he was expected to pay his own way. In 1999 he was elected to the International Ice Hockey Association Hall of Fame and in 2012 to the Swedish Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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