Ice hockey at the 1964 Winter Olympics
Soviet Union won gold; Canada controversially placed fourth.
The 1964 men's ice hockey tournament in Innsbruck, Austria, doubled as the 10th Olympic Championship, the 31st World Championships, and the 42nd European Championships. All games took place at the Olympiahalle Innsbruck. The Soviet Union claimed their second Olympic gold medal, along with their fourth World Championship and eighth European Championship. Canada, fielding a purpose-built national team for the first time—organized and coached by Father David Bauer—failed to medal for the first time in Olympic ice hockey history.
Qualification matches determined the Asia/Oceanic representative and, for the third and final time, the German Olympic team. Japan defeated Australia twice (17–1 and 17–6) in November 1963. West Germany and East Germany played to a 4–4 draw on December 6, 1963, and West Germany won the return match 4–3 two days later.
In the first round, winners advanced to Group A (1st–8th places), while losers went to Group B (9th–16th). Seeding roughly followed the 1963 World Championships. Switzerland, a B-pool team, beat Norway (also from the B pool) 5–1. Other first-round results included Canada 14–1 over Yugoslavia, the USSR 19–1 over Hungary, Czechoslovakia 17–2 over Japan, Sweden 12–2 over Italy, the USA 7–2 over Romania, the Unified Team of Germany 2–1 over Poland, and Austria 2–8 to Finland.
During the Canada–Sweden game, Swedish player Carl-Göran Öberg broke his stick and tossed it aside. The broken end struck Canadian coach Father David Bauer in the face, opening a bleeding wound. Bauer insisted his players stay on the bench and not retaliate to avoid penalties late in the game. Canada won 3–1, and Bauer later forgave Öberg, even inviting him to sit together while watching the Soviet Union play Czechoslovakia.
The final round determined medals: first place won gold, second silver, third bronze.
Quick Facts
- Year
- 1964
- Country
- Austria
- Dates
- 29 January – 9 February 1964
- Num Teams
- 16
- Winners
- USSR
- Winners-Flagvar
- 1955
- Count
- 2
- Second
- Sweden
- Third
- Czechoslovakia
- Fourth
- Canada
- Fourth-Flagvar
- 1957
- Games
- 56
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Prior to the tournament, qualification matches determined the Asia/Oceanic representative and the German representative. Japan defeated Australia in two games, and West Germany defeated East Germany in a two-game series. In the first round, winners advanced to Group A for 1st–8th places; losers played in Group B for 9th–16th places. Switzerland, a 'B' pool team, defeated Norway. During the Canada versus Sweden game, Swedish player Carl-Göran Öberg broke his stick and the broken end struck Canadian coach Father David Bauer in the face, opening a bleeding wound. Bauer demanded his players not retaliate to avoid penalties; Canada won 3–1, and Bauer forgave Öberg, inviting him to watch the Soviet Union play Czechoslovakia the next day.
Reader's Guide
Canada, Sweden and Czechoslovakia finished with identical records of five wins and two losses. Canada believed they had won bronze based on goal differential among the tied countries, but at the medal presentation they learned they had placed fourth due to the Olympic tie-breaking procedure using goal differential from all seven games. Canadian Amateur Hockey Association president Art Potter and the players accused IIHF president Bunny Ahearne of a last-minute rule change. Ahearne later clarified that the decision was supported by IIHF statutes. In April 2005, the IIHF was reported to have admitted a mistake and voted to retroactively award Canada a bronze medal in the 1964 World Championship (not the Olympics), but in June 2005 the IIHF voted against the reversal, with vice-president Murray Costello stating it would set a precedent. Father Bauer was awarded a gold medal for sportsmanship in the stick-throwing incident.
Did You Know?
- Canada was represented for the first time by a purpose-built national team organized and coached by Father David Bauer.
- In 2005, the IIHF voted against retroactively awarding Canada a bronze medal in the 1964 World Championship.
More in International and Olympic Ice Hockey, Part 3 1-24
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