Early life and career.

Hu Zongxian was born in the year 1512, in the Hu ancestral village of Longchuan () in Jixi County, part of Huizhou prefecture at the time. Today Longchuan is called Kengkou village (); Jixi is now part of Anhui province. At the age of 23, he passed the provincial imperial examination and became a "juren" (). This was followed him passing the palace examination in 1538, becoming a "jinshi" () and paving the road to officialdom.  Hu was first assigned to be the magistrate of Yidu in Shandong province, where his administration of justice won him the love of the people, who claimed that he brought rains during a drought and magpies to eat the locusts destroying the crops. He raised a thousand volunteer troops from miners out of work and sent them to the northern frontiers under the command of the Shandong grand coordinator Zeng Xian. For this Hu Zongxian was earmarked for promotion, but he had to retire due to the death of his mother in May 1542 to observe the three years-long period of mourning per Confucian rituals. Two years later, his father also died, and Hu Zongxian stayed at his home village for another three years.  In 1547, Hu Zongxian reemerged as the magistrate of Yuyao of Zhejiang province. There he became known for his unconventional thinking such as when he solved the longstanding problem of illegal quarrying on Mt. Shenggui () north of the city by buying the mountain with his personal salary. His energetic governance was met with the people's approval and he became one of the few local officials to earn the praise of Zhu Wan, the grand coordinator of Zhejiang. In 1548, Hu's likeness was carved into the cliff of Mt. Shenggui in his honour.

As investigating censor.

Hu Zongxian was summoned to the capital Beijing in 1548 and took up a position under the Censorate. In the six years as an investigating censor, Hu Zongxian distinguished himself by not only writing memorials to the throne evaluating the performance of provincial officials, but also participating in the actual administration of the provinces. During his tour of the Northern Metropolitan Region (Beizhili) from 1549 to 1551, Altan Khan broke through the defences at Gubeikou and pillaged the suburbs of Beijing. The defences of Xuanfu, where Hu Zongxian was stationed during the crisis, held fast, and Hu was able to send troops to relieve Beijing. He was rewarded for this and the emperor began to take note of his abilities.  In the summer of 1551, Hu was transferred to Wuchang in the province of Huguang where he participated in the suppression of a Miao rebellion on the provincial border with Guizhou. There he gained firsthand knowledge of the Miao's fighting qualities such that he called for their service during the pirate suppression campaigns a few years later. He was recalled to serve in the Censorate headquarters in Beijing in 1552. There he made lasting connections with the political elite: the most important of which was that of Zhao Wenhua, and by extension that of Zhao's patron, the Senior Grand Secretary Yan Song, the official closest to the emperor.  At this time the southeastern coast was under attack by the pirates known as the "wokou", who were a mix of Chinese merchants and foreign elements from Japan and Portugal violating the maritime prohibition laws. Hu Zongxian and Zhao Wenhua recommended a series of measures to counter this threat, including the expansion of the powers given to the grand coordinator, a position roughly equivalent to a provincial governor, so he could complete his task more freely. As a result of these suggestions, a new supreme commander position was created above the grand coordinators, overseeing the coastal provinces from Shandong to Guangdong. The Nanjing Minister of War Zhang Jing was assigned to this position in June 1554, and a few months later Zhao Wenhua and Hu Zongxian were sent south to scrutinize his actions.  For over half a year Hu Zongxian could write nothing but reports of military failures and the serious loss of life fighting against the pirates, citing the government troops' poor discipline and leadership. Zhang Jing himself refused to cooperate with Zhao Wenhua, and Zhao Wenhua put his displeasure into writing by accusing Zhang Jing in a memorial of deliberately delaying the operation for his own profit. However, soon after Zhao Wenhua sent out the memorial, Zhang Jing defeated the pirates at the Battle of Wangjiangjing () on 10 May 1555, taking 1900 heads in what became the greatest Ming victory so far in the anti-wokou campaign. As it was too late to recant his earlier statement, Zhao Wenhua wrote another memorial to the throne downplaying Zhang Jing's victory while emphasizing Hu Zongxian's role leading up to Wangjiangjing, such as his ruse of placing poisoned shipments of wine on the pirates' path which killed up to 800 of their number. Zhao Wenhua also claimed that Hu Zongxian was present at the scene of battle in a suit of armour, even though he was actually at Hangzhou at the time. Hu Zongxian nevertheless went along with Zhao Wenhua and denounced Zhang Jing as well, adding that he had become arrogant after the victory. In the imperial court, Yan Song convinced the emperor that the victory proved that Zhang Jing had the capability to defeat the pirates and Zhao Wenhua was correct in his accusation that Zhang had been holding back, only striking when he heard about Zhao Wenhua's accusation against him. Infuriated, the emperor ordered Zhang Jing's arrest on June 5 and had him executed on November 12.  Zhang Jing's replacement, Zhou Chong (), had his powers greatly limited compared to his predecessor. Instead of the 6 coastal provinces under Zhang Jing's command, Zhou Chong's was limited to only the Southern Metropolitan Region, Zhejiang, and Fujian. Hu Zongxian was meanwhile promoted to Grand Coordinator of Zhejiang, and was soon promoted even higher to supreme commander in April 1556, after Zhou Chong and his successor Yang Yi () were cashiered after less than a year in service due to their underwhelming performance.

Presiding over the wokou affair.

Defeating Xu Hai.

Compared to the short appointments of his predecessors, Hu Zongxian remained in power until 1563. His longevity as supreme commander, and indeed his meteoric rise, were due in part to his association with Zhao Wenhua's clique. Zhao Wenhua was opposed to a strict enforcement of the maritime prohibitions like the ones carried out by Zhu Wan, and instead favoured opening trade as the means to solve the wokou problem. Hu Zongxian, in turn, carried out a policy of appeasement despite his subordinates' disapproval and the emperor's orders to capture the pirate lord Wang Zhi dead or alive.  Even before he had become supreme commander, Hu Zongxian sent envoys to Japan in his capacity as grand coordinator ostensibly to request assistance from Japanese authorities, but in fact to establish contact with Wang Zhi to entice him to surrender. Drawn by the prospect of legal trade, Wang Zhi agreed to clean the shores of Zhejiang of pirates in return for a pardon. Wang Zhi also warned Hu that one of the pirate leaders in his consortium, Xu Hai, was on his way to raid Zhejiang again and Wang was not able to stop him in time. This was alarming news to Hu as it severely disrupted his plans of appeasement.  To deal with the wokou threat, Hu assembled his own "mufu", or private secretariat, enlisting the prominent figures of the region using his own connections since he was native to the area. In this way, he attracted talents such as the writer Mao Kun (), the artist Xu Wei, the ink maker Luo Longwen (), and the cartographer Zheng Ruoceng (), who helped to advise him in diplomacy and strategy.  When Xu Hai came ashore and laid siege to the cities of Zhejiang along with his fellow Satsuma pirates Chen Dong () and Ye Ma (), Hu Zongxian and his "mufu" decided that they did not have the adequate numbers to decisively defeat the invaders, since the main Ming armies were in the northern frontier and Miao reinforcements were forthcoming. Instead, they manipulated Xu Hai with a generous offer of surrender. Throughout the course of the campaign, Hu Zongxian kept friendly contacts with Xu Hai, slowly turning him from his pirate allies by the use of bribes, deceptive promises of official status and ships to sail back to Japan, and false warnings of mutiny among Xu's ranks. He also made use of existing interpersonal feuds among Xu Hai, Chen Dong, and Ye Ma by sending Xu's mistress trinkets so she would badmouth Chen Dong and Ye Ma in front of Xu Hai. Xu Hai eventually turned both Chen and Ye in to the authorities, and Hu made further use of them by making them write letters to their followers explaining that Xu Hai was going to betray and kill them. Hu Zongxian handed Xu Hai a copy of the letters, making Xu Hai grateful and thinking that Hu Zongxian had his interests in mind. When Chen and Ye's former followers received the letters, they rose up against Xu Hai at the Shen Family Estate () in Pinghu. At this point, Hu Zongxian's government forces, including newly arrived Miao troops, entered the fray and killed indiscriminately. On September 29, the battle ended with up to 1600 marauders killed in the estate, and Xu Hai's body was found in a nearby stream. On October 10, Chen Dong, Ye Ma, and Xu Hai's brother were all executed in Jiaxing.

