Kharlamov Valery hockey player from which he died. How Valery Kharlamov died

The decision of the head coach of the USSR national team Viktor Tikhonov not to take Valery Kharlamov to the Canada Cup was a real blow for the attacker. By this time, as the interlocutors of the author of these lines admitted, Kharlamov in Canada was the most popular Soviet athlete, his talent overshadowed the glory of Pele in the Maple Leaf Country. Valery Kharlamov, having met his wife and son, who returned from the south, went to the dacha. I did not sleep all night, I was worried, but in the morning I had to go to Moscow.

From night to morning on August 27, rain charged in the Moscow region. Although it was August outside, this rain was already cold in autumn.

When exactly on the way the wife of the hockey player, Irina Kharlamova, got behind the wheel, is unknown. There is a version that Valery Kharlamov, who did not get enough sleep, changed places with his wife, who was sitting on the right in the front seat, after he taxied from the rubble onto the Leningradskoe highway. Others believed that it happened when the car disappeared around the corner from the eyes of her mother. In any case, the wife of the hockey player was already driving the Volga in Leningradka.

They said that the Kharlamov "Volga" with the numbers 00-17 MMB on the highway wet from the morning rain, they say, went at a decent speed - about a hundred kilometers per hour. But people who knew Valery and Irina said that she could hardly squeeze more than 70 kilometers per hour on a wet and slippery highway, especially on the Volga, which she hardly drove. Subsequently, this will be confirmed by a police examination. The car at the time of the collision was moving at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour.

As experts said, most likely, Valery in the front seat and cousin of Irina Kharlamova (Smirnova) Sergey, who had recently returned from the army, fell asleep. If so, then legend number 17 met his death in a dream, without understanding what happened. They say that meeting your death in a dream is the lot of happy people marked by the Lord. Not everyone is given this.

Moving along the almost empty Leningradskoye highway, Irina Kharlamova saw a sign - "Road work is underway" and road barriers standing in front. Where to turn at this speed? After all, you need to give aside! She decided to go around the obstacle.

"Volga" sharply spun. On this ill-fated wet asphalt, recently laid by road workers. One, two. The car spun, whirled around. Everything happened in a matter of moments. 00-17 passed into the oncoming lane. Apparently, Kharlamov woke up at that moment, experts will record that his left hand was outstretched to the steering wheel. So, I wanted to help my wife to taxi ...

And where did this truck come from at such an early hour, as it turned out later, heavy, stuffed to the brim with spare parts. The guy behind the wheel gripped the steering wheel with his mouth open. He understood that a collision with the out-of-control Volga was inevitable. The young man driving the ZIL turned the steering wheel to the right, trying to get to the side of the road. Late. "Volga" with numbers 00-17 MMB has already flown on a loaded and therefore less maneuverable colossus. Hit the truck sideways and rolled into a ditch.

The gnashing of iron, a terrible blunt blow and the clinking of glass. The woman flew through the windshield. "Volga" was squeezed, mangled, the metal was crumpled, grinded, and torn apart. All. In such disasters, as a rule, there are no survivors. The blow, as the traffic police officers later established, fell on the Volga from behind, where Irina Kharlamova's cousin was sitting. Kharlamov was hit in the back of the head. And his wife was thrown out of the cab. She lay on the pavement and was alive for about 10 minutes. She asked only one question: "How is Valera?". And she died.

In a few seconds, the ZIL driver will run out of the cab. Horror. Wild horror will seize him after he recognizes the people's favorite Valery Borisovich Kharlamov in the passenger in the front seat. No longer breathing and gone to another world.

Lev Maksimovich, a traffic police officer, later spoke about this and other details: “When I looked around at the scene of the incident, I almost immediately understood in detail what had happened. towards the steering wheel. Probably, at the last moment, he tried to help his wife cope with the controls. His wife, Irina, was lying in a ditch and was still alive. The ambulance was standing nearby. The doctor fussed with cotton swabs, trying to save her life. The hockey player's cousin, who was sitting in the back seat, died on the spot.

The death of the Kharlamov family, as they later wrote, became "largely a chain of random coincidences." The day before the accident, asphalt was being changed in this area. In the place where the new coating ended, a kind of ledge formed, some say five, some seven centimeters high, which caused the tragedy. As experts later dryly write, "Kharlamov's wife was an inexperienced driver and, having run into a bump, lost control." The car spun on the highway, and she collided with ZIL, who was walking towards her.

Most likely, they would have survived if they had been strapped in. If yes, if only.

But death, as you know, does not recognize subjunctive moods. In addition, the truck, as luck would have it, was packed full of spare parts. This heavy ballast added to an already powerful blow. And the slippery asphalt in this place, as if on purpose, left no chance of salvation, as if "spitting out" the car into a ditch. "The new coating, on which the Volga hit, was slippery like ice during the heat ...", they will write later. But those damned if...

An hour later, all of Moscow will know about the tragedy. This information will be confirmed to a TASS correspondent in the capital's traffic police. And later, world news feeds will be “sewn by lightning” from the Land of Soviets: “According to TASS, the famous hockey player Valery Kharlamov and his wife died in a car accident near Moscow this morning. They left two small children - a son and a daughter.”

“I conducted a training session in the SKA Leningrad team. A dispatch came from the club duty officer that Valerka had died tragically. I assembled the team, announced to my assistants that they should conduct the training themselves. happened. She was driving. He left the dacha. She was already sitting on the track. She didn’t know how to drive. That’s all. That’s how the tragedy happened. If he had been driving, the tragedy wouldn’t have happened, "he admitted in an interview with the author of these lines is the captain of the USSR national team Boris Mikhailov.

“Before his death, I went to Holland on a flight. I then worked at Sovtransavto and was abroad at that moment. Gennady Tsygankov called me, having found the phones through the leaders. Nothing was reported on the radio in Europe yet. Gena was laconic: "So and so, be strong, Misha, such a tragedy happened! ". But I could not escape, I could not be in time - customs matters, I also had no right to leave the car, the times were like that. I arrived after, I learned everything from everyone rumors, - recalled Kharlamov's friend Mikhail Tumanov.

As I understand it, as a result of the heavy rain that had passed the day before, the pads of the Volga got wet. The asphalt on the Leningrad Highway, along which the car was moving, was slippery like a skating rink. Under heavy braking, there was a sharp skid. And Irina could not cope with the management. Moreover, she had little experience driving the Volga, and she learned to drive in another car, in the Moskvich, ”Mikhail Tumanov admitted in an interview.

On that fateful morning, by a lucky chance: they wanted an additional portion of the same barbecue that their grandmother promised to cook, the Kharlamov children remained in the country. Remained alive. Left orphans.

“On August 27, Tatyana Mikhailova called in the morning and said: “Come to me quickly. Valera crashed. Come soon. "I'm flying out of the house. As luck would have it, no trolleybus, no bus. No taxi. I found a private trader. I'm all crying. I can't believe what happened. The driver asks what happened to me. They told me that my brother crashed. I'm coming to Tatyana's home, and there her youngest son says to me: "Aunt Tanya, and they have already left for the morgue for identification. You sit here and wait." I waited, then Tatyana called from the morgue and said one phrase: "Yes, this is Valera." Then the information went on the radio right away. Then dad came, we all came home. And the next day mom to come," recalled the hockey player's sister Tatyana Kharlamova.

The hockey players of the USSR national team, who played at the Canada Cup, among whom were several very close friends of Valery Borisovich (what can I say in general: he himself was a long-term favorite and the soul of the national team, how could one not love him), could not come to the funeral. That's why they, the players, were offended. They could not salute, throw a handful of earth, as it should be during burial, into the grave of the one who was so respected and loved. They could not be near the cemetery and at the same time in grief with the whole country.

The news of Kharlamov's death in a car accident near Moscow, according to his best friend Alexander Maltsev, was a "terrible blow" for him, from which he could not recover for years. The USSR national team at the time of the disaster was sent by plane to the Maple Leaf Country to prepare for the Canada Cup. “At the Winnipeg airport, approaching us, the Swedish judge said that Kharlamov had died. For us, the death of such an original player and an amazing person was a terrible blow. I realized that I had lost my soul mate,” recalls Alexander Maltsev. Everyone loves that when a minute of silence was announced in North America for Valery, then, I think, all of Canada and the United States stood up to honor his memory.

“Fate took my closest friend away from me,” Alexander Maltsev says quietly. “If Valera were alive now, everything would have turned out quite differently. No one could replace him for me ...”.

Alexander Nikolaevich often remembers his friend. At these moments, the pain of loss is visible in his eyes, which has not subsided, despite the years lived. For these three and a half decades. Maltsev perks up when he is asked to talk about the happy days spent with Kharlamov, when warm words are said about his friend.

