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{{short description|Finnish sportsman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
{{Infobox sportsperson
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| residence =
| residence =
| birth_date = 5 January 1888
| birth_date = 5 January 1888
| birth_place = [[Pihtipudas]], Finland
| birth_place = [[Pihtipudas]], [[Grand Duchy of Finland]], [[Russian Empire]]
| death_date = 20 May 1981 (aged 93)
| death_date = 20 May 1981 (aged 93)
| death_place = [[Helsinki]], Finland
| death_place = [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]]
| height = 179 cm
| height = 179 cm
| weight = 79 kg
| weight = 79 kg
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| sport = Athletics
| sport = Athletics
| event = 800 m, [[high jump]], [[discus throw]]
| event = 800 m, [[high jump]], [[discus throw]]
| pb = 800 m – 1:58.1 (1911)<br>HJ – 1.75 m (1909)<br>DT – 31.40 m (1906)<ref name=sr/>
| pb = 800 m – 1:58.1 (1911)<br>HJ – 1.75 m (1909)<br>DT – 31.40 m (1906)<ref name=sr>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417181424/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pi/lauri-pihkala-1.html Lauri Pihkala]. sports-reference.com</ref>
| club = HKV, Helsinki
| club = HKV, Helsinki
| retired =
| retired =
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[[File:Tahko-Pihkala-1988.jpg|thumb|right|A 1988 postage stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala.]]
[[File:Tahko-Pihkala-1988.jpg|thumb|right|A 1988 postage stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala.]]


'''Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala''' (born '''Gummerus''', 5 January 1888 – 20 May 1981) was the inventor of [[pesäpallo]], the [[Finland|Finnish]] variant of [[baseball]].<ref name=hall/> In 1969 he became one of the first persons to receive an honorary doctorate in Sport Sciences from the [[University of Jyväskylä]], together with president [[Urho Kekkonen]] and Professor [[Kaarina Kari]].
'''Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala''' (born '''Gummerus''', 5 January 1888 – 20 May 1981) was the inventor of [[pesäpallo]], the [[Finland|Finnish]] variant of [[baseball]].<ref name=hall/> He was born in the vicarage of [[Pihtipudas]], the son of the minister Alexander Gummerus.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lounamaa |first1=Esko |last2=Räisänen |first2=Pentti |title=The Village of Happy Men |date=2009 |publisher=Esko Lounamaa |isbn=952-91-3802-4 |edition=1st}}</ref> In 1969 he became one of the first persons to receive an honorary doctorate in Sport Sciences from the [[University of Jyväskylä]], together with president [[Urho Kekkonen]] and Professor [[Kaarina Kari]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/67748 |title=Lauri Pihkala |work=Olympedia |access-date=12 March 2021}}</ref>


== Athletics ==
Pihkala competed in the [[1908 Summer Olympics]] and ranked 16th in the [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump|high jump]]. He also participated in the [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|discus throw event]] but his result is unknown. At the [[1912 Summer Olympics]] he was eliminated in the first round of the [[Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres|800 m competition]].<ref name=sr>[https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pi/lauri-pihkala-1.html Lauri Pihkala]. sports-reference.com</ref> In the 1910s he became the first Finnish professional coach in athletics, and also worked as a physical education instructor with the Finnish Army.<ref name=hall>[http://www.urheilunhalloffame.fi/pihkala-lauri/ Lauri Pihkala (1888-1981)]. Suomen urheilun Hall of Fame</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style=" text-align:center;"
|+ Lauri Pihkala at the Olympic Games
|-
!Games
!Event
!Rank
!Results
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3| [[1908 Summer Olympics]]
|[[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump|High jump]]
|16th
|{{convert|5|ft|6|in|cm}}
|align=left| Height was measured in inches. Source:<ref>{{cite book | title = The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary | last1 = Mallon | first1 = Bill | last2 = Buchanan | first2 = Ian | publisher = McFarland | location = Jefferson, North Carolina, United States | date = 2001 | page = [https://archive.org/details/resultsofearlymo00mall_0/page/80 80] | isbn = 978-0-7864-0598-5 | url = https://archive.org/details/resultsofearlymo00mall_0/page/80 }}</ref>
|-
|[[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|Discus throw]]
|12th–42nd
|unknown
|align=left| Source:<ref>{{cite book | title = The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary | last1 = Mallon | first1 = Bill | last2 = Buchanan | first2 = Ian | publisher = McFarland | location = Jefferson, North Carolina, United States | date = 2001 | page = [https://archive.org/details/resultsofearlymo00mall_0/page/92 92] | isbn = 978-0-7864-0598-5 | url = https://archive.org/details/resultsofearlymo00mall_0/page/92 }}</ref>
|-
|[[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put|Shot put]]
|colspan=2|Did not start
|align=left| Source:<ref>{{cite book | title = The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary | last1 = Mallon | first1 = Bill | last2 = Buchanan | first2 = Ian | publisher = McFarland | location = Jefferson, North Carolina, United States | date = 2001 | page = [https://archive.org/details/resultsofearlymo00mall_0/page/112 112, endnote 238] | isbn = 978-0-7864-0598-5 | url = https://archive.org/details/resultsofearlymo00mall_0/page/112 }}</ref>
|-
| [[1912 Summer Olympics]]
| [[Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres|800 metres]], heats
|colspan=2| Did not finish
|align=left|
|}