Capturing Wang Zhi.

With Xu Hai's group put down, Hu Zongxian was given the post of grand coordinator of Zhejiang in February 1557, concurrent with his supreme commander position, but it was Zhao Wenhua who took much of the credit and rewards for the victory. However, in September 1557, Zhao Wenhua was accused of embezzlement, lost imperial favour, and died a commoner. Hu now had to cultivate direct relations with Yan Song, and he did so by introducing Luo Longwen, a dealer and connoisseur in antiques and other luxury goods, to Yan Song's son Yan Shifan ().  Hu Zongxian turned his attention to Wang Zhi. On 17 October 1557, Wang Zhi arrived at Zhoushan Island with a large trading fleet. There he laid down his terms for surrender: he sought an imperial pardon, a naval commission, and that ports be open for trade; in return he offered to patrol the coast and persuade the raiders to return to the islands through force if necessary. Hu Zongxian now faced a dilemma: he could not let Wang Zhi go, but if he accepted Wang Zhi's surrender he might be forced to execute him (Zhao Wenhua's downfall made his policy of opening trade a political taboo), turning appeasement efforts to naught. In December, confident in his prospects and his invulnerability, Wang Zhi made landing at Hangzhou. There he was accorded respectable treatment by the authorities, who feared antagonizing his followers, while they figure out what to do with him. During this time Hu Zongxian asked Wang Zhi to help manufacture arquebuses for the Ming army, which led to the weapon being widely used in China. Finally in February next year, Wang Zhi was sent to prison, where he was given the luxuries of novelties, books, and healthy foods. Wang Zhi believed this was a temporary arrangement and remained hopeful for a pardon until 22 January 1560, when an imperial edict handed down the death sentence, and he was summarily beheaded.  As pacification-minded officials had feared, Wang Zhi's followers gave up hope for peaceful trade and went back to their violent ways. Feeling betrayed after Wang Zhi was apprehended, Wang Zhi's godson Mao Haifeng made Zhoushan Island his base and launched raids on Zhejiang and Fujian. Hu Zongxian made a concerted effort to dislodge Mao from Zhoushan in March 1558, converging on the island from six directions with the generals Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang, but failed and was forced to retreat. He tempered the rising criticism against him by blaming Yu and Qi, while sending Beijing a white deer, an auspicious Taoist symbol, to the emperor's great delight. The pirates eventually abandoned Zhoushan in December of the same year owing to the heavy military presence there, and scattered south to Fujian which became their new area of operation. In the summer of 1559, the remaining pirate bands in the Yangtze River Delta were wiped out. For his efforts, Hu was given the rank of Minister of War in June 1560 and the prestigious title of Junior Guardian () in October 1561. His supreme commandership was also extended to include the Jiangxi province since bandits were infesting the area, which lasted until November 1562. Shrines were erected in Hangzhou and his home district in his honour.

Downfall and death.

Hu Zongxian had now reached the zenith of his career. In June 1562, his ally Yan Song fell out of imperial favour and finally lost his position as Senior Grand Secretary. In the following purge of Yan's associates, Hu Zongxian was impeached for being too friendly to Wang Zhi and mishandling military funds, among other perceived transgressions. An order for Hu Zongxian's arrest was made, and he arrived at the capital on January 19, 1563. The Jiajing Emperor, remembering Hu's substantial service and his auspicious gifts, interceded on his behalf and refuted claims that Hu Zongxian was part of Yan Song's clique, commenting that the recent attacks on Hu Zongxian were partisan. Hu was released and allowed to retire with all his titles intact, but his supreme commander position overseeing three provinces was considered too powerful, especially since the wokou had moved away from the crucial Jiangnan region, so the position was abolished after Hu Zongxian left office. Grand coordinators became the paramount figure in those provinces again.  In April 1565, Yan Song's son Yan Shifan was executed along with Luo Longwen for treasonable offenses. Luo Longwen's estate was confiscated, and a search therein turned up a letter from Hu Zongxian asking Luo to present a bribe to Yan Shifan. Adding to this evidence of corruption, Hu Zongxian was also accused of providing shelter to Luo Longwen's son to help him escape the authorities. Hu Zongxian was thus brought from his home county of Jixi to Beijing to face trial in November 1565. While in prison, Hu submitted a memorial asking for clemency due to his past service, but it was soon discovered that Hu had died, supposedly from suicide by poison. The emperor ordered the case be closed after Hu's death.  When Hu Zongxian's son tried to transport his father's body back to their home village, the local populace sixty miles north of Jixi threatened the entourage, forcing the son to leave the coffin on the roadside. Due to the interference of officials sympathetic to Hu Zongxian, the coffin was moved to a temple and later transferred back to Jixi for interment. Despite the people's hostility at the time of his death, Hu Zongxian's name was rehabilitated over the following decades. In 1569 the people of Hangzhou built a new shrine in his memory, and his original titles and ranks were restored posthumously by imperial order in 1572. In 1589, on the appeal of Hu's grandson, Hu's achievements were recounted and he was accorded a state reburial. During the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98), Hu Zongxian's victory against the wokou was given new currency, and he was canonized with the posthumous name Xiangmao (), meaning "splendid assistance".

Hu Zongxian (; November 4, 1512 – November 25, 1565), courtesy name Ruzhen () and art name Meilin (), was a Chinese general of the Ming dynasty who presided over the government's response to the wokou pirate raids during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor. As supreme commander, he was able to defeat Xu Hai's () substantial raid in 1556 and capture the pirate lord Wang Zhi the next year through ruses. Despite his accomplishments, Hu Zongxian's reputation had been tarnished by his association with the clique of Yan Song and Zhao Wenhua, traditionally reviled figures in Ming historiography. He was rehabilitated decades after his death and was given the posthumous name Xiangmao () by the emperor in 1595.

Chu Cung-sien (; 4. listopadu 1512 – 25. listopadu 1565) byl politik a vojevůdce působící v čínské říši Ming za vlády císaře Ťia-ťinga.


History.

Like all stations on the Cockfosters extension, Bounds Green, which opened on 19 September 1932, set new aesthetic standards not previously seen on London's Underground. During the planning period of the extension to Cockfosters, alternate names for this station, ""Wood Green North"" and ""Brownlow Road"" were considered but rejected.

Second World War.

The station was used as an air-raid shelter and people slept on the stairs between the escalators here as well as on the platforms. On the night of 13 October 1940, during The Blitz, a lone German aircraft dropped a single bomb on houses to the north of the station. The destruction of the houses caused the north end of the westbound platform tunnel to collapse, killing and injuring many people amongst those sheltering from the air raid. The train service was disrupted for two months. A memorial plaque (placed in the station in 1994, at the north end of the westbound platform) erroneously commemorates "sixteen Belgian refugees and... three British citizens who died" in the attack. The records of the civilian deaths held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission indicate that in fact sixteen people in total died at the scene – of whom three were Belgian refugees – with a seventeenth person dying of injuries in hospital the following day. Approximately twenty people were injured, but survived.

Design.

Architecturally, this tube station, designed in the typical "Box-style" of the architect Charles Holden by his colleague C. H. James, is a well-preserved example of the modernist house style of London Transport in the 1930s. The octagonal frontage is flanked by a ventilation tower. The octagonal ticket hall is lit by four large windows with an imposing lattice of concrete beams in the ceiling; large London Underground roundels; and original bronze signs, ventilation grilles and information panel frames. The sub-surface areas of the station are finished in biscuit-coloured tiles lined with red friezes. Holden's designs emphasised functionality combined with balanced geometry and the use of modern materials, especially glass and reinforced concrete. The historical significance of the station is emphasised by its involvement in the World War II blitz.  Unlike others on this extension, the station was not previously nationally listed as of special architectural interest but in August 2008 an application was made to English Heritage for a listing recommendation and in January 2010 the station was listed as Grade II.

Layout.