On August 27, 1981, the players of the Soviet team at first perceived the information about the death of the team's favorite as nothing more than a provocation - Kharlamov's portrait, framed by a black mourning ribbon, was shown on TV news when the team players checked into a hotel.

We decided to call home. This tragic news was confirmed after the head of the Soviet delegation, Boris Mayorov, made a call to Moscow directly from the reception. From his instantly whitened face, the hockey players of the USSR national team guessed that the irreparable had really happened.

“It took us almost two days to get to Canada on the bed. We flew to Winnipeg, it was night there, we slept. In the morning, when we turned on the TV, photos of Valera in a black frame began to appear in the news reports. Then no one spoke English much. We didn’t understood what was happening. Everyone ran downstairs to the hotel lobby. Then someone came and said that such a tragedy had happened. There was a noise. We told the management that we would fly back to Moscow for the funeral. The head of the delegation from the Central Committee, an instructor who called home , said that a team meeting would take place in the near future, - Vyacheslav Fetisov recalled in a conversation. - As a result, we were convinced that we would not have time to get to the funeral. I could not believe that this happened. Only yesterday he was next to us and ... suddenly he is no more. When we left the stadium in Canada, many people came up to us, everyone expressed their condolences and everyone said the name Kharlamov. Only when we flew to Moscow and came to his grave, only then did I realize that Valery Borisovich was gone from us. I didn't want to believe it until the last minute, but it was the bitter truth. It was a shock. It was the loss of a friend."

Tretyak, Vasiliev and Maltsev came to Tikhonov with a request to let his friend go to the funeral. Tikhonov did not let him in, although the players literally begged the national team coach to give them the opportunity to say goodbye to their best friend. They were ready to fly to Moscow at their own expense. On the first flight, the Canadians would help. We were ready immediately after the funeral to return back to the Canada Cup. Tikhonov was adamant.

“We came to Tikhonov and at our own expense asked to fly to Moscow for the funeral. Tikhonov categorically forbade us to do this. All the guys gathered, remembered, drank 100 grams of vodka each. We all took up arms against Tikhonov. that Kharlam did not take. If he had gone, then there would not have been this terrible accident and such grief for us. Secondly, that he did not let us go to the funeral. After 1972, Valera made a revolution in hockey in Canada. He was there popular as a national hero," admitted Alexander Maltsev.

Bobby Hull entered the locker room of the Soviet team after one of the matches at this tournament. In his hands he held a bouquet of red carnations. "I know that red carnations were Valery Kharlamov's favorite flowers. Please take them and bow on behalf of all Canada to the great Hockey Player and Man," Bobby Hull asked.

At the 1981 Canada Cup, the hockey players of the national team played for two: for themselves and Valery Kharlamov. One can only imagine how hard these matches were for them. When every second the pain of irreparable loss burned, when the thought was constantly tormented that they could not pay their last tribute to the memory of a friend and comrade in Moscow, but should these days be far beyond the ocean.

The situation in the ranks of the USSR national team was really oppressive. It was especially hard for those who played with Valery Kharlamov in the national team and the club for many years, for whom he became a friend and brother. "Three decades have passed, and the events of those days are still in my memory. And most importantly, the question is why did it happen so suddenly? Not after some kind of illness, but this is how the life of one of our best athletes, our friend, ended," recalls Boris Mikhailov.

The players then, in Canada, held their own meeting, separate from the coaches and heads of the delegation. "Valerka Vasiliev, team captain, all the guys said that the victory should be dedicated to the memory of Valery Borisovich. We swore that we would fight to the last and try to win the Canada Cup, which he himself wanted to win. Before the final, we gathered again, all together, without management, without coaches and said that we would do everything to win the final match against Canada," Vyacheslav Fetisov admitted.

The USSR national team really rallied, and won the 1981 Canada Cup, but with what score, 8-1! Leaving no stone unturned from the Canadians and dedicating this victory to the memory of Valery Kharlamov. Upon arrival in Moscow, the players of CSKA and the national team visited both the parents of Valery Kharlamov and the cemetery. “Upon arrival in Moscow from Canada, we were met by our wives and relatives. We got on the bus and went straight from the airport to the Kuntsevo cemetery. We couldn’t believe in his death until the last, but when we arrived at the grave, we realized that neither Valera nor Ira there will be no more," Vyacheslav Fetisov recalled in a conversation.

The funeral of Valery Kharlamov took place on August 31, 1981 at the Kuntsevo cemetery. First, it was decided to bury the great hockey player at the Vagankovsky cemetery, where the corresponding letter from the Moscow City Executive Committee went. A responsible "party comrade" came to Vagankovo ​​with a letter in his hands and absolutely stupidly chose a site in the far, near the fence, then still undeveloped, part of the cemetery. When the hockey player's friends came to look at the site, they immediately refused: it was simply difficult to get to the burial place. “If you had arrived earlier than this frame, I, of course, would have identified the best site, closer to Vysotsky’s grave, now I can’t, the order has already been approved,” the director of the cemetery shrugged.

As a result, it was decided to bury the great hockey player at the Kuntsevsky cemetery of the capital.

Farewell to Valery Kharlamov and organized the burial hockey club CSKA. It was painful to look at the mother of the legend, Begonia Kharlamov. She was constantly sedated. Thousands and thousands of people came to say goodbye to the people's favorite. Like a year earlier. On the death of Vysotsky.

Farewell to Kharlamov was extended for two hours, after the organizers saw what a huge line of people stretched into Ice Palace CSKA. People climbed over the fence. The queue stretched right from the Aeroport metro station, so there were a lot of people.

The funeral was indeed very crowded. Officers, generals with golden stars of Heroes of the Soviet Union, artists, athletes, women, adults and children passed by the coffins in deep sorrow. The gray-haired old woman, heartbroken, knelt down and laid a modest bouquet at the feet of the inconsolable mother of Valery Kharlamov. The Spanish ambassador expressed condolences to Begonia Kharlamova, bent over her, said something, then stood on the guard of honor.

The people kept coming. Everything was intertwined together, streams of tears merged, overflowing into a huge, forgive me, reader, I won’t pick up a suitable comparison, “a sea of ​​\u200b\u200bwoe.” And this ridiculous death itself, and this death in the prime of life, and the fact that such a phenomenal person left so early and unfairly. Indeed, a people's favorite, who would live and please people with his sparkling gift ...

“On the territory of the army sports palace, everything was crowded with people, many of whom were crying. We army men were in military uniform. It was an unbearable feeling. Mikhailov, Petrov, Lutchenko carried the coffin of Valera. I carried the wreath. It hurt the most to look at his mother. It was a shock. The pain of loss was felt for years. There was a lot of talk about this, this topic was constantly touched upon. If he went to Canada, then he could stay alive. But, it's fate. I'm not one of those who support this topic. Kharlamov is a unique person. And his loss was very heavy," Sergei Nailievich Gimaev recalled in an interview with the author of these lines.

In the end, they decided to take the coffin to the cemetery, despite the fact that people were still walking towards the palace. “I remember that there were a lot of people at Valera’s funeral. Thousands and thousands of people. A continuous stream of people went to our army weightlifting hall. It was like going to the mausoleum. From the entrance to CSKA and there. There were a lot of people. "because of the endless stream of people. Then we went to the Kuntsevo cemetery. We drove in a separate car. It's not clear who got on there. There were several buses to get there. Everything was also jam-packed at the cemetery, it was impossible to break through. At Kuntsevo, it was raining, as if from buckets, then suddenly the sun came out sharply in a second. Tarasov, the chairman of the sports committee of the Ministry of Defense, spoke, such a good general. The leadership spoke, and people spoke, "recalled in an interview with the author of these lines Olympic champion Alexander Gusev.

It so happened that on the eve of the fateful day of the death of his friend, Kharlamov's friend, the famous Vladimir Vinokur, went to Kursk to visit his parents. “Then Leva Leshchenko called me and said: “Volodya, there is trouble with Valera. He crashed in a car." I ask by inertia: "Is he in a military hospital or in a civilian clinic, remembering the accident that he had in 1976?" Then Leva told me that the most terrible and irreparable had happened. I immediately went to Moscow," Vinokur recalled in an interview with the author of these lines.

“Valera’s funeral became a tragedy for us, which no words are enough to describe. I didn’t feel anything: there was no legs under me, no head. I just remembered that when we left the CSKA Sports Palace with a procession, everywhere, despite the pouring rain , crying people were on their knees and so saw him off on his last journey, "recalled Tatyana Blinova, who knew Valery Kharlamov from childhood.

