U.S. Reached Goal With Assist From Finland

The United States wrapped up its best Winter Olympics showing at Sapporo, Japan, with an assist from the Finns.

When Finland’s hockey team upset Sweden, it enabled the United States to claim the silver medal on the Games’ last day, the eighth U.S. medal, a record.

It’s always easier to medal in hockey when Canada doesn’t field a team, and such was the case at Sapporo. Objecting to competing against “professional” Soviet teams, Canada withdrew from amateur competition in 1969.

And the USSR won the gold medal, its third in a row.

The U.S. secured silver because it had beaten Czechoslovakia, 5-1. Both finished with 3-2 marks.

The Games’ biggest upset-winner was Spain’s Francisco Fernandez Ochoa, who beat the favorites to win the men’s slalom, giving Spain its first Winter Olympic medal.

Also on this date: In 1972, some high-profile UCLA basketball players had to back off statements they made in a Times story. Henry Bibby, Larry Farmer and Larry Hollyfield had told a reporter they’d leave school early and sign pro contracts “if the money was right.” All were commenting on the American Basketball Assn.’s signing of Marquette junior Jim Chones for $1 million. UCLA Coach John Wooden wasn’t happy about his players’ remarks, and later the players said they objected to the story incorrectly implying “we were actively considering pro contracts.” . . . In 1908, six cars set out westward (they crossed the Pacific on ships) from New York City on a 13,341-mile race to Paris. Two cars finished, and an American team won, in 170 days.