Two escalators and a central fixed stairway connect the ticket hall with the platforms. The escalators were installed in 1989 and 1991, replacing the 1932 originals. The current escalators are Otis MH-B type of 15.8 m vertical rise.  The station's platform tunnels have, in common with those of Southgate, a diameter of 21 feet (6.4 metres). In contrast, the much busier Wood Green, Turnpike Lane and Manor House have 23-foot (7-metre) diameter platform tunnels. The construction of "suicide pits" between the rails was also innovative; these were built in connection with a system of passageways under the platforms to give access to the track.

Improvements.

The station was refurbished in 2007 as part of Transport for London's £10 billion Investment Programme. The works were carried out at night and in a series of weekend closures. This work involved the restoration of heritage features and included the upgrading of CCTV cameras, retiling and decorating the station, repairs to the roof and exterior, platform resurfacing and the installation of Help Points. New train indicators were installed. The station was restored to its original condition, complete with red tiled borders. The cable trays above the frieze level are grey. The ticket hall has been retiled light and dark grey with wooden doors to station accommodation revarnished.

Services and connections.

Train frequencies vary throughout the day, but generally operate every 2–5 minutes between 06:53 and 00:59 eastbound, and between 05:27 and 00:09 westbound.  The station is served by London Bus routes 102, 184, 221 and 299, and also by night route N91.

Bounds Green is a London Underground station, located at the junction of Bounds Green Road and Brownlow Road in Bounds Green in the London Borough of Haringey, North London. The station is on the Piccadilly line, between Wood Green and Arnos Grove, and is on the boundary between Zone 3 and Zone 4.

Bounds Green je stanice metra v Londýně, otevřená 19. září 1932. Neúspěšné alternativy jména stanice zněly "Wood Green North" a "Brownlow Road". Stanice leží na lince :


Career.

Born in 1900, Wenck joined a paramilitary group ("Freikorps") in 1919 and then the Army ("Reichswehr") of the Weimar Republic in 1920. From 1939 to 1942, Wenck was Chief of Operations for the 1st Panzer Division. In 1942, he was an instructor at the War Academy, chief of staff for the LVII Corps, and then the Third Romanian Army on the Eastern Front.  From 1942 to 1943, he was chief of staff of "Army Detachment Hollidt", named after Karl-Adolf Hollidt, which was subordinated to the Third Romanian Army. In 1943, he was Chief of Staff of the ill-fated Sixth Army. From 1943 to 1944, Wenck served in the same capacity in the 1st Panzer Army. In 1944, he was chief of staff of Army Group South Ukraine. There he first attracted Adolf Hitler's attention with his report about conditions on the Eastern Front, saying, "As you see My Führer, the Eastern Front is like Swiss cheese, full of holes." Even though he was reprimanded for using informal language, Hitler commended the "liveliness" of his report.  On about 22 July 1944, Wenck was appointed Chief of Operations at OKH, the High Command of the German Army, by Heinz Guderian, who had just been appointed as OKH Chief of Staff by Hitler. He was soon advanced to Chief of Command Staff (Chief of the Fuehrungsstabs) an office that replaced Quartermaster General I.  On 13 February 1945, after a long argument, Guderian persuaded Hitler to make Wenck chief of staff of Army Group Vistula (with the power to launch an attack) under Himmler. Wenck's attack was initially successful, but Hitler requested him to attend daily Fuehrer briefings which forced him to make a daily round trip of 200 miles. On February 14, 1945, an extremely tired Wenck took the driving wheel from his driver Dorn who had collapsed. Wenck then fell asleep at the wheel and crashed his car off the road. Saved by Dorn, he ended up in the hospital with a fractured skull and five broken ribs. Meanwhile, the attack failed.  On 10 April 1945, Wenck was appointed commander of the German Twelfth Army located to the west of Berlin to guard against the advancing American and British forces. But, as the Western Front moved eastwards and the Eastern Front moved westwards, the German armies making up both fronts backed towards each other. As a result, the area of control of Wenck's army to his rear and east of the Elbe River had become a vast refugee camp for German civilians fleeing from approaching Soviet forces. Wenck took great pains to provide food and lodging for these refugees. At one stage, the Twelfth Army was estimated to be feeding more than a quarter of a million people every day.

Battle of Berlin.

On 21 April, Adolf Hitler ordered SS-General Felix Steiner to attack the forces of Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov's 1st Belorussian Front. Zhukov's forces were encircling Berlin from the north. The forces of Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front were encircling Berlin from the south. Steiner was to attack Zhukov with his Army Detachment Steiner. With few operational tanks and roughly a division's worth of infantry, Steiner requested that his "army" be allowed to retreat instead of attacking.  On 22 April, as Steiner retreated, Wenck's Twelfth Army became Hitler's last hope to save Berlin. Wenck was ordered to disengage the Americans to his west and, attacking to the east, link up with the Ninth Army of General der Infanterie Theodor Busse. Together, they would attack the Soviets encircling Berlin from the west and from the south. Meanwhile, the XLI Panzer Corps under General Rudolf Holste would attack the Soviets from the north.  Wenck's forces attacked towards Berlin, but they were halted outside of Potsdam by strong Soviet resistance. Neither Busse nor Holste made much progress towards Berlin. By the end of the day on 27 April, the Soviet forces encircling Berlin linked up and the forces inside the city were cut off.  During the night of 28 April, Wenck reported to the German Supreme Army Command in Fuerstenberg that his Twelfth Army had been forced back along the entire front. According to Wenck, no attack on Berlin was possible as support from Busse's Ninth Army could no longer be expected. Instead, starting April 24, Wenck moved his army towards the Forest of Halbe, broke into the Halbe pocket and linked up with the remnants of the Ninth Army, Hellmuth Reymann's "Army Group Spree," and the Potsdam garrison. Wenck brought his army, remnants of the Ninth Army, and many civilian refugees across the Elbe and into territory occupied by the U.S. Army.  According to Antony Beevor, Wenck's eastward attack toward Berlin was aimed specifically at providing the population and garrison of Berlin with an escape route to areas occupied by U.S. forces: "Comrades, you've got to go in once more," Wenck said. "It's not about Berlin any more, it's not about the Reich any more." Their task was to save people from the fighting and the Russians. Wenck's leadership struck a powerful chord, even if the reactions varied between those who believed in a humanitarian operation and those keener to surrender to the Western allies instead of the Russians. According to Randall Hansen, Wenck's actions, with the help of luck and U.S. General William Simpson, successfully evacuated a large number of troops and civilians (variously estimated from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands), with Wenck himself being one of the last who crossed the river.

Later life.

Wenck was taken prisoner by the U.S. Army. He was released in 1947, and Wenck then began a second career as an industrialist. During the 1950s, Wenck worked as the managing director of Dr. C. Otto & Comp., a producer of industrial ovens, and in the 1960s as the director of the Diehl Group, an arms manufacturer.  In 1957, he was invited to become Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, but refused after being informed that his requirements (turning the office into that of Commander-in-chief, etc.) could not be met.  On 1 May 1982, Wenck died while on a trip to Austria, when his car collided with a tree. He was buried in his hometown of Bad Rothenfelde in Lower Saxony a few days later.

Walther Wenck () (18 September 1900 – 1 May 1982) was the youngest General of the branch ("General der Truppengattung") in the German Army and a staff officer during World War II. At the end of the war, he commanded the German Twelfth Army that took part in the Battle of Berlin.

Walther Wenck (18. září 1900 Lutherstadt Wittenberg – 1. května 1982 Ried im Innkreis) byl nejmladším generálem v německé armádě a vysoce zkušeným štábním důstojníkem během druhé světové války. Na konci války velel německé 12. armádě. Wenck nařídil své armádě vzdát se ozbrojeným silám Spojených států, aby zabránil zajetí Sověty. Před vzdáním se do zajetí Wenck sehrál důležitou roli v bitvě o Berlín, a díky svému úsilí pomohl tisícům německých uprchlíků utéci oddílům Rudé armády. Během války byl přezdíván jako "chlapec-generál".


Origins.