“On the day of Valera’s funeral in 1981, when we left CSKA, it was raining, we were traveling by bus. I recall a symbolic episode. A funeral column is going and suddenly an absolutely amazing picture appears before our eyes. right on the Leningrad highway with a bunch of roses, kneels, right into the water in front of the hearse driving towards him with the coffin of Valera and Irina, and then the whole column, and puts these flowers, this bunch of gorgeous roses right on the wet asphalt. ". And then, when we arrived at the cemetery, the dazzling sun shone. When I talk about Valera's funeral, I always see this symbolic scene: a man, roses, downpour and a shining sun," Vladimir Vinokur recalled. "When I go to the cemetery to brother, and his father lies nearby, and 50 meters from them is the grave of Valera and his relatives. I always go there, there are always flowers lying there. But this is fate. Every person. We are guests on this earth."

The rain stopped and the sun came out. At that moment, Anatoly Tarasov approached the coffin. Suddenly thunder rumbled and it began to rain again. Then Tarasov said: "You see, all of Moscow is crying for Valera." And then, suddenly, the sun came out. “In a farewell speech at a funeral rally in front of thousands of people, in front of true friends of hockey and Kharlamov, who gathered at the Novokuntsevo cemetery, I said that Valery “did not know his greatness,” Anatoly Vladimirovich Tarasov would write later. “Valery was a really great hockey player, ... he did not know the true extent of his amazing talent, in no way, never, nothing and no one emphasized his exclusivity and, in general, was a rare decent, clean and honest person.

What Kharlamov did on the ice is really beyond the control of a simple craftsman and even a hockey master. So the artist played, closed in himself, vulnerable, subtly feeling falseness. So Kharlamov, usually cheerful and cheerful, is remembered by everyone who knew him.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Valery Borisovich Kharlamov (January 14, 1948, Moscow, RSFSR, USSR - August 27, 1981, near Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Region, RSFSR, USSR) - an outstanding Soviet hockey player, striker of the CSKA team (1967-1981) and the USSR national team (1969-1980), Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1969). 2-time Olympic champion (1972, 1976) and 8-time world champion. The best hockey player of the USSR (1972, 1973). One of the leading hockey players of the USSR in the 1970s, who received recognition both in his country and abroad.

State awards
Order of the Red Banner of Labor - 1975
Order of the Red Banner of Labor - 1978
Order of the Badge of Honor - 1972
Medal "For Labor Valor"

The death of Valery Kharlamov

Valery Kharlamov was born on the night of January 13-14, 1948 in Moscow into a working-class family. His father, Boris Sergeevich, worked as a test fitter at the Kommunar plant, his mother, Aribe Orbat Hermane, or Begonita, a Spaniard by nationality who arrived at the age of 12 in the USSR in the late 30s, worked at the same plant . In addition to Valera, there was another child in the Kharlamov family: daughter Tatyana.

Ironically, V. Kharlamov was born in a car: the young mother was taken to the hospital, and the contractions began right in the cab of the car.

Boris Kharlamov left his wife in the maternity hospital, and with a bundle in his hands, where her clothes were, he went on foot to the hostel where he and his young wife then lived (the metro was no longer working by that time). On one of the streets, a lone traveler with a suspicious bundle was noticed by a police patrol. He was asked to go to the department, with which he gladly agreed: the frost was terrible and it was already unbearable to stomp home. In the department, Boris Sergeevich warmed up and treated the policemen to shag.

My son was born today, - he told his interlocutors once again. - They called Valery, in honor of Chkalov.

B. Kharlamov recalls: “Valerik was born very weak. He weighed less than three kilograms, and where was the hero to be expected with the then-card nutrition. I washed my legs with the guys in the hostel, as usual. a quarter of a large room, fenced off from other families by a plywood partition ... "

At the age of 7, Kharlamov first skated and went to the rink with his father. Ice hockey by that time had already firmly established itself in our country and was not inferior in popularity to football. Many boys of that time dreamed of being like Vsevolod Bobrov or Ivan Tregubov. Valera also dreamed about it. However, on the way to this cherished dream, an obstacle-health suddenly arose. In March 1961, Kharlamov fell ill with a sore throat, which gave complications to other organs: doctors discovered he had a heart defect and practically put an end to any activity of the child. From that moment on, Valera was forbidden to attend physical education classes at school, run in the yard, lift weights, swim, and even attend a pioneer camp. Otherwise, the doctors said, the boy might die. However, if Valery's mother resigned herself to such a diagnosis, then his father thought differently. Therefore, when a summer ice rink opened on Leningradsky Prospekt in the summer of 1962, he took his son there to sign up for the hockey section. That year, the boys of 1949 were accepted, but Valery, with his small stature, looked so young that it was not difficult for him to mislead the second coach of CSKA, Boris Pavlovich Kulagin, about his age. Kharlamov then turned out to be the only one of several dozen boys who was accepted into the section. And when the deception nevertheless came to light, Valery managed to please the coach so much that there was no question of expelling him from the section.

A. Maltsev recalls: “Valery once admitted in moments of our special spiritual intimacy: “As a boy, I seriously cried only once. It was when I started playing in the children's team of CSKA and for the first time the referee sent me off for two minutes. Here I sobbed - it became bitter that the guys left in the minority. And when they were pressed against the board, they were knocked down on the ice - they endured it as if nothing had happened.

Behind a short time Kharlamov has become one of the best players in the Youth sports school CSKA and became B. Kulagin's favorite. And here Main coach CSKA Anatoly Tarasov at one time belonged to young hockey player with some prejudice. And it was to blame for this ... V. Kharlamov's small stature. Tarasov in those years relied on tall and powerful hockey players, never tired of repeating: "All the outstanding Canadian hockey players are giants compared to ours. How can we defeat them if our attacking dwarfs are literally a meter with a cap?" In the end, Kharlamov also fell under the heavy hand of Tarasov: in 1966 he was sent to the second league, to the army team of the Sverdlovsk military district - the Chebarkul Zvezda. And there a miracle happened.

Kharlamov, a first-rate player, “put on his ears” the whole of Chebarkul, having managed to score 34 goals in one season. Team coach Major Vladimir Alfer immediately reported on the success of the young “Varangian” from Moscow Kulagin. At first he didn't seem to believe it.

However, in the spring of 1967 in Kalinin, Kulagin himself saw Kharlamov in action and realized that his place was in the main team of CSKA.

The only thing that was embarrassing was how Tarasov would react to this proposal.

They say that that conversation between Kulagin and Tarasov about the future fate of the talented hockey player was long and difficult.

Tarasov continued to doubt the capabilities of Kharlamov, considered his take-off in Zvezda to be accidental. But Kulagin continued to insist on the transfer of the 19-year-old hockey player to Moscow. And Tarasov gave up. So in the summer of 1967, Kharlamov was called to the CSKA training camp at the southern base in Kudepsta.

In the national championship of 1967-1968, the CSKA team became the champion. Together with her, V. Kharlamov rightfully shared the joy of victory. It was then that the famous army trio Mikhailov - Petrov - Kharlamov was born. In December of the same year, she was included in the second national team of the USSR, which replaced the team of Czechoslovakia in the tournament for the prize of the Izvestia newspaper (she did not come to Moscow after the August events). In 1969, 20-year-old Kharlamov became the world champion, thereby setting a record: before him, not a single hockey player in the Soviet Union knew such a take-off at such a young age.

"I like to play beautifully," Valera often repeated. What is true is true: hockey performed by Kharlamov was a true art that amazed millions of people. When he appeared on the ice, the goalkeepers trembled, and the audience enthusiastically expressed their delight.

By 1972, Kharlamov was already unconditionally considered the best hockey player not only in the Soviet Union, but also in Europe. He became the champion of the USSR four times, three times the world champion and twice the European champion. At the USSR Championship in 1971, he became top scorer, throwing 40 goals into the opponents' goal. In early 1972, as part of the USSR national team, he won the Olympic "gold", became the tournament's top scorer, scoring 9 goals. And in the autumn of the same year, Kharlamov conquered North America.

The famous series of matches between the hockey teams of the USSR and Canada started on September 2, 1972 on the ice of the Montreal Forum. Not a single inhabitant of the North American continent then doubted that the entire series of eight games would be won by their compatriots with a devastating score for Soviet hockey players. If someone objected, he would be called crazy. But what really happened? In the very first match, the devastating score overtook not us, but the Canadians: 7:3! For the "maple leaves" it was a shock.

They unconditionally recognized V. Kharlamov as the best player in the Soviet team, who scored two goals in the match. Immediately after the game, one of the Canadian coaches found Valery and offered him a million dollars to play in the NHL. Kharlamov then laughed it off: they say, I won’t go anywhere without Mikhailov and Petrov. But the Canadians did not understand the humor and immediately declared: we take all your top three.

Naturally, no one went anywhere, and could not go anywhere. Those were not the times then.

