George Nagobads

Visvaldis Georgs Nagobads (November 18, 1921 – March 31, 2023) was a Latvian-born American physician. He earned a medical degree from the University of Tübingen in Germany, then immigrated to the United States in 1951. He served 34 years as the team physician for Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey and was a part of three NCAA Division I championship teams. He also served as the physician for the US men's national team at five Winter Olympics and was on the Miracle on Ice team which won the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

His other work included chief medical officer for USA Hockey, the medical committee for the International Ice Hockey Federation, and team physician for the Minnesota Fighting Saints and Minnesota North Stars. His career was recognized with the Paul Loicq Award for contributions to international hockey, induction into the Golden Gophers Hockey Hall of Fame, and induction into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as an individual and as a member of the US men's national team.

Early life and education Visvaldis Georgs Nagobads was born on November 18, 1921, in Riga, Latvia. He played ice hockey and bandy as a youth in Latvia. His father was the director of Riga City Gymnasium No. 2, where he played volleyball and basketball. Nagobads had completed two courses at the University of Latvia Faculty of Medicine, when he was called for Latvian National Armed Forces duty to work in a hospital on the front line.

After studying at the University of Giessen, Nagobads earned his medical degree from the University of Tübingen. In 1947, he was one of the founders of the Latvian Association of Physicians and Dentists.

Minnesota ice hockey career

Nagobads was recommended for the university's ice hockey programs by Ruth Boynton, the director of the student health service. The US men's national team won the Olympic gold medal in 1980, which included a 4–3 victory versus the Soviet Union national team, known as the Miracle on Ice. Brooks wanted his team to play on lines lasting 40 seconds or less to stay energized by the third period. Nagobads stood beside Brooks with a stopwatch tracking the ice time for the players, and later joked that he never saw the game since he was focused on the watch. In a 2010 interview, Nagobads stated that his fondest memories of hockey included the victory over the Soviet Union in 1980, and the subsequent gold medal victory in the final game versus the Finland national team. He was given a 100th birthday party luncheon, attended by former players of the Gophers, and others well-known in Minnesota hockey.

In January 2022, Nagobads as named the recipient of the 2021–22 State of Hockey Legacy Award, in recognition of long-term contributions to hockey in Minnesota, as given by the Minnesota Wild in partnership with Minnesota Hockey and Bally Sports North.

Personal life and death Nagobads was encouraged by his father to learn a foreign language, and became fluent in French and German by kindergarten age.

In April 2015, he was the victim of a mugging while laying flowers and visiting his wife's grave. He escaped by throwing his wallet away, then drove himself to the hospital where he received 18 stitches on wounds to his head. In November 2015, Nagobads became an ambassador for the Kids First Fund and contributed to fostering safe environments for abused children worldwide.

Nagobads died on March 31, 2023, at age 101, in Edina, Minnesota, and was interred with his wife in Crystal Lake Cemetery in Minneapolis. He was remembered by former Gopher player and US men's national junior team coach Murray Williamson who wrote, "A gentleman beyond reproach who touched the lives of literally thousands of young hockey players at the youth, collegiate, international and Olympic levels over the past 65 years".