Crowley often told the story of an October 28, 1922, game between Notre Dame and Georgia Tech in which the Fighting Irish players said Hail Mary prayers together before scoring each of the touchdowns, before winning the game 13–3. According to Crowley, it was one of the team’s linemen, Noble Kizer (a Presbyterian), who suggested praying before the first touchdown, which occurred on a fourth and goal play at the Georgia Tech 6-yard line during the second quarter. Quarterback Harry Stuhldreher, another of the Horsemen, threw a quick pass over the middle to Paul Castner for the score. The ritual was repeated before a third and goal play, again at Georgia Tech’s 6-yard line, in the fourth quarter. This time Stuhldreher ran for a touchdown, which sealed the win for Notre Dame. After the game, Kizer exclaimed to Crowley, "Say, that Hail Mary is the best play we've got." Crowley related this story many times in public speeches beginning in the 1930s.  On November 2, 1935, with 32 seconds left in the so-called "Game of the Century" between Ohio State and Notre Dame, Irish halfback Bill Shakespeare found receiver Wayne Millner for a 19-yard, game-winning touchdown. Notre Dame head coach Elmer Layden, who had played in the 1922 Georgia Tech game, afterwards called it a "Hail Mary" play.  An early appearance of the term was in an Associated Press story about the upcoming 1941 Orange Bowl between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Georgetown Hoyas. The piece appeared in several newspapers including the December 31, 1940, "Daytona Beach Morning Journal" under the headline, "Orange Bowl: [Georgetown] Hoyas Put Faith in 'Hail Mary' Pass". As the article explained, "A 'hail Mary' pass, in the talk of the Washington eleven, is one that is thrown with a prayer because the odds against completion are big."  During an NBC broadcast in 1963, Staubach, then a Navy quarterback, described a pass play during his team's victory over Michigan that year as a "Hail Mary play". He scrambled to escape a pass rush, nearly getting sacked 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage before completing a desperation pass for a one-yard gain.

Examples.

Arguably the most memorable and replayed Hail Mary pass came on November 23, 1984, in a game now known as "Hail Flutie". Boston College was losing to Miami (FL) with six seconds left when their quarterback Doug Flutie threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Gerard Phelan, succeeding primarily because Miami's secondary stood on the goal line to keep the receivers in front of them without covering a post route behind them. Miami's defense was based on the assumption that Flutie could not throw the ball as far as the end zone, but Flutie hit Phelan in stride against a flatfooted defense a yard deep in the end zone. To commemorate the play, a statue of Flutie in his Hail Mary passing pose was unveiled outside Alumni Stadium at Boston College on November 7, 2008.  Other noteworthy examples include:

In other fields.

The term "Hail Mary" is sometimes used to refer to any last-ditch effort with little chance of success.

Military.

In military uses, General Norman Schwarzkopf described his strategy during the Persian Gulf War to bypass the bulk of Iraqi forces in Kuwait by attacking in a wide left sweep through their rear as a "Hail Mary" plan.  There are similar usages in other fields, such as a "Hail Mary shot" in photography where the photographer holds the view finder of an SLR camera far from his eye (so unable to compose the picture), usually high above his head, and takes a shot. This is often used in crowded situations.  In computer security, a "Hail Mary attack" will throw every exploit it has against a system to see whether any of them work.

A Hail Mary pass, also known as a shot play, is a very long forward pass in American football, typically made in desperation, with only a small chance of success.

Hail Mary ( Zdrávas Maria) je označení pro velmi dlouhou, v zoufalství učiněnou přihrávku s malou nadějí na úspěch používanou v americkém fotbale. Tato akce se obvykle používá ve chvíli, kdy tým na konci zápasu prohrává jen o pár bodů a mohl by tímto dlouhým pasem srovnat nebo zvrátit zápas.


History.

The station was opened by the District Railway (DR, now the District line) on 21 July 1884. The station was originally named Hounslow Barracks in reference to the Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow south of the station on Beavers Lane. The station was the terminus of a single track branch line extension from the DR's existing route to Hounslow Town station (now closed) on Hounslow High Street.  The branch line diverged from the main route about 300m east of Hounslow East station, although Hounslow East was not opened until later, and when the branch opened there were no intermediate stations between Hounslow Barracks and Osterley & Spring Grove (now Osterley).  In "My Early Life", Winston Churchill recalls travelling on the Underground Railway to Hounslow Barracks two or three times a week whilst living at his mother's house in Knightsbridge around 1896.  The DR's tracks were electrified between 1903 and 1905 with electric trains replacing steam trains on the Hounslow branch from 13 June 1905. On 1 December 1925 Hounslow West, Hounslow Central and Hounslow East stations received their current names. During 1930 and 1931 a new station building was constructed facing on to Bath Road to replace the original building which was parallel with the tracks and set back at an angle from the road. The new building, by the Underground's architect Stanley Heaps in conjunction with Charles Holden in a style reminiscent of Holden's designs for the 1926 Morden extension of the City and South London Railway (now part of the Northern line), was constructed in Portland stone and features a tall heptagonal ticket hall with glazed screens to all sides. The original building was gradually demolished as the new one was built and the new building opened on 5 July 1931. The building is very similar to the reconstructed station at Ealing Common built at the same time, also by Heaps and Holden. Basil Ionides designed the interior of the ticket hall at Hounslow West tube station.  Piccadilly line services, which had been running as far as Northfields since January 1933, were extended to Hounslow West on 13 March 1933. From that date, the branch was operated jointly by both lines, but District line services (which had more capacious higher carriages) were progressively reduced to just rush-hour services in the late 1950s and withdrawn on 9 October 1964.

Heathrow extension.

In the early 1970s work began on extending the Piccadilly line from Hounslow West to Heathrow Airport. The original alignment of the tracks and platforms at Hounslow West was SW/NE. If the tracks had been extended directly on that alignment towards the airport, much of residential west Hounslow would have had to be demolished. Instead, a route needing little demolition was found by following the Bath Road and Great South West Road in a cut and cover tunnel in a trench alongside the road which passed the Traveller's Friend junction around 1971. The line surfaces briefly over the River Crane before descending towards Hatton Cross and under Heathrow. Extending the District line to Hounslow West again is still a possibility which has recently been re-evaluated, although it cannot continue to Heathrow as the extension was only built to tube line standards. The first phase of the extension works was to build two new platforms at Hounslow West in a covered trench with a more westerly alignment to reach the chosen route. The new platforms were adjacent to and to the north of the existing three platforms, and the access from the 1930s station building was extended to reach them. The new platforms were brought into use on 14 July 1975 and the line was opened as far as Hatton Cross five days later on 19 July 1975.

Services and connections.

Train frequencies vary throughout the day, but generally operate every 3–7 minutes between 06:01 and 00:01 in both directions.  London Bus routes 81, 203, 222, 482, H28, H32, H91 and H98 and night route N9 serve the station.

Hounslow West is a London Underground station in Hounslow of the London Borough of Hounslow, West London. It is located on Bath Road (A3006) about 600m from its junction with A4 Great West Road and Great South West Road (A30). The station is on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly line, between Hatton Cross and Hounslow Central stations and is in Travelcard Zone 5.

Hounslow West je stanice metra v Londýně, otevřená 21. července 1884 jako "Hounslow Barracks". 1. prosince 1925 byla stanice přejmenována na dnešní jméno. V letech 1884-1964 ležela stanice na District Line. Dnes se stanice nachází v přepravní zóně 5 a leží na lince :


Early life and background.