A. Maltsev recalls: “By the standards of Canadian hockey, Valera was a “baby”, and the rivals were especially angry when it was Kharlamov who over and over again beat them, powerful and huge, on ice. And after the historical “series-72”, even NHL professionals recognized that such a "kid" as Kharlamov - an athlete, all cast, of muscles - can be a star in the game of powerful men.

Kharlamov became the only European hockey player whose portrait adorns the stands of the Museum of Hockey Glory in Toronto.

By 1976, Kharlamov was already a six-time champion of the USSR, a six-time world champion and a two-time champion. Olympic Games. He was probably the only hockey player in the country who was loved by all the fans without exception. Kharlamov was loved even by the fans of Spartak, despite the fact that the rest of the army Spartak "fans" did not digest the spirit. Kharlamov was an exception.

In 1975, a girl entered the life of Kharlamov, who would soon be destined to become his wife. It was 19-year-old Irina Smirnova. Their acquaintance happened by chance.

On that day, Irina's friend invited her to her birthday party in one of the capital's restaurants. The birthday girl with the guests settled down in one part of the establishment, and a cheerful male company was walking in the other. At one of the moments, when the music started playing again, the young people crowded up to the table of the birthday girl and began vying to invite the girls to dance. Ira was invited by a swarthy short guy in a leather jacket and a cap. "Taxi driver, probably," Irina thought to herself, but accepted the invitation. After that, the young man, who introduced himself as Valery, did not leave her all evening. When everyone began to disperse, he suddenly volunteered to give Irina a lift to her house by car. "That's right, a taxi driver," the girl came to the final conclusion when she got into the brand new "Volga" under the number 00-17 MMB.

Arriving home, the girl, as expected, told her mother, Nina Vasilievna, that she had met a young man in a restaurant, a driver by profession. “Look, daughter, it’s still unknown what kind of driver he is there ...” - Nina Vasilievna considered it good to warn her daughter. But the daughter ignored her remark.

Kharlamov's meetings (and he was this "chauffeur") with Irina continued for several weeks. Finally, the girl's mother could not stand it and asked to show her her boyfriend. "I must know who my daughter is dating," she said. "But he's afraid to come here," Irina replied. “Then show it to me from a distance, on the street,” Nina Vasilievna found a way out.

This show took place in the park near the Bolshoi Theatre. The mother and daughter hid in the bushes and began to patiently wait for the gentleman to arrive at the meeting place. Finally, his "Volga" stopped near the sidewalk, and Nina Vasilievna fixed her eyes on her master.
She looked at him for several minutes, but apparently she was not too satisfied with this and said: "I need to go up to him and talk." And then her quiet daughter literally boiled: "If you do this, I will leave the house. You promised only to look at him." And the mother had to come to terms.

Soon after this incident, Valery's incognito was finally revealed. When Irina's mother found out that her daughter's boyfriend was a famous hockey player, she felt a little better: after all, not some obscure driver. And after some time, Irina announced that she was pregnant. In early 1976, a boy was born, who was named Alexander.

The most surprising thing is that until that time Valery's parents had never seen their daughter-in-law, and Irina's mother had not met her future son-in-law in person. Their acquaintance took place on March 8. On that day, Valery's friends stopped by Irina's house and took her and her son to meet the groom's parents. And after that, Kharlamov came to get acquainted with the future mother-in-law.

Meanwhile, this joyful event was soon overshadowed by an incident that almost led to tragedy: in the same spring, Valery and Irina got into a car accident.

N.V. Smirnova says: “For some time after the wedding, Ira and Valera lived separately from me. One day they call me at work: will you sit with little Sasha tomorrow - they are going to visit somewhere. "The next day I'm waiting for a call, I think maybe they found someone to be a nanny, when suddenly a friend calls and says that they crashed on their Volga. Valera treated fractures of the legs and ribs for more than a month. And Ira also had a broken leg, crushed heel and severe concussion."

And here is what V. Tretiak recalls about this: “Returning home by car at night, Valera could not cope with the controls and ... the car crashed to smithereens, and Valera and his wife were taken to the hospital. Kharlamov’s affairs were bad: broken ankles, ribs, concussion. A man just got married, and here you are - a "honeymoon trip" to an army hospital. For a long time, doctors were not sure if Kharlamov could play hockey again. He spent two months in a hospital bed.

Only in August Kharlamov got up and took his first independent steps around the ward. But to go on the ice, before that, he was still oh so far away ... "

And yet, in the fall of 1976, Kharlamov returned to the ice. Many then doubted that he could become the former Kharlamov, and not his pale copy. But Valery did the impossible. After the very first game, with the “Wings of the Soviets”, the coach of the “wings” B. Kulagin said: “We should be proud that such a person and a hockey player as Kharlamov lives in our country!”

In 1977, as part of CSKA, Kharlamov became the seven-time champion of the USSR. In the same year, he came to the leadership of this illustrious club. new coach- Victor Tikhonov. Here is how he talked about his impressions: “Like all people associated with hockey, I heard a lot, of course, about the “iron” Tarasov, about his unheard of hard character, about the “iron” discipline in the army club.

However, I not only heard about Tarasov, but I have known him for many years.

I assure the reader that none of this was in the CSKA, which I got into. There was not only "iron" discipline, but also elementary - from the point of view of the requirements adopted in modern sports ... "

Among the main violators of the sports regime in CSKA, Tikhonov further names Alexander Gusev, Vladimir Petrov, Boris Alexandrov. Kharlamov is not on his list, but in fairness it should be said that he sometimes allowed himself to "relax". His colleague in the USSR national team Valery Vasiliev recalls: "Here's the case: we are flying across the ocean. Boris Pavlovich Kulagin was the coach of the national team ... Well, Valery Kharlamov and I "tapped" right on the plane. Kulagin caught red-handed, took one hundred dollars and I didn't stage the first game, but then I forgave him... We began to ask him: "At least take away all the money, just let me play.

We are not for money - for the Motherland. "And by the way, he returned the money ...

We were almost always forgiven. Why not? We drank professionally. They knew when and how much. The game was not reflected - that's what's important. Here is another case. Shortly after Tikhonov headed the team (1977), Kharlamov and I again had an embarrassment. We drank, and a lot ... The next day we play with the Czechs. The score along the way is 0:2 not in our favor. Viktor Vasilievich, all white with anger, walks along the bench and mutters through his teeth: "Enemies, enemies ... I withdraw from the game." But the guys stood up for us with Kharlamov:

"Leave it, Viktor Vasilyevich, let them try to rehabilitate themselves." Tikhonov surrendered. And what? Valerka and I came out, and then we were named the main characters of the match. Kharlamov scored two goals, I made a pass ... As a result, the team won.

Tikhonov later said: "I have an idea: maybe let these two drink? As an exception, huh?" And the then Minister of Sports Pavlov made an even more interesting proposal. He came up to Kharlamov and me and said: “Listen, guys. If you feel like it, take the keys to my dacha, drink there. But it’s still not worth it at the training camp. True, they thanked, but refused.

In 1978 and 1979, Kharlamov, as part of the USSR national team, once again won gold medals at the World and European Championships. In the same years, CSKA twice became the champion of the country. However, Kharlamov and other "veterans" Soviet hockey more and more talented youth began to crowd. And the forces of the "veterans" were not unlimited. At the Olympic Games in Lake Placid in 1980, the famous trio Mikhailov - Petrov - Kharlamov played below their capabilities. Not leaving before ice rink, without scoring at least one goal, this trio then spent almost all the games "dry". Even in decisive match with the Americans, they never managed to hit the opponents' gates. At that Olympics, our team took silver, which at that time was considered a tragedy.

In 1981, Kharlamov announced that this season would be his last. He wanted to complete it with dignity, and in many ways he succeeded. As part of CSKA, he became the champion of the USSR for the 11th time and the owner of the European Champions Cup. At the last tournament, he was named the best striker. Now, in order to finish his hockey career on a high note, he needed to win the first Canada Cup, which was supposed to start at the end of August in Winnipeg. And then the unexpected happened: Tikhonov said that Kharlamov was not going to this tournament. For all hockey specialists and fans, this news was incredible.

V. Fetisov recalls: “Valera trained furiously, he was in great shape, and it was felt that he was really looking forward to a tournament of such a high rank, realizing that it would be his last. We were packing our bags, when suddenly Tikhonov called Kharlamov to him. Half an hour later Valera left the coaching room. Without explaining anything, he shook hands with the guys, murmured something about the victory, turned around and left. As it turned out later, Tikhonov "unhooked" Kharlamov for some past violation of the regime ... "

And here is how V. Tikhonov himself explains what happened: “Valery was not on the list of candidates for the national team of the country when we held a training camp. However, he brilliantly played the final match of the European Champions Cup, and therefore we invited Valery to Scandinavia, knowing, of course, in advance that the cup matches in Italy cannot be compared with what we have to endure in Canada.

