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.
Bibi Torriani | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Torriani recites the Olympic oath at the start of the 1948 Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Richard Torriani 1 October 1911 St. Moritz, Switzerland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 3 September 1988 (aged 76) Chur, Switzerland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards | IIHF Hall of Fame (1997) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Honors | Torriani Award | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.