Ranaut was born on 23 March 1987 at Bhambla (now Surajpur), a small town in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, into a Rajput family. Her mother, Asha Ranaut, is a school teacher, and her father, Amardeep Ranaut, is a businessman. She has an elder sister, Rangoli Chandel, who as of 2014 works as her manager and a younger brother, Akshat. Her great-grandfather, Sarju Singh Ranaut, was a Member of the Legislative Assembly and her grandfather was an officer for the Indian Administrative Service. She grew up in a joint family at their ancestral haveli (mansion) in Bhambla, and described her childhood as "simple and happy".  According to Ranaut, she was "stubborn and rebellious" while growing up: "If my father would gift my brother a plastic gun and get a doll for me, I would not accept that. I questioned the discrimination." She did not subscribe to the stereotypes that were expected of her and experimented with fashion from a young age, often pairing up accessories and clothes that would seem "bizarre" to her neighbours. Ranaut was educated at the DAV School in Chandigarh, where she pursued science as her core subject, remarking that she was "very studious" and "always paranoid about [...] results". She initially intended to become a doctor on the insistence of her parents. However, a failed unit test in chemistry during her twelfth grade led Ranaut to reconsider her career prospects and despite preparing for the All India Pre Medical Test, she did not turn up for the exam. Determined to find her "space and freedom", she relocated to Delhi at the age of sixteen. Her decision not to pursue medicine led to constant feuding with her parents and her father refused to sponsor a pursuit he considered to be aimless.  In Delhi, Ranaut was unsure which career to choose; the Elite Modelling Agency were impressed by her looks and suggested that she model for them. She took on a few modelling assignments, but generally disliked the career as she found "no scope for creativity". Ranaut decided to shift focus towards acting and joined the Asmita Theatre Group, where she trained under the theatre director Arvind Gaur. She participated in Gaur's theatre workshop at the India Habitat Centre, acting in several of his plays, including the Girish Karnad-scripted "Taledanda". During a performance, when one of the male actors went missing, Ranaut played his part along with her original role of a woman. A positive reaction from the audience prompted her to relocate to Mumbai to pursue a career in film and she enrolled herself for a four-month acting course in Asha Chandra's drama school.  Ranaut struggled with her meager earnings during this period, eating only "bread and aachar (pickle)". Refusing her father's financial assistance led to a rift in their relationship which she later regretted. Her relatives were unhappy with her decision to enter the film-making industry, and they did not correspond with her for several years. She reconciled with them after the release of "Life in a... Metro" in 2007.

Career.

2004–2008: Film debut and critical acclaim.

In 2004, the producers Ramesh Sharma and Pahlaj Nilani announced that Ranaut would make her film debut with the Deepak Shivdasani-directed "I Love You Boss". The following year, an agent took her to the office of the producer Mahesh Bhatt, where she interacted with the director Anurag Basu and auditioned for the lead role in the romantic thriller "Gangster". Bhatt felt that she was too young for the role and signed Chitrangada Singh instead. However, Singh was later unavailable to do the film and Ranaut was contracted as a replacement for "Gangster," opting out of "I Love You Boss". She was cast in the central role of Simran, an alcoholic woman caught in a romantic triangle between a notorious gangster (played by Shiney Ahuja) and a sympathetic friend (played by Emraan Hashmi). Ranaut was only seventeen while filming and said that she "had difficulty first in understanding and then unwinding from the character", describing her craft as "raw and immature". Released in 2006, "Gangster" emerged as a critical and commercial success and her performance was praised. Raja Sen of Rediff.com said that "Kangana is a remarkable find, the actress coming across with great conviction. Hers is the pivotal character and an extremely difficult role to essay, but she manages it well [...] Kangana's nuances [of an alcoholic character] are disconcertingly realistic." She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut, along with various other debut awards.  Ranaut's next role was in the Mohit Suri-directed drama "Woh Lamhe" (2006), a semi-biographical film based on the schizophrenic actress Parveen Babi and her relationship with the director Mahesh Bhatt. She said that portraying Babi had left her emotionally drained, as she had begun to "feel her desolation and loneliness." Film critic Subhash K. Jha wrote that Ranaut "is the first female performer of Bollywood since Smita and Shabana who isn't scared to strip her soul naked for the camera", adding that she is a "hugely expressive actress with a phenomenal ability to convey torment, hurt and incredulity through the eyes". Despite positive reviews, the film underperformed at the box office.  The following year, Ranaut portrayed an aspiring musician in Suneel Darshan's musical thriller "Shakalaka Boom Boom", alongside Bobby Deol, Upen Patel and Celina Jaitly. The film's production was marred by a dispute between Ranaut and Darshan; she objected to her voice being dubbed by another artist, but he insisted that he needed a particular "twang and accent" for her character. "India Today" described the film as an "amateur mess" and the film proved to be a box office flop. She next reunited with Anurag Basu for the ensemble drama "Life in a... Metro", playing the supporting role of Neha, a shrewd socialite engaged in an affair with her married boss (played by Kay Kay Menon). Despite a poor initial run at the box office, the film emerged as a profitable venture. Khalid Mohamed of "Hindustan Times" was critical of the film, noting its lack of originality and realism. In a more positive review, Raja Sen wrote that Ranaut "is refreshing [...] and manages to herd her emotions well, playing a complex role but hardly ever overreaching", but criticised her delivery of English lines. For her role, Ranaut was awarded the Stardust Award for Breakthrough Performance – Female.  Ranaut next portrayed a village girl in "Dhaam Dhoom" (2008), a Tamil romantic thriller, opposite Jayam Ravi. Production on the film was temporarily halted when the director, Jeeva, died of cardiac arrest and the film was completed by the crew members. A review carried by "Post" wrote that Ranaut had "little scope" in a role that did not suit her. "India Today" described her next film, the Madhur Bhandarkar-directed drama "Fashion" (2008), as a "landmark" in her career. Set against the backdrop of the Indian fashion industry, the film co-starred Priyanka Chopra and Mugdha Godse and featured Ranaut as Shonali Gujral, a substance abusing supermodel struggling to cope with her foundering career. Because the media speculated that her role was based on the former model Geetanjali Nagpal (which both Ranaut and Bhandarkar denied), the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), ordered a stay on the film's release, approving it only after a script narration. With a worldwide revenue of 600 million Indian rupees (), approximately US$10 million, "Fashion" emerged as a commercial success, and was listed by Subhash K. Jha as one of the best films of the decade with women protagonists. Ranaut's performance drew unanimous critical acclaim. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama praised her confident portrayal of the character and believed that she was the real star of the film, and Nikhat Kazmi of "The Times of India" added that she "does an exquisite metamorphosis from a wispy, high-strung, nervous child-woman to a stunning ramp diva." Ranaut's portrayal earned her several awards, including the National Film Award and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

2009–2012: Career fluctuations.

The supernatural horror film "" from director Mohit Suri was Ranaut's first film release of 2009, in which she played a successful model who is possessed by a ghost. The film co-starred Emraan Hashmi and Adhyayan Suman and proved to be a financial success. Shubhra Gupta of "The Indian Express" noted that Ranaut was becoming stereotyped in roles that required her to be "hysterical", adding that she needed a "radical change of image". Also that year, she played the leading lady in the drama "Vaada Raha" and the Telugu action film "Ek Niranjan", neither of which were particularly notable. In a brief role in Anurag Basu's romantic thriller "Kites" (2010), Ranaut portrayed the fiancée of Hrithik Roshan's character. She said that she felt "cheated" after watching the film, as her role proved to be much smaller than what she had initially signed on for. She then portrayed fictional film actress Rehana in the Milan Luthria-directed gangster film "Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai". Also starring Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi and Prachi Desai, the film chronicles the rise and subsequent fall of an underworld don (played by Devgn) in the 1970s. Ranaut said that her character was "a mix" of the actress Madhubala and the gangster Haji Mastan's wife and that to prepare she observed the work of the actresses Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi. The film was one of the most successful releases of the year and garnered positive reviews from critics. Sudish Kamath of "The Hindu" labelled her a "delight" and "Mid Day" Sarita Tanwar praised her for being "totally convincing" in the role. After playing a television reporter in the thriller "Knock Out", Ranaut actively looked for a comedy and found the role in Anees Bazmee's "No Problem", but both films failed to propel her career forward.  According to Bollywood Hungama, after establishing a reputation for portraying neurotic characters, Ranaut was seeking projects that would be "less emotionally exhausting" for her. Her first release of 2011 was Anand L. Rai's "Tanu Weds Manu", a romantic comedy opposite R. Madhavan, which Ranaut considers a "game changer" for her. Rai stated that he cast her for the role to illustrate that the actress was capable of playing other roles and that her character in the film was unlike any of those that she had played previously. Critical reaction to the film was mixed, though Ranaut's performance was praised. Rajeev Masand wrote, "Kangana Ranaut is a pleasant surprise in a cheery, upbeat part that we haven't seen her take on before. She rises to the challenge, only hampered occasionally by her mangled dialogue delivery." Ranaut received Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies, including Screen and Zee Cine.  Ranaut followed the success of "Tanu Weds Manu" by starring in a series of brief, glamorous roles in four other films of 2011: "Game", "Double Dhamaal", "Rascals" and "Miley Naa Miley Hum". With the exception of "Double Dhamaal", none of these films performed well. In a review for "Rascals", the critic Gaurav Malani wrote: "Kangana Ranaut is ill at ease in comedy. She struggles to hold her own and emerges as a bimbo in her act." Ranaut later said that she did some of these films due to a dearth of film offers. The following year, Ranaut portrayed a supporting role opposite Ajay Devgn in Priyadarshan's action thriller "Tezz", another box office flop.

