Hockey Skates used by Phil Verchota of the U.S. Hockey Team during the 1980 Winter Olympics
date: label: date made
content: 1980
name: label: user
content: Verchota, Phil
label: associated institution
content: U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
label: maker
content: Bauer
notes: label: Description
content: These skates were worn by Phil Verchota (number 27), a member of the underdog 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that astounded the world by capturing the Gold Medal at Lake Placid, New York. While it was the win against the Finns that cinched the Gold, the defeat of the Soviet team in the semifinals — known as the "miracle on ice" — captured the hearts and imaginations of Americans during a time of cold war tensions.
label: Description
content: The 1980 Winter Olympics, also known as the Games of the XIII Olympiad were held in Lake Placid, New York with 37 countries, 840 men and 232 women athletes participating. These Games are famous for the “Miracle on Ice” hockey team which consisted of American college hockey players competing against the more experienced and professional Russian team amongst the backdrop of the cold war. The Americans beat the Russians to move into the medal round beating Finland for the Gold but it was the game where they beat Russia which is most remembered and where announcer Al Michaels asked all American if they believed in miracles. US Speed skater Eric Heiden dominated the speed skating event winning gold in all five events, the only athlete in the Winter games to do so. The Soviet Union won the medal count with 22 with the United States coming in third with 12 medals.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Canada
topic: label: name of sport
content: Ice Hockey
label: level of sport
content: Amateur
label: web subject
content: Sports
label: level of sport
content: Olympics
label: related event
content: Olympic Winter Games: Lake Placid, 1980
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Sports Illustrated
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1984.0940.04
label: accession number
content: 1984.0940
label: catalog number
content: 1984.0940.04
objectType: label: Object Name
content: ice skates, hockey
label: Object Name
content: hockey skates, olympics
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: nylon (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 12 in x 11 3/4 in; 30.48 cm x 29.845 cm