Bibi Torriani

Richard "Bibi" Torriani (1 October 1911 – 3 September 1988) was a Swiss ice hockey player and coach, and luge athlete, also known as Riccardo Torriani.

He played for HC Davos from 1929 to 1950, and served as captain of the Switzerland men's national ice hockey team from 1933 to 1939. He scored 105 goals in 111 international matches for the national team, won two bronze medals in ice hockey at the Olympic Games and won an additional four medals at the Ice Hockey World Championships. Playing for HC Davos, he won 18 Swiss championships and six Spengler Cups. He was chosen as the flag bearer for Switzerland at the 1948 Winter Olympics, and recited the Olympic Oath at the same games hosted in St. Moritz.

He later served as head coach of the Switzerland and Italy men's national ice hockey teams, and led EHC Visp to a National League A championship. He won a silver medal competing in men's singles at the FIL World Luge Championships 1957 held in Davos, Switzerland.

He is considered the best Swiss ice hockey player ever, and was inducted into the inaugural class of the IIHF Hall of Fame in 1997. He is the namesake of the Torriani Award, given by the International Ice Hockey Federation since 2015 to recognize a player for a great international playing career.

Early life Torriani was born on 1 October 1911, in St. Moritz, Switzerland. He was nicknamed "Bibi" as a youth, due to being the youngest child and baby of his family. He played youth hockey in St. Moritz as a right winger, and was also known by the name "Riccardo".

Playing career St. Moritz (pictured), where Torriani was born, and competed in the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympic Games

Torriani's professional career began as a member of EHC St. Moritz during the 1927–28, and 1928–29 seasons.

Torriani was selected to play for the Switzerland men's national ice hockey team at age 16, since the 1928 Winter Olympics were hosted in St. Moritz and the national team did not incur extra expenses to include exceptional local talent. His appearance in the Olympics made him the youngest person to compete at a senior Ice Hockey World Championship. Switzerland opted not to participate in ice hockey at the 1932 Winter Olympics. Torriani and the national team participated at the Ice Hockey European Championship 1932 instead,

Torriani served as the Switzerland national team captain from 1933 to 1939. On this line, he scored five goals in six games at the 1933 Ice Hockey World Championships, 14 goals in seven games at the 1934 World Ice Hockey Championships, and eight goals in eight games at the 1935 Ice Hockey World Championships. HC Davos and Torriani won the Grand Prix of Berlin in March 1941, which included other club teams from Europe. HC Davos defeated Berliner Schlittschuhclub and Rotweiss Berlin, and then defeated Hammarby Hockey by a 4–2 score in the championship game. He was also chosen to recite the Olympic Oath on behalf of all athletes participating, #tag:ref|Hayley Wickenheiser became the second hockey player to recite the Olympic Oath at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. fifth in Group A at the 1949 World Ice Hockey Championships, third in Group A at the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships, third in Group A at the 1951 Ice Hockey World Championships, and fifth overall in ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway.

From 1954–55 to 1955–56, Torriani coached the Italy men's national ice hockey team. Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, hosted ice hockey at the 1956 Winter Olympics. Before the games, his team was strengthened by players of Italian descent who had trained in Canada. Torriani led Italy to a third-place finish and Group A, and seventh place overall by winning the consolation round.

Torriani coached in the European professional leagues from 1957 to 1971. His first team was SC Riessersee during the 1957–58 season, He remained in Germany for the 1958–59 season, and coached Mannheimer ERC to a third-place finish in the Eishockey-Bundesliga. He moved to Italy in the 1959–60 season to coach Diavoli HC Milano.

Torriani returned to coaching in Switzerland in 1960, and led EHC Visp for five seasons in National League A until 1965. In the 1961–62 season, he led EHC Visp to a first-place finish in the standings, and captured the National League A championship. and the 1963–64 season. In his fifth year coaching, EHC Visp dropped to seventh place in the 1964–65 season.

After one year away from coaching, Torriani led HC Lugano during the 1966–67 season, He returned to HC Lugano for the 1969–70 season, Torriani's final season coaching was with HC Davos in the 1970–71 season.

Personal life Torriani's older brother Conrad also played for EHC St. Moritz and the Switzerland men's national ice hockey team. The brothers were teammates at the Ice Hockey World Championships in 1930, 1933, 1934, and the 1932 Ice Hockey European Championship.

Torriani won a silver medal competing in men's singles at the FIL World Luge Championships 1957 held in Davos, Switzerland.

Torriani encouraged his sons to learn figure skating in preparation for playing hockey. and Marco played for EHC Basel and SC Langnau Tigers, and later became president of Genève-Servette HC. As a manager, Marco helped Geneva earn a promotion from Swiss League 1 to National League A. He is the namesake of the Bibi Torriani Cup, an annual competition for players aged 14 representing various Cantons of Switzerland. The event is used to identify future players for the national team program.

For the 100th anniversary of the Ice Hockey World Championships in 2020, Torriani was named to the IIHF All-time Switzerland team.