2013–2015: Established actress.

The director Sanjay Gupta cast Ranaut in a brief role opposite John Abraham in the crime thriller "Shootout at Wadala" (2013) due to her ability to stand out in a predominantly male-centric film. The "Daily News and Analysis" Tushar Joshi wrote that her role was written "to provide the sex quotient" and critic Vinayak Chakravorty opined that she "does not get much scope [...] beyond the steamy lovemaking grind". Commercially, the film performed moderately well.  Ranaut achieved success later in 2013 for her portrayal of Kaya, a shapeshifting mutant, in Rakesh Roshan's science fiction film "Krrish 3", alongside Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra and Vivek Oberoi. When Rakesh Roshan first offered the role to her, she declined it due a disappointing prior association with him on "Kites", in which Roshan had served as producer. Following Ranaut's rejection, other actresses also turned down the role. Roshan approached her again and after assuring her that the role would not be a minuscule one, Ranaut accepted the part. Critics thought that "Krrish 3" was entertaining but lacking in originality, though Ranaut's performance garnered praise. The critic Sarita Tanwar of "Daily News and Analysis" said: "Kangana Ranaut is delightful as an alien making the weird hair and clothes work for her. She even manages to make you feel her pain. Quite an accomplishment that!" With global ticket sales of, the film emerged as one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time, becoming Ranaut's most financially profitable venture. Also that year, Ranaut played the eponymous lead in the musical drama "Rajjo". The film was a critical and commercial failure and Ranaut's portrayal of a nautch girl was largely criticised. Paloma Sharma of Rediff.com commented that "Kangana Ranaut struggles with her Mumbaiyya dialogues and is not as graceful in the dance sequences as one would have expected."  In 2014, Ranaut established herself in Hindi cinema when she featured alongside Rajkummar Rao and Lisa Haydon in the coming-of-age dramedy "Queen"; she also co-wrote the dialogues with Anvita Dutt Guptan. The film tells the story of Rani, a naive girl who embarks on her honeymoon alone after her fiancé calls off their wedding. Ranaut, who describes herself as "independent and confident", reflected that the role was one of the toughest she had played, as the character's personality traits contrasted with her own. The film and Ranaut's performance received unanimous acclaim from critics. Devesh Sharma of "Filmfare" wrote that the fact that she "flits from one aspect of her character to another without breaking stride shows her maturity as an actor. Her efforts make you clap for Rani's small and big victories, you root for her character to come up trumps and are glad about the glorious transformation at the end." With a worldwide total of, the film also emerged as a box office hit. She won both the Filmfare Award and the National Film Award for Best Actress for the film.  Ranaut followed the success of "Queen" by playing an aggressive politician in the black comedy "Revolver Rani" and a medical intern in the political drama "Ungli" (both 2014). Also that year, she made her production and directorial debut with an English language short film entitled "The Touch", dealing with the relationship between a four-year-old boy and a dog; she co-wrote the screenplay with an Australian writer and filmed it in America.  The following year, Ranaut starred in "" (2015), a sequel to "Tanu Weds Manu", in which she portrayed dual rolesshe reprised the character of Tanuja from the original and also portrayed an aspiring athlete in it. In preparation for the latter role, she interacted with students of the University of Delhi in disguise; in addition, she attended workshops to learn the Haryanvi language and trained in the sport of triple jump. The film received positive reviews from critics and Ranaut's performance was considered its prime asset. Sweta Kaushal of "Hindustan Times" praised her for perfecting the body languages and accents of the two women, and Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV wrote that she "fleshes out this pair of distinct individuals with such energy and finesse that it becomes difficult at times to tell that it is the same actress playing the two roles". "Tanu Weds Manu Returns" earned over worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Bollywood film featuring a female protagonist. Ranaut won a Filmfare Critics Award and a second consecutive National Film Award for Best Actress, and received an additional Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.  Also in 2015, Ranaut appeared in the romantic comedies "I Love NY" (a production delayed since 2013) and Nikhil Advani's "Katti Batti", both of which failed at the box office. The latter saw her play opposite Imran Khan as a cancer patient, a role that critic Uday Bhatia of "Mint" thought "lack[ed] the sort of definition she's had in her last few roles".

2017–present: Setback, controversies, and professional expansion.

After a year-long absence from the screen, Ranaut starred as Julia, a 1940s heroine and stunt-woman in Vishal Bhardwaj's romance "Rangoon" (2017), opposite Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor. Modelled on the actress Fearless Nadia, Ranaut played the part as an "amalgamation of many characters" from that era, and was particularly drawn towards the "fierceness and sensuality" she found in her. She learned horse-riding and sword fighting and performed her own stunts. Media reports suggested a feud between Ranaut and Kapoor, and although they denied these, both stars publicly commented against the other. "Rangoon" received mixed reviews but Ranaut's performance was picked up for praise; in a typical review, Rohit Vats of "Hindustan Times" labelled Ranaut as "terrific", believing that the "poor script never lets Julia reach her pinnacle but [Ranaut] steals the show even with small scenes". The film failed to find a wide audience. In the same year, Ranaut starred in "Simran", a crime comedy from the director Hansal Mehta, in which she played a Gujarati immigrant in America involved in criminal activities. She shared the screenwriting credit with Apurva Asrani for improvising several dialogues on set, but Asrani accused Ranaut and Mehta for not valuing his contributions to the script. Once again, the film received mixed reviews and failed commercially.  In 2019, Ranaut starred in "", a biopic of the Indian freedom fighter Rani of Jhansi, for which she also served as co-director when Krish left the film after frequently clashing with the actress. Her co-star Sonu Sood also quit the production due to disagreements with her. Ranaut subsequently reshot a significant portion of the film, due to which its production cost doubled. Rajeev Masand considered the film to be "a deliberately simplistic film; an old-fashioned patriotic saga told in the broadest of strokes, and with full nationalist fervor", but he commended Ranaut for "command[ing] the screen with a fiery, arresting presence, never letting your attention wander away from her". It performed moderately well at the box office. In her second film release of 2019, Ranaut reunited with Rajkummar Rao in the black comedy "Judgementall Hai Kya", in which she played a mentally ill woman. Shubhra Gupta considered her to be "terrific" in the part and found "connections between what's happening on screen and Ranaut's off-screen seemingly off-kilter joustings which routinely make so much news of the wrong kind." It underperformed at the box office. She received Filmfare Award nominations for her performances in both films.  Ranaut began the new decade with Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's sports film "Panga" (2020). She played a young mother and homemaker who trains to stage a comeback in kabaddi. Rachel Saltz of "The New York Times" wrote that the actress "elevates the movie, putting the story across better than the script can". It did not perform well commercially. Ranaut will next portray the politician Jayalalithaa in the trilingual biopic "Thalaivi" and star in the action film "Dhaakad".

Personal life.