In the 1910s, he became the first Finnish professional coach in athletics and also worked as a physical education instructor with the Finnish Army.<ref name=hall>[http://www.urheilunhalloffame.fi/pihkala-lauri/ Lauri Pihkala (1888-1981)]. Suomen urheilun Hall of Fame</ref>


Pihkala was known for being an avid sports fan, and he developed several outdoor games.
Pihkala was known for being an avid sports fan, and he developed several outdoor games.


== Other ==
⚫
During the [[Finnish Civil War]] he was responsible for propaganda in the [[White Guard (Finland)|White Guard]] flying unit "''Devils of Kuhmoinen''" of major [[Hans Kalm]].


⚫
During the [[Finnish Civil War]], he was responsible for propaganda in the [[White Guard (Finland)|White Guard]] flying unit "''Devils of Kuhmoinen''" of major [[Hans Kalm]].
Pihkala was also a right-wing political activist. He supported [[eugenics]] as a means to improve the military prowess of the Finnish people.


Pihkala's brother [[Martti Pihkala]] was a right-wing political activist. Lauri Pihkala didn't write any political texts in his publications. He tried to integrate the Finnish working class into society and hoped that sports could be one tool there.<ref name="virtapohja">{{cite book |title= Lauri Pihkala : Koko kansan Tahko |last= Virtapohja |first= Kalle |author-link= |year= 2022 |publisher= Docendo |location= Helsinki |isbn= 978-952-382-200-9|pages= 84}}</ref>
In March 1918 Pihkala led a massacre in Harmoinen village in Finland. Patients and nurses in a field hospital for red fighters were murdered.<ref name=harmoinen>[[:fi:Harmoisten sairashuoneen joukkomurha|Harmoinen massacre (1918)]]</ref>{{Better source|reason=per WP:CIRCULAR|date=May 2018}}

Some writers claim that Pihkala should be responsible for a [[Harmoinen sick room mass murder|massacre in Harmoinen village]] in March 1918. This is not true. The murderers belonged to Devils of Kuhmoinen, but Pihkala was not present there.<ref>Virtapohja, pp. 89–93.</ref>


Memorial of Pihkala by sculptor [[Nina Sailo]] was unveiled in 1988 on the south-east side of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hamhelsinki.fi/en/sculpture/tahko-pihkala-nina-sailo/ |title= Lauri Tahko Pihkala |website=HAM |publisher=Helsinki Art Museum |access-date=17 March 2018 |quote=}}</ref>
Memorial of Pihkala by sculptor [[Nina Sailo]] was unveiled in 1988 on the south-east side of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hamhelsinki.fi/en/sculpture/tahko-pihkala-nina-sailo/ |title= Lauri Tahko Pihkala |website=HAM |publisher=Helsinki Art Museum |access-date=17 March 2018 |quote=}}</ref>

