Cap, worn during USSR v Hungary water polo match at 1956 Olympic Games

Object Type
Clothing or accessories/Headwear/Hat/Cap
Date Used
22 Nov 1956-01 Dec 1956
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Object Detail

Brief Description
Dark blue water polo cap worn by a Russian team member in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games in the semi-final match against Hungary. Sewn onto either side on the cap is the number "3". The "3" is white. There are two cords that act as straps. They come down from either side of the lower edge of the cap and are tied together. The back edge of the cap is elasticised and the inside of the cap is identical to the outside, except it is white with blue numbers. It has not yet been determined which player from which team wore this cap.

The match was won by Hungary, in extraordinary circumstances - held only weeks after “…Russian tanks rolled into Budapest to put down a(n anti- Communist) revolution…”. It was a very rough match, and towards the end of the second half, Russian Valentine Prokopov punched Hungarian Ervin Zador in the eye (the ball was at the other end of the pool, so definitely not accidental). Blood streaming from cut/s, angry spectators on the concourse, it made world news. Hungary went on to win the Gold medal.
Museum
Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum
Measurements
0 - Whole: H: 103 W: 171 D: 171mm (H: 4 1/16 W: 6 3/4 D: 6 3/4")
Media/Materials
Cotton
Vinyl
Associated Event
Olympic Games 1956; 1956; Melbourne, Victoria
Associated Person
Date Used
22 Nov 1956-01 Dec 1956
Location
On display
Registration No
1999.3524
Credit Line
Kindly donated to the Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum by Michael W Hunt.

Object Type

Sport

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