Ranaut has stated that her initial years in the film industry were marred with difficulties as she was unprepared to be an actress. She was conscious of her poor command of the English language and struggled to "fit in". In a 2013 interview with "Daily News and Analysis", Ranaut recollected:  "People in the industry treated me like I didn't deserve to be spoken to and I was some unwanted object. I couldn't speak English fluently and people made fun of me for that. So dealing with rejection became a part of life.... All that has taken a toll, I guess. I find it hard to deal with praise. Today, when people say that I have made it and made it on my own, I feel like locking up myself somewhere... It scares me." During the struggle, Ranaut found support in the actor Aditya Pancholi and his wife Zarina Wahab and considered them her "family away from home". She became embroiled in a well publicised scandal when the media speculated on the nature of her relationship with Pancholi. She declined to speak about it openly, although she made several public appearances with him. In 2007 it was reported that Ranaut had filed a police complaint against Pancholi for physically assaulting her under the influence of alcohol. The following year Pancholi confirmed the affair in an interview, saying that he had been cohabiting with Ranaut in the past and accused her of owing him. In response, Ranaut's spokesperson said that "after physically assaulting her in the middle of a road, he has no right to expect anything from her", adding that she had "already given to [him] as a goodwill gesture". Ranaut later said that the incident had left her "physically and mentally" damaged.  While filming "Raaz: The Mystery Continues" in 2008, Ranaut began a romantic relationship with co-star Adhyayan Suman. On Suman's insistence that he focus on his professional career, the couple separated the following year. From 2010 to 2012, Ranaut was involved in a long-distance romance with Nicholas Lafferty, an English doctor; she described the relationship as "the most normal" she ever had, but the couple split amicably as she was not ready for marriage. She has since maintained that she will never get married, and has expressed a desire to not be bound by a relationship. In 2016, Hrithik Roshan, her co-star from "Krrish 3", filed a lawsuit against Ranaut accusing her of cyber stalking and harassment. Denying the charges, Ranaut filed a counter-charge against Roshan, claiming that his lawsuit was an attempt to cover-up their affair for the benefit of his divorce proceedings. The case was closed later that year owing to lack of evidence.  Ranaut lives in Mumbai with her sister Rangoli, who was the victim of an acid attack in 2006. She makes yearly visits to her hometown of Bhambla. A practicing Hindu, Ranaut follows the teachings of the spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda and considers meditation to be "the highest form of worshipping God". She practices vegetarianism and was listed as "India's hottest vegetarian" in a poll conducted by PETA in 2013. Since 2009 Ranaut has been studying the dance form of kathak from the Nateshwar Nritya Kala Mandir. She has said that the technical process of filmmaking is of tremendous interest to her, and to better her understanding of it Ranaut enrolled in a two-month screenplay writing course at the New York Film Academy in 2014. In an interview with "Filmfare" she said that despite her stardom, she wants to lead a normal life: "I don't want to lose my rights as a common person to learn and grow".

In the media.

In the book "Acting Smart: Your Ticket to Showbiz", Tisca Chopra describes Ranaut as a "free-spirited, original creative" person "who cannot really be slotted in a particular mould". Ranaut is particularly known for her forthrightness in expressing her opinions in public on issues ranging from film to feminism. A televised interview hosted by Anupama Chopra in which Ranaut spoke out against gender bias and nepotism in Bollywood went viral online, which led Sunaina Kumar of "Tehelka" to write: "In this age of cookie-cutter heroines with stock responses, Kangana Ranaut is refreshingly real and honest." Ranaut had a public fallout with the filmmaker Karan Johar when she accused him of nepotism during a chat show appearance in 2017.  Analysing Ranaut's career, the journalist Parmita Uniyal, in 2014, noted that she "loves to challenge herself with tricky roles and manages to add a different dimension to her character every time." A reviewer for Rediff.com described her as a "director's actress" who is susceptible to both "shine and crumble under the right/wrong guidance". Anand L Rai (the director of "Tanu Weds Manu") says that Ranaut actively pursues roles in which she can "work in her own space and not become a mere prop in the male-dominated Bollywood". Alongside actress Vidya Balan, Ranaut has been credited for spearheading a movement that breaks stereotypes of a Hindi film heroine by playing the protagonist in films not starring a well-known male star. Following the success of "Queen" and "Tanu Weds Manu Returns", "Deccan Chronicle" labelled her as "one of the most bankable actresses in the industry", and "Daily News and Analysis" reported that she had emerged as one of the highest-paid actresses in Bollywood. Ranaut was featured by "Forbes India" in their annual Celebrity 100 list in 2012, 2014–2017, and 2019. In 2017, "Forbes" calculated her annual salary to be, one of the highest amongst actresses in the country. Also that year, she was one of two actresses to feature in "The Indian Express"s listing of the most powerful Indians.  Ranaut is considered a sex symbol and a style icon in India. Analysing Ranaut's off-screen persona, "Hindustan Times" published that she was initially written off by Indian journalists due to her "funny accent" and the negative publicity generated by her troubled relationships; however, her defining fashion choices and her unconventional film roles eventually established her as a star. Ranaut has frequently featured in listings of the most attractive and stylish celebrities in India. She ranked among the top 10 on "The Times of India"s listing of the "Most Desirable Woman" in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015. Ranaut was featured on "Verve"s listing of the most powerful women of 2010 and in 2012 she was named the "Best Dressed Personality" by the Indian edition of "People" magazine. In 2013, Ranaut featured as one of the best-dressed women celebrities by "Vogue India". The journalist Jagmeeta Thind Joy credits the actress for her "quirky, almost non-Bollywood take on personal style", adding that she "likes to shock and awe with her choices". She has collaborated with the fashion brand Vero Moda to launch two clothing lines for the company, named Marquee and Venice Cruise, in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Filmography and accolades.

Ranaut has been the recipient of three National Film Awards: Best Supporting Actress for "Fashion" (2008) and Best Actress for "Queen" (2014) and "Tanu Weds Manu Returns" (2015). She has also won four Filmfare Awards: Best Female Debut for "Gangster" (2006), Best Supporting Actress for "Fashion", Best Actress for "Queen", and Best Actress - Critics for "Tanu Weds Manu Returns". In 2020, Ranaut was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, by the Government of India, for her contribution to arts.

Kangana Ranaut (; born 23 March 1987) is an Indian actress and filmmaker who works in Hindi films. The recipient of several awards, including three National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards, she has featured six times in "Forbes India" Celebrity 100 list. In 2020, the Government of India awarded her with the Padma Shri.

Kangana Ranautová (* 23. března 1987 Bhambla, Himáčalpradéš) je indická filmová herečka a celebrita Bollywoodu. Pochází ze středostavovské venkovské rodiny, otec je obchodník a matka učitelka. Na přání rodiny měla studovat medicínu, na školu však nebyla přijata, živila se v Dillí jako modelka a herečka v divadelní společnosti předního indického režiséra Arvinda Gaura. V roce 2006 debutovala rolí ve filmu "Gangster". Podle jejích vzpomínek byly pro ni začátky u filmu těžké, protože ji rodiče odmítli finančně podporovat a kolegové ji přehlíželi kvůli tomu, že neuměla dobře anglicky. Úspěch jí přinesl až film ze zákulisí modelingu "Fashion", za který obdržela roku 2009 Národní filmovou cenu pro nejlepší herečku ve vedlejší roli. Roku 2014 získala Národní filmovou cenu za hlavní roli ve filmu "Queen". Je také držitelkou tří cen Filmfare Awards a tří cen IIFA Awards. V roce 2014 absolvovala kurz scenáristiky na New York Film Academy.


History.

The Stingers franchise was awarded in 1974 as part of the WHA's ill-conceived attempt at expansion. They entered the league for the 1975-76 season along with the Denver Spurs. Most of the league's existing teams were not financially stable, and franchise relocations were commonplace. Nonetheless, the Stingers achieved enough stability that they were the only one of the WHA's five expansion teams that lasted through the end of the league. However, they were left out of the WHA-NHL merger that took place in the summer of 1979. The WHA insisted on including all three of its surviving Canadian teams, though below-average attendance made it unlikely that the Stingers would have made the cut in any event. The Stingers, along with the Birmingham Bulls, were paid to disband when the WHA ceased operations.  The Stingers were the first professional team of long-time NHL stars Mike Gartner and Mike Liut, and the second pro team for Mark Messier. Messier was placed on a line with Robbie Ftorek, one of the top scorers in the league, but managed only one goal.  After the WHA shut down, a minor professional version of the Cincinnati Stingers began the 1979–80 season in the Central Hockey League (CHL). The CHL team included only three players from the 1978–79 WHA Stingers; Dave Debol, Byron Shutt and Paul Stewart. The CHL team disbanded 33 games into the season.  The largest crowd in Cincinnati Stingers history was on March 11, 1978, when 13,951 fans attended a game at Riverfront Coliseum between the Stingers and the Edmonton Oilers, a game Cincinnati won 2-0.  The smallest crowd in Cincinnati Stingers history was on January 4, 1978, when 4,048 attended a game at Riverfront Coliseum between the Stingers and the Houston Aeros resulting in a 5-3 Cincinnati win.  In a 1978 episode of "WKRP in Cincinnati", a Stingers sticker can be seen on the wall of Les Nessman's "office" (actually an open area with black masking tape on the floor, signifying where the office's walls would be), as well as a Stingers pennant hanging on the wall regularly.

