Anatoly Tarasov
The architect of Soviet hockey, whose revolutionary training methods forged a dynasty that dominated the world for decades.
1918–1995 (age 77)·Russian ice hockey player and coach·Birthday: December 10·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Anatoly Tarasov didn't just coach a team; he engineered a system that became a national obsession. A former footballer and bandy player, he applied principles of ballet, chess, and relentless conditioning to ice hockey, viewing it as a complex art form. As the head coach of the Soviet national team, he built a machine of breathtaking skill and unity, turning athletes like Valeri Kharlamov and Vladislav Tretiak into global stars. His teams played with a fluid, passing-oriented style that contrasted sharply with the more physical North American game, leading to legendary summit meetings like the 1972 Summit Series. Though his outspokenness sometimes clashed with Soviet authorities, his legacy is the golden age of Red Army hockey—a period of unprecedented international dominance that changed the sport forever.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Anatoly was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anatoly Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Anatoly's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1995Died at 77
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
Key Achievements
- Coached the Soviet Union national ice hockey team to nine consecutive World Championship gold medals from 1963 to 1971.
- Led the USSR to three Olympic gold medals in 1964, 1968, and 1972.
- Was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974, among the first Russians to receive the honor.
- Authored several influential books on hockey theory and coaching methodology.
Did You Know?
He was also a respected football coach and helped develop the Spartak Moscow youth system.
Tarasov incorporated figure skating drills and ballet exercises into his hockey training regimens.
He famously planted a kiss on the cheek of Canadian star Phil Esposito after the intense 1972 Summit Series.
A statue of him stands outside the CSKA Moscow ice hockey arena.
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