Kharlamov did not train as part of the national team, he was preparing according to the CSKA plan - not by the beginning, but by the end of September, when the national championship starts. However, according to the level of skill, according to the strength of his character, his courage, Kharlamov is always worthy of playing in the national team, he has a character, as they say, for three. But in terms of functional readiness ... Valery has not yet gained form, and his backlog from his partners was great. There was not yet that motive power, thanks to which this brilliant striker had time to act everywhere.

We talked to him in detail. Valery concluded:

Viktor Vasilyevich, I understand everything. I'm really out of shape...

Then came Vladimir Vladimirovich Yurzinov. The conversation continued with the three of us. Valery complained that he did not have enough strength to play. We told him what to do, proposed a program of action:

You need to run for twenty to thirty minutes every day. Then in November-December you will already be in good shape. You will play at the Izvestia tournament and start preparing for the World Championship...

Kharlamov replied:

I understand everything, I gave you my word... Why are you entrusting me with work with the youth, I understand... I will do everything to make them play..."

Thus, according to Tikhonov, Kharlamov did not get into the national team due to poor functional training. To be honest, it's amazing to hear about it. For that Canada Cup, several players got into the national team, whose preparation and level of play caused much more criticism from specialists, but they went to Canada. And the super-class player V. Kharlamov remained in Moscow. And as it turned out - to his death.

On August 26, Kharlamov went to the airport to meet his wife and young son, who were returning from a vacation in the south. A few hours later, he brought them to a dacha in the village of Pokrovka near Klin, where his mother-in-law and four-year-old daughter Begonita lived then.

I. V. Smirnova says: “Ira came from the south with a little cold and went to bed early. At that time, my older sister’s family lived in the country, so we had to stay in another room all together. But Valera didn’t go to bed right away, something else then he fiddled with the guys, and then settled down next to Sasha on the bed.I offered to take my grandson to my sofa, but he did not agree.

He slept badly, got up several times, but did not drink or smoke. Just sit, sit, and lie down again.

In the morning we got up early, had breakfast. Ira and Valera were going to Moscow. Ira says: "Valera, you didn't get enough sleep; let me drive the car." Then I heard, protested: "Don't give her the steering wheel, she has no license, and the weather is so gloomy." Valera reassured me: “I won’t let you, I have to hurry, I want to be in time for training by eleven, so I’ll take it myself. And I also need to bring Seryozha home.” Sergei went with them - my nephew, he was already a family man, he had recently returned from the army. In short, Valera got behind the wheel, and they left.

I soon went to the store for fresh bread. I also had my sister with her grandson. We are walking down the street, when a police car suddenly drives up, and they ask my sister where, they say, Kharlamov's mother-in-law lives. I realized that something happened."

The tragedy occurred at seven o'clock in the morning on the 74th kilometer of the Leningrad highway. Today it is already difficult to establish why, having barely left the village, Kharlamov suddenly allowed his wife to drive the Volga, but the fact remains: Irina was driving in the fateful minutes. The road was wet, and the woman apparently lost control. The car swerved into the oncoming lane, along which a truck raced at high speed. Everything happened so unexpectedly that his driver could not really react, only turned the steering wheel to the right. And the Volga crashed into his side. The blow was so strong that Valery and Sergey died almost instantly. Irina was still alive for some time, and when the drivers who came to the rescue took her out of the car and laid her on the grass, she moved her lips. However, she died a few minutes later. Ten minutes later, the police arrived at the scene of the tragedy, who identified the man sitting in the front seat of the Volga as Valery Kharlamov. Within an hour after that, the news of the death of the famous hockey player spread throughout Moscow. And in the evening of the same day, world agencies reported: "According to a TASS correspondent, the famous hockey player Valery Kharlamov died in a car accident near Moscow this morning, thirty three years, and his wife. They left two small children - a son and a daughter ... "

Hockey players of the USSR national team learned about this tragedy in Winnipeg.

V. Fetisov recalls: “In the morning they turned on the TVs, and there were portraits of Valerka. But then none of us really understood English. and to say something about Kharlamov, we understood: trouble happened to Valera. In the evening, our hockey boss Valentin Sych flew in and said that Kharlamov had died. We were in shock. Everyone gathered and at first wanted to throw this tournament to hell and go to the funeral. But then somehow it happened that they decided to stay, by all means win the Cup and dedicate the victory to Kharlamov. And so it turned out in the end. "

The funeral of those killed in a car accident took place a few days later at the Kuntsevo cemetery. Thousands of people came to say goodbye to the great hockey player. Soon after, Kharlamov's mother passed away, unable to bear the death of her beloved son and daughter-in-law.

R. S. On August 26, 1991, on the tenth anniversary of the tragedy, a memorial sign was erected on the 74th kilometer of the Leningradskoye Highway:

A 500-kilogram marble puck on which was engraved the inscription: "Here rolled the star of Russian hockey. VALERY KHARLAMOV." The most surprising thing is that this sign was put not by the state, but by a private person: a certain Mikhail, who is a passionate fan of hockey and the talent of V. Kharlamov.

The world famous hockey player, eight-time champion of the USSR Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is still of interest to thousands of people, was born in Moscow in 1948, on the night of January 13-14, right in the car carrying his mother to the hospital.

Childhood, family

Father Kharlamov Boris Sergeevich worked at the Kommunar plant as a mechanic. Mother Carmen Orive-Abad, a Spaniard by nationality, who arrived in the USSR at the age of twelve, among other refugees, worked at the same enterprise as a revolver turner. At the time of the birth of their son, Boris and Carmen were not yet married and signed only three months later. Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is full of unexpected events, had a younger sister, Tatyana.

Having escorted his wife and just-born son Valery to the hospital, Boris Sergeevich set off with the things of the woman in labor on foot home. At that distant time, police patrols often bypassed the reporting territories to maintain order and peace on the streets of the city. A young man with a bundle in his hand, walking down the street at night, seemed suspicious to the policemen, and they asked him to go to the police station. Valery's father was even happy about this - at night in mid-January there was a big frost. And the office is warm. Having told the police officers on duty the good news that his son Valery was born, after treating everyone with shag and warming up, Boris Sergeevich went home.

Weak child

The biography of hockey player Valery Kharlamov, a world-famous athlete, is amazing, because he was born a weak child with low weight. This is understandable: with meager card nutrition, with virtually no vitamins, it was difficult to count on good health. At first, his family lived in a hostel: three families lived in a large room divided into four parts by plywood partitions. There were Spartan conditions, but they lived together and cheerfully.

Serious diagnosis

Due to insufficient and monotonous nutrition, not very favorable living conditions and a far from mild climate, Valery Kharlamov, whose biography surprises with the number of ups and downs, was often sick. After another sore throat, which occurred in March 1961 and gave complications to other organs, the doctors discovered he had a heart defect and forbade the boy any physical activity, including any sports, attending physical education classes at school, and in the summer - a pioneer camp. Even swimming was banned.

Introduction to hockey

Despite doctors' warnings that physical activity Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is closely connected with sports, may die, in the summer of 1962 his father, who himself was fond of playing hockey, took him to a summer skating rink that had just opened on Leningradsky Prospekt. At that time, there was a set of boys (a year younger than Valery) in the hockey section. Valery was also naturally frail, so no one thought that he could be a year older than the guys who were then accepted. He, like several other boys, was accepted by the second coach of CSKA Boris Pavlovich Kulagin. And when it turned out that Valery had the wrong age, it was already too late to expel him, because with his perseverance and hard work he managed to win the sympathy and trust of the coaches. Since then, hockey has firmly entered the life of Valery, and his whole other life was subject to a training regimen.

School of CSKA

From the age of fourteen, Valery began to successfully engage in hockey school CSKA, and from nineteen - in the main team of the club. Kharlamov was distinguished by perseverance, stubborn character, and the will to win. He always tried to achieve high results, never complained or whimpered. And he could burst into tears not when he was physically hurt, but when the referee first removed him from the field for two minutes, and he had to leave the team in the minority to fight with rivals.

Chebarkul "Star"

In a fairly short period of time, Kharlamov became one of the best players in the CSKA youth sports school. But the chief Anatoly Vladimirovich Tarasov did not have high hopes for Valery. Mostly because of his small stature. After all, at that time all the famous world hockey champions, including the legendary Canadian athletes, were much taller and more powerful. Because of this, the hockey player Kharlamov was sent to the second league in 1966, to the army team of the Sverdlovsk military district - the Chebarkul Zvezda. But as you know, talent will find its way everywhere. Being in Chebarkuli and playing there in the team, first-class Kharlamov managed to score 34 goals against opponents in one season.

