Biography 23/02/20 Bob Chechen: the fate of the Soviet basketball player giant
the tallest basketball player in the history of the USSR was an ethnic Chechen. Uvays Akhtaev lived a short life, full and dramatic pages, and highlights. Despite all the hardships of the fallen, he has not abandoned his roots. It may cost the athlete participation in the Olympic games.
Deportation to Kazakhstan
As a rule, any man with tall, stands out among the rest. Anthropometric parameters are important in basketball, where a few extra inches give a person an advantage over rivals. But there are limits. And giant sizes sometimes do not bring the athlete any titles and ranks, but instead create problems.
Uvays Akhtaev Magidovich (1930-1978) were naturally very high. Various sources indicate that the growth of this man was 232-236 inches, and its weight in different years of life ranged from 160 to 200 pounds.
He was born in the village of Vashendaroy the Chechen-Ingush ASSR. According to the recollections of relatives, in childhood, the boy was not much different from their peers, but as a teenager all of a sudden appeared this giant. So, in 1944, when the decision of the Soviet authorities, the Chechens were deported to Siberia and Central Asia, 13-year-old boy has already crossed the mark of 2 meters.
Path to exile was a difficult one, many people could not stand the cold and hunger. But the family Ataevich got to Kazakh Karaganda, where they determined to settle. The first time life in a new place was not easy. The deportees were forced to do odd jobs and even stealing food.
the uwais once caught the police, when 14-year-old was dragged from a local warehouse four wooden sleepers, who were going to use it for firewood furnace to the native people could keep warm and cook dinner. StraMs. fine was surprised physical strength of a kid, after all, not every adult male could lift and one tie. The police did not punish the teenager entered the position, and some of them even advised me to exercise.
the basketball
the Young athlete with such anthropometric data as he was welcome in any section. Uwais tried their hand at different sports. He was engaged in wrestling, Boxing, shot put, went on the all-Union competition. In the summer of 1946 in the Ukrainian Lviv took place the sports contest of pupils of institutions and colleges of physical education, there Akhtaev represented the Kazakh SSR in the sector for throwing the disc.
Among sports professionals quickly news spread about the tall guy from Karaganda. Famous basketball coach Isaak Kopelevich suggested that the Uwais to move to Alma-ATA and to try their hand in a team game. The excitement and spirit of competition that prevailed on the court between the two baskets liking to the young athlete. And he realized that he had found his calling.
in 1947, the young man participated in a national student competition, held in Leningrad as a center on the basketball team. His entire career was associated with the Alma-ATA club “Burevestnik”. Fans enthusiastically watched the game giant, they gave him the nickname Bob the Chechens.
At the time Akhtaev was the tallest basketball player in the world. Thanks to his height he could put the ball in the basket, not Bouncing at the same time. But do not think that uwais was at the site just clumsy “Gulliver”.
As noted by the famous coach Alexander Gomelsky, the center of the team “Burevestnik” was an athlete, understanding and feeling basketball. Akhtaev had a good set shot, he rarely missed from the penalty line. Excellent playing defense, uwais skillfully blocked an attack from rivals.
However, special titles and honours during his career, the giant has not conquered. After all, the “Petrel”, by the standards of the Soviet Union, was sm-average. The rest of the team played flawlessly, but alone neither an athlete cannot achieve success in a team sport.
the problem of “Gulliver”
the Huge growth constantly attracts the attention to this athlete. Crowds of people were staring at him, did not hesitate. Everyone was wondering: how much does he eat, what beds sleep whether he has a wife? These Intrusive questions have often bothered the humble person who was uwais.
Anthropometric parameters have created problems in the home. His clothes were made to order, even socks and hats. Shoes 58 size is also not produced in factories. Ordinary furniture athlete does no good: the chairs were not designed for the weight and the tables were too low. For giant even had a specially made three-meter bed.
driving a car is also having problems. In 1953 Akhtaev became the owner of the car “Moskvich-400”, which was mounted especially for him: with heavy duty suspension, raised roof and a missing front seat. But the giant still find it difficult to even fit in the car, so his personal driver was wife Tamara. This woman in the background her husband looked very frail, has assumed the main burden of relief on the domestic side of life for uwais.
by the Way, he ate a little, given the height and weight and active lifestyle of an athlete. However, every day, drank about 15 liters of water.
the Conflict with Beria
a high-ranking Soviet statesman Lavrenti Beria, under whose leadership did the deportation of the Chechens in 1944, played in the life of uwais Ahtaeva the role of a villain. It was he who prevented the athlete to participate in the 1952 summer Olympics held in Finnish Helsinki.
the Tall center could seriously enhance the game of the USSR national team in basketball, and also to scare their opponents with their anthropometric data. Giant of Alma-ATA’s “Petrel” was invited to the home teamsthe country, but the sports authorities alerted the wrong nationality of the athlete. About basketball-the Chechen reported the all-powerful Beria, who led the preparations for the Olympic games, among other things.
Lavrenty Pavlovich frowned: it was unacceptable to the international competition of the deported Chechens. Ahtaeva it was proposed to change the name and pretend to be a Jew. But he flatly refused. The USSR national team in Helsinki went without giant center.
Sports and tickling
Although uwais could not run fast down the court, the high growth gave him a huge advantage over rivals. Coaches of rival teams have come up with different ways to neutralize the giant. For example, the famous judge Edward Asriyants mentioned this curious case: during a match with Moscow “Dynamo” players of the capital team started to tickle Ahtaeva, as soon as he got the ball on the court. But in the center “Petrel” such unfair method of struggle only fueled that anger.
in Order to leveled in height with a Bob Chechen, basketball-rivals even climbed on the shoulders of each other. And once before an important match, the giant stole a sports uniform and shoes. But that didn’t stop him. Uwais did not hesitate to go to court in the usual t-shirt, boxer shorts and shoes.
However, one of the above brought competitors from Leningrad SKA the desired result. A basketball player all night playing with Ahtaeva cards, and the sleepy center “Petrel” on the following day, could not play to their full potential.
On the physical power of washi Chechena still tell legends. Say that the athlete that giant somehow inadvertently stepped on the foot, immediately fell down and lost consciousness.
the memory of the giant
uwais’s Career ended in 1957, when doctors discovered diabetes have a 27-year-old basketball player. Besides, he had been ill and pneumonia. Two years after retiring from the sport Akhtaev returned home. For a long time he worked as a coach in Grozny, led the team of the Chechen-Ingush Republic.
In 1973, the giant broke his leg from this injury he never recovered until the end of life. It all happened terribly ridiculous. A former athlete fell down the stairs, not wanting to step on suddenly ran out to meet him, cat. Then affected and other health problems. In General, the huge size is not the best way affected the internal organs.
Uvays Akhtaev died at the age of 48 years. About how much annoyed he problems associated with the excessive attention of people is the fact that the giant asked the family to make over his grave a small mound. Didn’t want to stand out among the other after death.
In honor of the athlete named Grozny Palace of volleyball, which was opened in September 2017.
Source:
© Russian Seven
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