Evald Tipner facts for kids

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Evald Tipner

Personal information
Full name	Evald Tipner
Date of birth	(1906-03-13)13 March 1906
Place of birth	Tallinn, Governorate of Estonia, then Russian Empire
Date of death	18 July 1947(1947-07-18) (aged 41)
Place of death	Tallinn, Soviet-occupied Estonia
Height	194 cm
Playing position	Goalkeeper, Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1921–1941	Sport Tallinn	112	(18)
National team‡
1924–1939	Estonia	66	(0)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 January 2000. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 January 2000

Evald Tipner (born March 13, 1906, died July 18, 1947) was an amazing Estonian football player. Many people think he was one of the best goalkeepers Estonia ever had! He played for Estonia's national football team 66 times. He also played for the national bandy team 7 times and the ice hockey team once. Evald was also good at track and field sports.

Evald was a very famous Estonian athlete between World War I and World War II. He was known for his super-fast saves and his strong presence in the goal. People gave him cool nicknames like Eesti kuldväravavaht (which means Estonia's golden goalkeeper). Another nickname was kummikätega mees (meaning The man with rubber hands). Swedish fans gave him this name in 1927 because they were so impressed by his skills! Foreign newspapers often praised Evald after his international games. He was even seen as one of the best goalkeepers in the whole Northern European region during his time.

In 2012, the Estonian Football Association honored him by naming the Estonian Cup competition after him.

Evald Tipner's Club Football Career

Tipner in action against Hakoah Vienna at TJK Stadium in 1926

Evald Tipner played for one team his entire career: Tallinna Sport. He reportedly had offers from other professional clubs, but he stayed loyal. With Tallinna Sport, he won the Estonian championship eight times!

Evald also helped his team win the very first Estonian Cup in 1938. They beat TJK in the final match. Even though he was a goalkeeper, Evald often took penalty kicks for his team. He scored four goals in the top Estonian league between 1930 and 1935.

Sometimes, after 1936, Evald even played as a striker! He scored his first three goals in one game (a hat-trick) on October 1, 1936, against TJK. In the next season (1937–38), he scored seven goals. In total, he scored 19 goals in Estonia's top football league.

After Evald passed away in 1947, an Estonian newspaper called Noorte Hääl wrote a tribute about him. They said his fame wasn't just in Estonia. People admired his amazing skills in cities like Paris and Stockholm. The newspaper also shared a quote from a famous goalkeeper named Hiden, who said Evald played "phenomenally."

Evald Tipner's International Football Career

Tipner leading the Estonian national team onto the Kadriorg Stadium's pitch to face Lithuania in 1933

Evald Tipner was first chosen for the Estonia national football team for the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. He was a backup goalkeeper there. His first game for the national team was a friendly match against Ireland on June 3, 1924. This was after Estonia had finished their Olympic games.

Evald played 66 games for the national team in total. This made him Estonia's most-played player during the country's first time as an independent nation. He also helped Estonia win the Baltic Cup three times: in 1929, 1931, and 1938.

There's an interesting story about a goal in a World Cup qualifying game on June 11, 1933. Some people say Evald Tipner scored the first goal in World Cup qualifying history. It was an own goal for Sweden against Estonia. However, other sources say a Swedish player named Knut Kroon scored that goal.

Evald Tipner's Bandy Career

Evald Tipner also played bandy, which is a sport similar to ice hockey. He played 7 games for the national bandy team and scored 9 goals between 1927 and 1934.

Evald Tipner's Ice Hockey Career

In 1924, Evald Tipner played one game for the national ice hockey team. This shows he was a talented athlete in many different sports!

Evald Tipner's Legacy

In 2012, the Estonian Football Association decided to name the Estonian Cup after Evald Tipner. Because of this, the competition is now often called Evald Tipneri karikas, which means Evald Tipner's Cup in English. This is a great way to remember such an important figure in Estonian sports history!

Evald Tipner's Awards and Wins

Football Achievements

Club Wins

Sport

• Estonian Champion:
  • 1922
  • 1924
  • 1925
  • 1927
  • 1929
  • 1931
  • 1932
  • 1933
• Estonian Cup:
  • 1938

International Wins

Estonia

• Baltic Cup:
  • 1929
  • 1931
  • 1938

Bandy Achievements

• Estonian Champion: 1924, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1935