Through the coach of the team, the Moscow coaches also learned about his success. In the spring, Kulagin went to the city of Kalinin, where the Kharlamov team played, and personally witnessed the success of the young athlete. It only remained to convince the great Tarasov to transfer the talented athlete to the main team of CSKA, since he continued to doubt the advisability of such a step. In the summer of 1967, he succeeded, and the 19-year-old hockey player Valery Kharlamov again ended up in Moscow, from where he and his team were sent to a training base in the city of Kudeptsta.

The birth of the legendary trio

The consequence of this was that the CSKA team, for which the hockey player Valery Kharlamov played, became the champion at the national championship of 1967-1968. At the same time, the famous hockey troika Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov appeared, in which Valery reached top results. The trio used a power style and knew how to interact in the game in such a way that the team achieved the highest results. Kharlamov himself in 1969, at the age of twenty, became the youngest world champion in the Soviet Union. Valery knew how to play beautifully, which won and fascinated millions of fans. Goalkeepers trembled when he went on the ice, and the audience enthusiastically admired his game.

The best team player

In 1971, Kharlamov became the top scorer, scoring 40 goals against opponents, and in 1972 - best player tournament as part of the USSR national team, scoring 9 goals. In the same year it was won Olympic gold. Since that time, Valery was considered the best hockey player in all of Europe, becoming the champion of the USSR four times, three times world champion and twice European champion. In the fall, he went to conquer North America as part of a team.

"Invincible" Canadians

At this time, in September 1972, a series of matches between the national teams of the USSR and Canada began on the ice of the Montreal Forum. The inhabitants of the North American continent did not doubt for a single moment that their compatriots would win all eight games, and by a huge gap. And what a surprise it was when in the very first match the Soviet hockey players won with a crushing score of 7:3. It was a shock to Canadian hockey players. Kharlamov distinguished himself here with his unique style of play and scored two goals, later called masterpieces. After that, he was unconditionally recognized as the best player in the Soviet team. Valery became one of the key players in the USSR team. This led to the fact that after the match he was offered to move to the Canadian team, promising a million dollars for this. Kharlamov tried to laugh it off, saying that he would not go anywhere without his troika. The Canadians did not understand the joke and agreed to accept all three players, including Petrov and Mikhailov. But that was not the time - the players remained in their former team.

Recognition of professionals

Canadian large and powerful players were especially angry and surprised by Valery, as he was much smaller than their height and more frail. They called him "Baby" among themselves and were sincerely surprised at his resourcefulness and perseverance. But they also recognized his skill and talent - of all European hockey players, he became the first and only one whose portrait hangs on the stand of the Museum of Hockey Glory in Toronto.

Of course, Kharlamov was the most beloved hockey player in his native country - even fans of other teams admired him.

Fateful meeting

One evening the guys from hockey team, including Valery Kharlamov, went to a local restaurant to celebrate another victory. In the next hall of the same restaurant, a company of young people was walking - they were celebrating the birthday of one of the girls. When the music began to play, hockey players began to invite the girls from this company to dance. And Kharlamov invited a girl whose name was Irina. She mistook a young, short, black-haired guy in a cap for a car driver, a taxi driver, but nevertheless agreed to dance. Valery did not leave Irina all evening, and at the end he offered to take her home by car. Irina confirmed her assumption about Valery's profession, getting into the new "Volga" with the number 00-17 MMB.

At home, as befits a decent girl, she told her mother Nina Vasilievna everything. Nina Vasilievna was skeptical and distrustful of her daughter's new acquaintance and wanted to follow him to find out what he was like. Irina had already met Kharlamov for several weeks when her mother persuaded her to show him at least from afar. But this time we didn't get to know each other. And when Nina Vasilievna found out who her daughter's beau was, she calmed down a little - after all, not some kind of driver, but a famous athlete.

Birth of the first child

In 1976, the son of Valery Kharlamov and Irina was born. He was named Alexander, in the future he will follow in the footsteps of his father. And a little later, the couple had a daughter, Begonita. During the same period, Valery became a six-time world champion and a two-time Olympic champion.

It is surprising that the parents of a celebrity have never met their daughter-in-law and have not seen their grandson, and he was not officially introduced to Irina's mother, despite the fact that young people have lived together for so long. The friends of the couple intervened in this, and one day on March 8, the son of Valery Kharlamov and Irina got by their efforts to Valery's parents to get acquainted. And after that, Valery went to Irina's mother for an official presentation.

Accident

In the spring of the same year, Valery Kharlamov and his wife were in a car accident. The accident happened in May. The day before, Irina called Nina Vasilyevna and asked her to sit with the baby while they went to visit. But when, at the agreed hour, Nina Vasilievna did not wait for the call, she thought that someone else would be the nanny. And only after some time she learned from mutual friends that Valery and Irina had crashed in a car. They were driving home late in the evening, and Valery lost control of the car. The car was shattered and beyond repair. Valery received numerous broken legs, ribs and a concussion. Valery Kharlamov's wife was also injured. But it helped that witnesses to the accident immediately called " ambulance and the victims were immediately taken to the hospital.

The athlete spent two months in the hospital before taking the first independent step after the illness. The children of Valery Kharlamov at that moment were under the supervision of his mother. Teammates brought a simulator to the ward so that he could train and keep his muscles in good shape. Doctors gave disappointing forecasts and doubted whether he would be able to walk normally, not to mention the game. It was in August. late autumn the same year, Kharlamov again went on the ice. And six months after the accident, he began to fully train.

To spite all predictions

There were many skeptics as to whether Kharlamov could become a player of the previous level. But, despite the disappointing forecasts of doctors and their recommendations to forget about hockey, Valery did the impossible - he already showed his high class in the first game with Wings of the Soviets. And in 1977, as part of the CSKA team, hockey player Kharlamov became the seven-time champion of the USSR and still remained one of the top scorers. Throughout my fifteen years sports career he played in 438 matches for the CSKA club and scored 293 goals. 123 matches were played for the USSR national team at the World Championships and the Olympic Games, and 89 goals were scored.

At that time, there were rumors about the strict nature of the team's coach Anatoly Tarasov and about the iron discipline in the training of the famous club. But the new coach who came to the club in 1977 dispelled them, saying that there was no discipline there, even the most elementary in terms of the requirements adopted in the sport. Just all conscientiously and responsibly treated their duties and training. And if necessary, they knew how to show heroism.

Untimely loss

On August 26, 1981, Valery Kharlamov died on the Leningrad Highway. The accident occurred when his wife Irina was driving the car. She also died a few hours later in the hospital. The death of Valery Kharlamov was a tragedy for millions of his fans. Together with family and friends, millions of admirers of his talent all over the world mourned. And the children of Valery Kharlamov from that moment were brought up by his parents. Until now, they are actively invited to various programs - to talk about their legendary father.

The funeral of Valery Kharlamov took place a few days later. Ten years later, a monument was erected at the site of his death.

The star legend of domestic and world hockey is Kharlamov Valery. A film about his life, successes and fame was released in 2013. Many sports facilities are named after him.

The great Soviet hockey player, multiple world champion, member of two NHL and IIHF Halls of Fame Valery Borisovich Kharlamov was born into a family of simple tool factory workers. It was unusual that the mother of the future athlete, Carmen Orive-Abad, who was affectionately called Begonia, was from Spain: she was taken to the USSR as a child in the late 30s.

She was a passionate temperamental woman, with her brightness she struck down the master Boris Sergeevich Kharlamov, with whom she worked at the same factory. After they met at the dance, the couple in love did not part, and a few months later, on January 14, 1948, their first-born Valery was born. After the parents managed to register the relationship, another daughter, Tatyana, was born in the family.

Little Valery Kharlamov with his family

The boy from childhood began to go out on hockey rink, since his father was a fan of this sport and often played for the team of his native Kommunar plant. After several family trips to Spain to visit relatives, where little Valera joined football, he continued to train at the youth hockey school under the guidance of Vyacheslav Tazov, but already secretly because of his illness. The boy was suspected of rheumatism and banned from physical education. But the father's method of playing sports gave its results: already on his 14th birthday, Valery was completely healthy.

Hockey

Initially, the young man played for the CSKA sports school team. He continued his adult career as part of the Zvezda team from the Ural town of Chebarkul. His partner in this team was Alexander Gusev, who would later also enter the highest echelons of Soviet hockey players. After a series of victories, Kharlamov is given a chance to try himself in the big arena and is taken to CSKA. Vladimir Petrov also becomes Valery's partners here for a long time.

Kharlamov had a significant drawback, according to his next coach, this is a short height for a hockey player - 173 cm. Despite this, Valery, with his style of play and sports intuition, nevertheless won the sympathy of a mentor and got access to the ice as a member of the USSR national team.

