February 11, 1940 was a chilly day. Temperature down to -20 degrees. Nevertheless, plenty of people came to the Stockholm Stadium that day. National bandy match between Finland and Sweden. What’s all the fuss about? Well, since 30 November 1939, Finland was at war with its big neighbor to the east, the Winter War. The Soviet Union had attacked Finland, which had been freed from the Russian yoke after the fall of Tsarist Russia. But the young nation fought bravely to retain its independence. And now, in the middle of the war, Sweden, through the initiator Torsten Tegnér, had invited to a national match.
The entire proceeds, where the motto was Gross = Net, would go to the Finnish Red Cross. Everyone had to pay admission, even King Gustaf V, the stadium manager, the sausage man and the Swedish players. The Finnish players, who came close to the front, did not have to pay. Finnish troops were hard-pressed on the Karelian Isthmus, especially at Summa and Taipale, where the Soviet breakthrough seemed imminent and the threat to Vyborg was particularly imminent. But still, the players were granted leave – it is said that Marshal Mannerheim personally signed the decision!
The Swedish team players came from eleven different clubs! Sven Jerring, who came practically straight from a reporting trip in northern Finland, where he met Swedish volunteers, stood for two hours and reported the match outdoors in biting cold!
In the stands, the chants were Sweden, Finland fresh spirits. Sweden took the lead in the match with 2 – 0 and more unpopular home goals have rarely been experienced! However, the cheers rose to unprecedented heights when Finland’s young star forward, Sakari Salo, hit the reduction on tennis. After that, there was a Finnish onslaught on the Swedish goal, but the result stood – but it was not really that important.
When the final whistle blew, the pitch was stormed by enthusiastic crowds of spectators and the Finnish team was carried out in a golden chair to the tune of the Pori march! Jerring organized a radio fundraiser before and during the match with very successful results.
The total net from the national campaign and the radio collection reached almost SEK 500,000, which could be handed over to the Finnish Red Cross! Finland’s cause is ours was one of the slogans in the Swedish mass media during the Winter War and here these words were put into practice!