Pihkala was a supporter of [[eugenics]] with the goal of strengthening Finland’s military.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NotIzzyClarke |date=2020-05-05 |title=Forget Korean Baseball: Finland’s version of baseball, Pesäpallo, is the quarantine sport you never knew you needed |url=https://www.milehighhockey.com/2020/5/5/21248311/forget-korean-baseball-finlands-version-of-baseball-pesapallo-is-the-quarantine-sport-you-need |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=Mile High Hockey |language=en}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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*[http://375humanistia.helsinki.fi/en/humanists/lauri-tahko-pihkala Lauri Pihkala in 375 humanists 6.1.2015, Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki]
*[http://375humanistia.helsinki.fi/en/humanists/lauri-tahko-pihkala Lauri Pihkala in 375 humanists 6.1.2015, Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki]
*[http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/ath06fim.html List of Finnish athletes 1906–1912]
*[http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/ath06fim.html List of Finnish athletes 1906–1912]
*{{sports links}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:1981 deaths]]
[[Category:1981 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Pihtipudas]]
[[Category:People from Pihtipudas]]
[[Category:People from Vaasa Province (Grand Duchy of Finland)]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Vaasa Province (Grand Duchy of Finland)]]
[[Category:Finnish baseball players]]
[[Category:Finnish baseball players]]
[[Category:Finnish male high jumpers]]
[[Category:Finnish male high jumpers]]
[[Category:Finnish male discus throwers]]
[[Category:Finnish male discus throwers]]
[[Category:Finnish male middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:Finnish male middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes of Finland]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Finland]]
[[Category:People of the Finnish Civil War (White side)]]
[[Category:People of the Finnish Civil War (White side)]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic male high jumpers]]

[[Category:Finnish eugenicists]]

[[Category:Finnish officers]]
{{Finland-athletics-bio-stub}}
[[Category:Sportspeople from Central Finland]]
{{Baseball-bio-stub}}

Latest revision as of 03:35, 4 November 2024

Lauri Pihkala
Personal information
Born5 January 1888
Pihtipudas, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire
Died20 May 1981 (aged 93)
Helsinki, Finland
Height179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight79 kg (174 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)800 m, high jump, discus throw
ClubHKV, Helsinki
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)800 m – 1:58.1 (1911)
HJ – 1.75 m (1909)
DT – 31.40 m (1906)[1]
A 1988 postage stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala.

Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala (born Gummerus, 5 January 1888 – 20 May 1981) was the inventor of pesäpallo, the Finnish variant of baseball.[2] He was born in the vicarage of Pihtipudas, the son of the minister Alexander Gummerus.[3] In 1969 he became one of the first persons to receive an honorary doctorate in Sport Sciences from the University of Jyväskylä, together with president Urho Kekkonen and Professor Kaarina Kari.[4]

Athletics

[edit]
Lauri Pihkala at the Olympic Games
Games Event Rank Results Notes
1908 Summer Olympics High jump 16th 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) Height was measured in inches. Source:[5]
Discus throw 12th–42nd unknown Source:[6]
Shot put Did not start Source:[7]
1912 Summer Olympics 800 metres, heats Did not finish

In the 1910s, he became the first Finnish professional coach in athletics and also worked as a physical education instructor with the Finnish Army.[2]

Pihkala was known for being an avid sports fan, and he developed several outdoor games.

Other

[edit]

During the Finnish Civil War, he was responsible for propaganda in the White Guard flying unit "Devils of Kuhmoinen" of major Hans Kalm.

Pihkala's brother Martti Pihkala was a right-wing political activist. Lauri Pihkala didn't write any political texts in his publications. He tried to integrate the Finnish working class into society and hoped that sports could be one tool there.[8]

Some writers claim that Pihkala should be responsible for a massacre in Harmoinen village in March 1918. This is not true. The murderers belonged to Devils of Kuhmoinen, but Pihkala was not present there.[9]

Memorial of Pihkala by sculptor Nina Sailo was unveiled in 1988 on the south-east side of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.[10]

Pihkala was a supporter of eugenics with the goal of strengthening Finland’s military.[11]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Lauri Pihkala. sports-reference.com
  2. ^ a b Lauri Pihkala (1888-1981). Suomen urheilun Hall of Fame
  3. ^ Lounamaa, Esko; Räisänen, Pentti (2009). The Village of Happy Men (1st ed.). Esko Lounamaa. ISBN 952-91-3802-4.
  4. ^ "Lauri Pihkala". Olympedia. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  5. ^ Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
  6. ^ Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
  7. ^ Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 112, endnote 238. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
  8. ^ Virtapohja, Kalle (2022). Lauri Pihkala : Koko kansan Tahko. Helsinki: Docendo. p. 84. ISBN 978-952-382-200-9.
  9. ^ Virtapohja, pp. 89–93.
  10. ^ "Lauri Tahko Pihkala". HAM. Helsinki Art Museum. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  11. ^ NotIzzyClarke (5 May 2020). "Forget Korean Baseball: Finland's version of baseball, Pesäpallo, is the quarantine sport you never knew you needed". Mile High Hockey. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
[edit]
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