Petrov - Kharlamov - Mikhailov

Work in the famous trio Petrov - Kharlamov - Mikhailov played a big role in the biography of each of the three athletes. Their first joint victory took place in 1968 during the match between the USSR and Canada. After that, the famous trio became a thunderstorm on the ice court: wherever the athletes appeared, they always brought victory to the Soviet team and defeat to their rivals.

Thanks to the special style of play of each of the athletes, a clear distribution of roles among themselves, the hockey players skillfully carried the pucks to the opponent's goal. The performance of Kharlamov himself was also on top. Due to his efforts, the USSR national team at the World Championships in Sweden took the lead, and the athlete himself, according to personal points, began to be considered the best striker of the Soviet Union.

In 1971, according to the calculations of coach Tarasov, the hockey player was transferred to another link - Vikulov and Firsov. This castling brings "gold" at the Sapporo Olympics and the championship in the super series of all time between the Soviet Union and Canada.

At the 1976 Olympics, it was Kharlamov who managed to change the outcome of the match with the Czechs, scoring the decisive goal into the opponent's goal.

Career decline

In the same year, Kharlamov is experiencing a serious car accident, in which he gets on the Leningrad highway, while driving his car. The athlete took a long time to recover from severe injuries. The surgeons of the military hospital helped him in many ways. The doctors raised their idol to his feet, and he was able to return to the ice.

Valery Kharlamov on crutches after the first accident

In the first match with the Wings of the Soviets, Kharlamov's partners did everything possible for him to score a goal. But Valery did not manage to finish the game until the end, he still felt bad. In the CSKA team, at this time, the coach is being replaced by a new mentor, Viktor Vasilievich Tikhonov. Thanks to new training tactics, the team was able to resume their winning streak at the 1978 and 1979 World Championships. After that, the legendary trio was gradually disbanded.

On the eve of 1981, Kharlamov announced to everyone that after the match with Dynamo, where the athlete scored his last 293 goal, he would go into coaching. But this was not destined to happen.

Personal life

ABOUT personal life Kharlamov, before his marriage, it is only known that he devoted all his free time to sports. In 1975, at a celebration in one of the restaurants in Moscow, Valery met his future wife Irina Smirnova. Young people, despite the 8-year age difference, immediately fell in love with each other and began to live together.

Wedding of Valery Kharlamov and Irina Smirnova

After some time, their son Alexander was born, and after registering the marriage in May 1976, the couple had a daughter, Begonita. After several years of living together, the young people received a three-room apartment near the Alekseevskaya metro station.

Doom

At the end of the summer of 1981, an event occurred that had a negative impact on the psychological well-being of the hockey player. For the first time, CSKA flew to the Canada Cup without Kharlamov, despite the absence of his official announcement of his retirement. Valery planned to play his last competition abroad, but the club's authorities decided differently. In a tense state, the last conversation with the mentor Tikhonov took place. The Kharlamov family at that time was in the country.

In the early morning of August 27, 1981, Valery, his wife Irina and her cousin decided to take their own Volga home to Moscow. On the way, Irina got behind the wheel of a car. The young woman did not have much driving experience and lost control of the car in a minor emergency. The vehicle swerved into an oncoming lane and collided with a truck. The cause of death of all passengers of the car was multiple injuries received during the accident.

In the morning, all the media in the world broadcast about the tragedy. A civil memorial service was held at the CSKA Palace, the graves of all the dead are at the cemetery in Kuntsevo. Since the CSKA team could not come to the funeral, the athletes promised to take the Canadian Cup in memory of a friend. This was achieved by playing the final with the hosts of the competition with a crushing score of 8:1.

Monuments to Valery Kharlamov at the grave and at the place of death

The Kharlamov children were taken under their care by Irina's mother, who was still full of strength at that time. Colleagues in the hockey department provided great support in the education of Alexander and Begonita. The boy subsequently made a career in hockey, becoming a children's coach, and then went into business. And the girl received the title of master of sports in rhythmic gymnastics. The children of Valery Kharlamov are happy in their families. Alexander and his wife are raising their son Valery, and Begonia has two daughters, Dasha and Annushka.

In memory of the legend of Soviet hockey, several documentaries and feature films of Russian and Canadian production. The audience especially remembered the films "Additional Time" in 2007 and "", which appeared in 2013.

Famous actors played in the first picture, in the second film the cast included,.

Kharlamov's mother-in-law, Nina Vasilievna Smirnova, when she first saw Danila Kozlovsky in the photo, admitted that he was very similar to Valery.

DEATH OF THE GREAT KHARLAMOV

So, the last time the Kharlamov trio in its original form performed together in February 1980 at the Lake Placid Olympics. Then the trio was truncated - Kharlamov and Mikhailov played in it from the previous composition. They played together until September 14, 1980 (their last official game- USSR - Czechoslovakia, which ours won 4: 2, but Kharlamov and Mikhailov did not score goals then). Then Mikhailov was forced to leave hockey. After that, Kharlamov and Petrov played together in CSKA until the end of the USSR championship (May 17, 1981). The army team then again became the champions of the country, gaining 77 points (silver medalists, Spartak, scored 11 points less). The top ten scorers of the tournament included Petrov, who finished tenth with 43 points (19 goals scored + 24 assists).

A little earlier (at the end of December 1980), Petrov was returned to the USSR national team, and he participated in a tour of Holland, playing in different triples and scoring two goals. Kharlamov was not taken on that tour. As well as the next World and European Championship, which was held in April 1981 in Stockholm (Sweden). Petrov will be attracted to the games at this tournament - he will play in the same trio with his CSKA partners Sergey Makarov and Vladimir Krutov. Their trio will score 13 goals, of which four washers will fall to the lot of Petrov.

Valery Kharlamov. In August 1981, he was again called up to play for the USSR national team after he became the most productive striker of the CSKA team in the European Cup tournament (Italy, 1981)

As for Kharlamov, he will be attracted to the games for the national team in mid-August 1981, when the tournament for the Prize of the Rude Pravo newspaper begins. They will not be attracted by chance, but after CSKA wins the European Cup for the 11th time on August 5–9, which this time was held in Val Gardena (Italy). IN final tournament, where four teams played, CSKA won all three matches (against HIFK (Finland), Poldi SONP (Czechoslovakia) and Brunes (Sweden) and won the Cup. At the same time, Valery Kharlamov became the most productive forward, gaining 11 points (2 goals scored + 9 assists) So they took him to the national team not by chance.

The most interesting thing is that Petrov will no longer be taken there, since he will decide to leave CSKA and leave as a playing coach in Leningrad, in SKA, which, as we remember, was coached by Boris Mikhailov. Thus, despite the fact that Kharlamov and Petrov will continue to play hockey after Mikhailov's departure, they will no longer be able to play together in the national team. Their last joint appearance on the ice dates back to the same February 1980, when the legendary trio performed in Lake Placid.

The Rude Pravo tournament was held from 12 to 18 August 1981 in Sweden. This was his first stage, and the second was to take place in Prague in September next year. But Kharlamov will not live to see him. However, in the first stage, Soviet hockey players will win all four matches. Kharlamov played in a trio with his young CSKA colleagues Sergey Makarov and Igor Larionov. However, out of four matches, Kharlamov will perform only in three and will not score a single goal. In fact, it was already a different Kharlamov - less virtuoso and explosive than before. Which, in general, is understandable, since the years were no longer the same, and the partners were different. No one could replace Mikhailov and Petrov. Therefore, when at the end of August the USSR national team was about to fly to Canada to take part in the Canada Cup-81, Kharlamov was not taken there. And someone considers this decision unfair, and someone is quite justified.

Ice Hockey European Champions Cup Winner - CSKA Team

V. Fetisov recalls: “Valera trained furiously, he was in excellent shape, and it was felt that he was looking forward to a tournament of such a high rank, realizing that it would be his last. We were packing our bags, when suddenly Tikhonov summoned Kharlamov to him. Half an hour later, Valera left the coaching room. Without explaining anything, he shook hands with the guys, murmured something about victory, turned around and left. As it turned out later, Tikhonov “unhooked” Kharlamov for some past violation of the regime ... "

And here is how V. Tikhonov himself explains what happened:

“Valery was not on the list of candidates for the national team of the country when we held a training camp. However, he brilliantly played the final match of the European Cup, and therefore we invited Valeriy to Scandinavia (to the Rude Pravo match. - F. R.), knowing, of course, in advance, that these matches cannot be compared with what we have to endure in Canada.

Kharlamov did not train as part of the national team, he was preparing according to the CSKA plan not by the beginning, but by the end of September, when the national championship starts. However, according to the level of skill, according to the strength of his character, his courage, Kharlamov is always worthy of playing in the national team, he has a character, as they say, for three. But in terms of functional readiness ... Valery has not yet gained form, and his backlog from his partners was great. There was not yet that motive power, thanks to which this brilliant striker had time to act everywhere.

