Bohumil Modry

Political prisoner and one of the greatest goalies of all time. Natural born leader, that was known as the best european goalie in his times. He was a member of golden generation of czechoslovak players, that won World Championship in 1947 and 1949 and silver medal at Olympic games in 1948. After he shutout Canadian national team at Winter olympics in 1948, he was wanted also by NHL teams. Soon before the departure to London for the World championship in 1950, Modry and his 12 teammates from national hockey team were arrested by communists. In mendacious political trial they were accused of treason against communism (they thought they want to emigrate), physically tortured and then sentenced from 8 months to 15 years of inprisonment. Modry himself was sentenced to 15 years in uranium prisoner camp in Jachymov. After 5 years of torture and humiliation in the "camps of death" he was released. However his health was severely damaged. After slow dying he deceased in 1963 on after-effects caused by radiation exposure. He was only 47 years old. Before he died, he published several ice-hockey books and had a major impact on future developement of goalies in Czechoslovakia. (Jan Jech)