USSR Flag in Old Barn Rafters?

[KirkEisenbeis]

I was just perusing the Old Barn page and noticed a USSR flag in the photo. Can anybody come up with an explanation?

[ScottM]

Back in the 70s or so, the Sioux would occasionally play Soviet teams. I guess that may be the reason. I recall one called "Torpedo Gorky" that was comprised mainly of army troops.

[lawkota]

I was just perusing the Old Barn page and noticed a USSR flag in the photo. Can anybody come up with an explanation?

Going through the media guide, the Sioux played the Russian National team in December of 1960.

[The Sicatoka]

Why does "Dynamo Riga" come to mind?

Oh, this is why ...

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/11/sports/n...n-colleges.html

[mikejm]

Back in the 70s or so, the Sioux would occasionally play Soviet teams. I guess that may be the reason. I recall one called "Torpedo Gorky" that was comprised mainly of army troops.

Back in the 70s, many people thought a good portion of the campus was communist!

[82SiouxGuy]

Going through the media guide, the Sioux played the Russian National team in December of 1960.

Since the building in the picture is the Old Barn (not the Winter Sports Building, later known as the Engelstad Arena), and the banner reads NCAA Champions (think 1959) I will go with this explanation.

[farce poobah]

Back in the 70s, many people thought a good portion of the campus was communist!

In the late 1970's visitors to the old Williams Arena were accused of being "communists" because we had Canadians on the team. Somehow, old John had them convinced that Canada was communist, apparently. (Either that or we were just too darn loud... maybe communists were loud.)

[squirtcoach]

In the late 1970's visitors to the old Williams Arena were accused of being "communists" because we had Canadians on the team. Somehow, old John had them convinced that Canada was communist, apparently. (Either that or we were just too darn loud... maybe communists were loud.)

Communists, Nazis, same thing. To uneducated dolts.

[MGSD]

Lawkota is correct. I attended the game - thought it was '59 but could have been '60. My dad somehow got tickets near center-ice. The Russians probably won but I don't remember the outcome. I do remember their disciplined play and strong puck control/passing abilities. The event was a curiousity in Grand Forks, especially during the Cold-War era.

[darell1976]

Where was the Old Barn located? I thought it was the same spot as the old Engelstad (Winter Sports Center).

[sprig]

Where was the Old Barn located? I thought it was the same spot as the old Engelstad (Winter Sports Center).

West of where the overpass (Columbia) now crosses campus Between some of the new buildings and the rr tracks. Along what is now called Campus Road/Centennial Drive. It stood for some time after the WSB was built.

[darell1976]

West of where the overpass (Columbia) now crosses campus Between some of the new buildings and the rr tracks. Along what is now called Campus Road/Centennial Drive. It stood for some time after the WSB was built.

Where the Hyslop is? In that area.

[GeauxSioux]

West of Laird Core Library on this map.

[sprig]

West of Laird Core Library on this map.

Been too long and too much change, but somewhere between Laird and the steam generation plant, or maybe right where one of those two structures now stand?

[vlarson]

West of Laird Core Library on this map.

You are right, GeauxSioux. The Barn was east of the steam plant, just under the water tower. It was as cold a place to watch hockey as you could ever imagine. Chicken wire instead of glass, Purpur's Rube Goldberg resurfacing contraption, super smoky warming house--but we won NC's.

[mikejm]

I remember the Barn being right next to the railroad tracks, right under the water tower. A little south of where Starcher Hall is now.

Barn history from The Ralph

Barn history from SiouxSports

[GeauxSioux]

I think this is more or less the same view as the Barn picture above, so it looks like the Core Library occupies part of the site where the Barn was.

[vlarson]

Speaking of the 50's, the first game I ever saw in The Barn was a preseason game between the Detroit Redwings and a Winnipeg team--I think the Winnipeg Monarchs. I remember it because of seeing Gordy Howe and Terry Sawchuck, of the names I can remember. I think it was "56-"57 or so. Are there any records of anything like that?