Timo Nummelin
Encyclopedia
Timo Nummelin is a retired professional football and ice hockey
player who played in SM-liiga
(ice hockey) and the predecessor of Veikkausliiga
(football).
He played for TPS both in ice hockey
and in football
. He was inducted into the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1991. He is the only Finnish sportsman to be named both football (1968) and ice hockey (1981) player of the year. He has played in the Finnish national team in both ice hockey and football, and appeared in eight Ice Hockey World Championships
. Nummelin is considered to be the biggest icon of the TPS hockey organization. His number 3 jersey has been retired and can only be used by his son Petteri Nummelin
. Nummelin is also known for his goal celebration, in which he imitates playing a violin with his stick. This is mentioned in TPS' goal song "Hunajata" with the words "soi viulu" (the violin plays) in the chorus.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player who played in SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
(ice hockey) and the predecessor of Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga is the premier division of Finnish football, comprising the top 12 clubs of the country. Veikkausliiga is currently ranked as the 28th best league in Europe. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agency Veikkaus, hence the league's name...
(football).
He played for TPS both in ice hockey
TPS (ice hockey)
TPS or Turun Palloseura is an ice hockey team and 11-time champion of SM-liiga. They play in Turku, Finland at the HK Arena. In terms of championships, TPS is the most successful team in SM-liiga history.-Team history:...
and in football
Turun Palloseura
Turun Palloseura, TPS for short and nicknamed Tepsi, is a Finnish football club based in Turku. The club was founded in 1922. TPS currently play in the Veikkausliiga, the highest level of Finnish football. They play their home matches at the 9,372 seater Veritas Stadion, Turku.-History:FC TPS Turku...
. He was inducted into the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame
Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame
The Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame is part of the Vapriikki Museum Centre in Tampere, Finland and was created in 1979 to honor those individuals who have contributed to Finnish ice hockey...
in 1991. He is the only Finnish sportsman to be named both football (1968) and ice hockey (1981) player of the year. He has played in the Finnish national team in both ice hockey and football, and appeared in eight Ice Hockey World Championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
. Nummelin is considered to be the biggest icon of the TPS hockey organization. His number 3 jersey has been retired and can only be used by his son Petteri Nummelin
Petteri Nummelin
Petteri Nummelin is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman, and a former NHL defenceman for the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets. He currently plays for HC Lugano of the Swiss Nationalliga A. He was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets as their fifth-round pick, #133 overall, in the...
. Nummelin is also known for his goal celebration, in which he imitates playing a violin with his stick. This is mentioned in TPS' goal song "Hunajata" with the words "soi viulu" (the violin plays) in the chorus.