Black coal was mined on a large scale, steel was forged, the local hockey club was cheered and dogs were eaten there. Positively. “You know, a mining town. We ate them too,” recalled the Olympic champion from Nagano and four-time world champion Martin Procházka at the beginning of the 90s.
Photo: CTK / René Volfík
Martin Procházka (on the left with Jaroslav Hlinka) was one of the regulars of the Czech hockey team in its most successful era.
One of the most successful hockey players in Czech history recalled the wild times in the Czech Radio program called Desítka. “Once we came to the dressing room for coach Neliba and there was a half-open refrigerator. The dog was pulled inside it, whole,” said Procházka.
HC Poldi Kladno was not doing well on the ice at that time, and the coach wanted to kick off the team with an unconventional dish. “Mr. Neliba said that the dog didn’t listen anyway, that he was eating chickens.” So the hockey players consumed him. That was the time.
“Teammate Martin Ančička was saying in the morning: I’m already looking forward to that ratlík in the evening,” he continued telling the crazy story of Procházko for today’s time. But in the evening over the plate, the fun of the hockey players has already passed.
“The rest of us already had about three dogs before, so we were used to it. But Martin was starting to turn green and said he wouldn’t eat it.”
In countries where dog consumption is common, breeds such as Chow Chows and Korean Spitz are bred for meat. “He was a Newfoundlander with us,” specified the hockey legend. And how he and his teammates enjoyed it: “Classic. A lot of garlic,” he stated in the show.
The unconventional team dinner finally had a positive effect. “We argued a bit, explained everything, and then Sparta came. Our masseurs ran after them and told them: Guys, they had a dog! David Výborný still talks about it today, that they immediately knew they were going to lose. And they lost 3:5,” added Procházka.
Source: sportweb.pravda.sk