We talked to him in detail. Valery said in conclusion: “Viktor Vasilyevich, I understand everything. I’m really out of shape…”

Then came Vladimir Vladimirovich Yurzinov. The conversation continued with the three of us. Valery complained that he did not have enough strength to play. We told him what to do, proposed a program of action.

You need to run for twenty to thirty minutes every day. Then in November-December you will already be in good shape. You will play at the Izvestia tournament and start preparing for the World Cup ...

Kharlamov replied: “I understand everything, I gave you my word ... Why are you entrusting me with work with youth, I understand ... I will do everything so that they play ... ""

Already today, Viktor Vasilievich supplemented his memoirs with the following words:

“I brought the best to Canada. Instead of Kharlamov, he took the young Krutov, who was definitely stronger. When Kharlamov thundered all over the world? In the 72nd. And in the 81st he turned 33. I never talked about it in the press, but by that time Kharlamov's ankles were completely twisted. Because of this, he lost maneuverability. Valery beat everyone on the ice due to his movable ankles. If he would have helped CSKA even in such a state, then he was already lost in the national team. He himself was aware of it.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Yurzinov, famous Soviet hockey player and coach. Currently Chairman of the Board of the Youth Hockey League

On the eve of our departure to Canada, we talked in the bathhouse. "Valery, don't be offended." “Viktor Vasilyevich, I understand everything. No hard feelings. Well, you never punished me, although you often pierced drunkenly "..."

At that moment, when the USSR national team was in Canada, Valery Kharlamov died tragically.

According to eyewitnesses, Kharlamov said several times: "I will die tragically." Yes, and his wife Irina had one mystical case. Someone told her that she would die at 25. At the beginning of 1981, she celebrated her 25th birthday and during the celebration, going out into the kitchen, she said to her mother: “Well, they told me that I would not live to see it ...” As it turned out, she did not understand the meaning of the prediction.

On August 26, 1981, Kharlamov went to the airport to meet his wife and young son, who were returning from a vacation in the south, from Yalta. A few hours later, he brought them to a dacha in the village of Pokrovka near Klin, where his mother-in-law and 4-year-old daughter Betonita lived then.

Place of death of Valery Kharlamov. The inscription on the monument: “The star of Russian hockey went out here. Valery Kharlamov"

N. V. Smirnova says:

“Ira came from the south with a little cold and went to bed early. At that time, the family of my older sister lived in the country, so we had to stay in another room all together. But Valera did not lie down immediately, he fiddled with the guys for some more, and then settled down next to Sasha on the bed. I offered to take my grandson to my sofa, but he did not agree. He slept badly, got up several times, but did not drink or smoke. Just sit, sit, and lie down again.

In the morning we got up early, had breakfast. Ira and Valera were going to Moscow. Ira says: “Valera, you didn’t get enough sleep, let me drive the car.” Then I heard, protested: “Don’t give her the steering wheel, she’s without a license, and the weather is so gloomy.” Valera reassured me: “I won’t give it, I have to hurry, I want to be in time for training by eleven, so I’ll drive myself. Moreover, Serezha needs to be brought home. “Sergey went with them - my nephew, he already had a family, he had recently returned from the army. In short, Valera got behind the wheel, and they left.

I soon went to the store for fresh bread. I also had my sister with her grandson. We were walking down the street, when a police car suddenly drove up, and they asked my sister where, they say, Kharlamov's mother-in-law lives. I realized something happened."

The tragedy occurred at seven o'clock in the morning on August 27 at the 74th kilometer of the Leningrad highway. Today it is already difficult to establish why, having barely left the village, Kharlamov suddenly allowed his wife to drive the Volga, but the fact remains: Irina was driving in the fateful minutes. The road was wet, and the woman apparently lost control. The car swerved into the oncoming lane, along which a truck raced at high speed. Everything happened so unexpectedly that his driver was unable to really react, just turned the steering wheel to the right. And the Volga crashed into his side. The blow was so strong that Valery and Sergey died almost instantly. Irina was still alive for some time, and when the drivers who came to the rescue carried her out of the car and laid her on the grass, she moved her lips. However, she died a few minutes later. Ten minutes later, the police arrived at the scene of the tragedy, who identified the man sitting in the front seat of the Volga as Valery Kharlamov.

Bust of the great hockey player Valery Kharlamov on the Alley of Sports Glory of CSKA. Established on April 29, 2009, on the day of the 86th anniversary of the Central Sports Club armies

Traffic police officer Lev Maksimovich says:

“When I looked around at the scene, I almost immediately understood in detail what had happened. Everything froze, as if in a photograph: Kharlamov, as if alive, was sitting in the front passenger seat, his hand extended towards the steering wheel. Probably, at the last moment, he tried to help his wife cope with the management. His wife Irina was lying in a ditch and was still alive. The ambulance was nearby. The doctor fussed with cotton swabs, trying to save her life. The hockey player's cousin, who was sitting in the back seat, died on the spot ...

I am sure that Kharlamov's death is largely a chain of coincidences. The day before the accident, asphalt was being changed in this area. In the place where the new coating ended, a peculiar protrusion five centimeters high formed, which caused the tragedy. Kharlamov's wife was an inexperienced driver and, having run into a bump, lost control. The car spun on the highway, and she collided with the "ZIL" which was going towards.

Most likely they would have survived. But, apparently, fate - the truck, as luck would have it, was packed full of spare parts. The extra weight added to an already powerful blow. And the asphalt in this place, as if on purpose, left no chance of salvation. The new coating, on which the Volga hit, was slippery as ice during the heat ... "

Kharlamov's friend Boris Polukarov recalls:

“The last time I saw Kharlamov and his wife on the eve of the tragedy was in the evening. We met in the center of Solnechnogorsk, and Valera asked to see the Volga, his fuel pump was malfunctioning, fuel was leaking. I quickly fixed the damage. Valera treated me to beer, but it was warm, I only sipped it. They left for their dacha. In the morning we agreed to meet at half past nine, but Kharlamov did not arrive on time, and I went to Moscow on business. On the way, I stopped by Konstantin Beskov, called my friends, and they say that Kharlamov died. I call the police, and the duty officer says to me: “Yes, they got drunk.” But this is nonsense. At eight in the morning he never drank vodka. They also could not drive on the highway. After the first accident, Irina was afraid of speed. Faster than sixty or eighty kilometers, they did not go ... "

Within an hour after the tragedy, the news of it spread throughout Moscow. And in the evening of the same day, world agencies reported: “According to a TASS correspondent, the famous hockey player Valery Kharlamov, thirty-three years old, and his wife died in a car accident near Moscow this morning. They left two small children - a son and a daughter ... "

According to eyewitnesses, Kharlamov said several times: "I will die tragically." Yes, and his wife Irina had one mystical case. Someone told her that she would die at 25. At the beginning of the 81st, she celebrated her 25th birthday and during the celebration, going out into the kitchen, she said to her mother: “Well, they told me that I would not live to see it ...” As it turned out, she did not understand the meaning of the prediction

Hockey players of the USSR national team learned about this tragedy in Winnipeg, where they were preparing for the Canada Cup (it will begin on September 1).

V. Fetisov recalls:

“In the morning they turned on the TVs, and there were portraits of Valerka. But then none of us really understood English. So they didn't figure out what was what. Later, when we went out into the street and strangers began to approach us and say something about Kharlamov, we realized that trouble had happened to Valera. In the evening, our hockey boss Valentin Sych flew in and said that Kharlamov had died. We were shocked. Everyone got together and at first wanted to throw this tournament to hell and go to the funeral. But then somehow it happened that they decided to stay, by all means win the Cup and dedicate the victory to Kharlamov. And so it ended up…”

Let's make some additions to these words. On August 29, the USSR national team played friendly match with the Canadian team and lost 2:3 (apparently, the news of the tragedy still weighed on our players). However, at the Canada Cup, Soviet hockey players gathered and really became winners, defeating the Czechoslovaks (4:1) and Canadians (8:1) in the final.

The grave of Valery Kharlamov and his relatives at the Kuntsevo cemetery in Moscow.

The legendary hockey player who entered the history of world hockey. Honored Master of Sports (1969). Multiple champion of the USSR (1968–79), Europe (1969–79), world (1969–71, 1973–75, 1978–79) and Olympic Games (1972 and 1976). He was one of the most successful hockey players, the top scorer of the 1971 USSR Championship (40 goals) and the 1972 Olympic Games (9 goals). In 1972-1973 the best hockey player of the year in the country. He died in a car accident on August 27, 1981, along with his wife, who was driving the car.

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