Sven Olof JOHANSSON-TUMBA

Sven Johansson was known as the greatest Swedish ice hockey player in the days before Sweden sent its best players to the NHL. He became so famous that he became known by the name of his village, Sven Tumba, and eventually had his name legally changed to Tumba. Tumba had the unusual distinction of winning Olympic ice hockey medals 12 years apart. He played for Sweden at four Winter Olympics and 14 World Championships. At the World Championships, he led Sweden to gold medals in 1953, 1957, and 1962, a silver medal in 1963, and bronze medals in 1954, 1958, and 1965, before retiring in 1966. Throughout his career he played for Djurgårdens Idrottsförening (IF), and led his club to eight Swedish championships, three times leading the Swedish league in scoring. Through 2011, his 186 goals in 245 international matches is still a Swedish record. He was the first European player to attend an NHL training camp, in 1957 with the Boston Bruins, but turned down the contract to remain with the Swedish team. In 1999 he was voted the greatest ever Swedish ice hockey player, and in 1997 Sven Tumba was elected to the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.

In addition to his ice hockey success, Sven Tumba competed as an international football player for Sweden, earning five caps. After his hockey and football career ended, Tumba took up golf and became the top player in Sweden in that sport. He represented Sweden several times in the World Cup and Eisenhower Trophy and became well known as a golf professional and golf course designer. In 2004 he was voted the most influential person for golf in Sweden, even surpassing Annika Sörenstam.