Season-by-season record.

"Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes"

The Cincinnati Stingers were an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979 and in the Central Hockey League during the 1979–80 season. Their home arena was Riverfront Coliseum, and they were the only major league hockey team based in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Stingers byl profesionální americký klub ledního hokeje, který sídlil v Cincinnati ve státě Ohio. V letech 1975–1979 působil v profesionální soutěži World Hockey Association. Stingers ve své poslední sezóně v WHA skončily ve čtvrtfinále play-off. Své domácí zápasy odehrával v hale Riverfront Coliseum s kapacitou 14 453 diváků. Klubové barvy byly černá a žlutá.


Competitions.

The major competitions organized by the IFSC are :

World Cup.

The IFSC Climbing World Cup is a series of competitions held annually. The athletes compete in three disciplines: lead, bouldering and speed. The number of competitions and venues vary from year to year. The first World Cup was held under the auspices of UIAA in 1989, World Cups were held under the auspices of IFSC from 2007.

World Championship.

The IFSC Climbing World Championship is a competition held biennially. This event determines the male and female world champions in the three disciplines of sport climbing lead, bouldering and speed as well as in para-climbing.

World Youth Championship.

The IFSC World Youth Championship is a competition held annually. This event determines the male and female world youth champions in three disciplines: lead, speed, and bouldering. For each discipline, the athletes are grouped in three age groups: Youth B, Youth A and Juniors.

European Championship.

The IFSC European Championship is a competition held biennially in years when World Championships are not held. This event determines the male and female European champions in the three disciplines of sport climbing lead, bouldering and speed.

European Youth Cup.

The IFSC European Youth Cup is a series of competitions held annually. Athletes competes in three disciplines: lead, speed and bouldering and are grouped in three age groups: Youth B, Youth A and Juniors.

Members.

In the following tables are listed the national federations members:

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) is the international governing body for the sport of competitive climbing, which consists of the disciplines lead climbing, speed climbing, and bouldering. It was founded in Frankfurt on 27 January 2007 by 48 member federations, and is a continuation of the International Council for Competition Climbing, which had been in existence from 1997 to 2007 and was a part of the Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA).

Mezinárodní federace sportovního lezení (IFSC, : "International Federation of Sport Climbing") je zastřešující organizace pro závody ve sportovním lezení a boulderingu, která sdružuje národní horolezecké spolky a pořádá mezinárodní závody ve sportovním lezení pro dospělé i juniory a mládež.


Musical career.

Johnson worked as a session musician for many notable artists including Isaac Bolden and Jean Knight. At the beginning of his career, he was often featured on funk albums, later moving to more rock, blues and folk music.  Producer Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young) has played an important role for his musical career. Lanois helped him get notoriety, mainly due to some of his own collaborations, such as with Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris and Bob Dylan.  Since 2010, he is a member of the supergroup Black Dub, whose other band members are Daniel Lanois (vocals and guitar), drummer Brian Blade (Joni Mitchell, Wayne Shorter, Joshua Redman), who Johnson worked with in the past, and singer Trixie Whitley. The group's self-titled first studio album was released in 2010, filled with music that grows from the rich soil of gospel, blues, and pop. Johnson is also a member of Spyboy, Emmylou Harris ́s backing band that she formed for a tour to perform songs from her 1995 career-redefining album, "Wrecking Ball". Besides Daryl Johnson on bass, the power trio is composed of country singer-songwriter Buddy Miller on guitar and Brady Blade on drums.  Johnson also worked with Trixie Whitley on her solo project "The Engine", which he co-produced and played several instruments on. Back in 1991, he has already worked with Trixie Whitley's father, Chris Whitley,  Besides his many credits as a performer, Johnson has also collected a variety of writing and arrangement credits. He has worked as a songwriter on seven albums of The Neville Brothers, as well as on albums of Emmylou Harris, Black Dub, Daniel Lanois, Ian Moore, and others.

Daryl Johnson (born in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American bass player, singer, songwriter, composer and producer. Johnson is well known for playing with The Neville Brothers and Bob Dylan, and for producing Daniel Lanois' solo albums.

Daryl Johnson je americký hudebník. Je dlouholetým spolupracovníkem kanadského producenta Daniela Lanois. Na nahrávkách hraje převážně na baskytaru, v některých případech také na další nástroje (perkuse, klavír). Během své kariéry hrál na nahrávkách mnoha hudebníků, mezi něž patří například Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris, Sarah McLachlan, Peter Gabriel, Youssou N'Dour a Bob Dylan. Rovněž byl producentem několika nahrávek, včetně alba "The Engine" belgické zpěvačky Trixie Whitley (spolu s Lanoisem) nebo desky "There's Room for Us All" zpěváka Terrance Simiena. Spolu s Lanoisem byl členem skupiny Black Dub. Přestože hrál na jejím albu, následného turné se neúčastnil. Byl totiž ve vězení.


Early life.

Curtiz was born Manó Kaminer to a Jewish family in Budapest, Austria-Hungary, in 1886, where his father was a carpenter and his mother an opera singer. In 1905, he Hungaricised his name to Mihály Kertész. Curtiz had a lower to middle-class

Career in Europe.

Actor.

Curtiz became attracted to the theater when he was a child in Hungary. He built a little theater in the cellar of his family home when he was 8 years old, where he and five of his friends re-enacted plays. They set up the stage, with scenery and props, and Curtiz directed them.  After he graduated from

Director.

He worked as Mihály Kertész at the National Hungarian Theater in 1912. and was a member of the Hungarian fencing team at the Olympic Games in Stockholm. Kertész directed Hungary's first feature film, "Today and Tomorrow" ("Ma és holnap", 1912), in which he also had a leading role. He followed that with another film, " The Last Bohemian" ("Az utolsó bohém", also 1912).  Curtiz began living in various cities in Europe to work on silent films in 1913. He first went to study at Nordisk studio in Denmark, which led to work as an actor and assistant director to August Blom

Career in the US.

1920s.

Curtiz arrived in the United States in the summer of 1926, and began directing at Warner Bros. under the anglicised name Michael Curtiz. During what became a 28-year period at Warner Bros., he directed 86 films, including his best work.  Although he was an experienced filmmaker, now aged 38, Warners assigned him to direct a number of average-quality films to break him in, the first being "The Third Degree" (1926). Curtiz's unique camerawork technique was used throughout, visible in dramatic camera angles, in a style which one critic assumed other directors would likely envy. Learning English quickly was an immediate hurdle, however, since he had no free

1930s.

In 1930, Curtiz directed "Mammy" (1930), Al Jolson's fourth film after being in Hollywood's first true talking picture, "The Jazz Singer" (1927). During the 1930s, Curtiz directed at least four films each year.  Although a genre unusual for Warner Bros., the studio produced two horror films directed by Curtiz, "Doctor X" (1932) and "Mystery of the Wax Museum" (1933), both in early Technicolor, with numerous atmospheric scenes filmed on the studio's back lot.  Another breakthrough film was "20,000 Years in Sing Sing" (1932), starring little-known actors Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis in one of their earliest films. MGM head Louis B. Mayer saw the film and was impressed enough by Tracy's acting that he hired him on to MGM's roster of stars.  Curtiz's American career did not really take off until 1935. In the early 1930s, Warner Bros. was struggling to

1940s.

The 1940s continued to have releases of other critically acclaimed films directed by Curtiz, including "The Sea Hawk" (1940), "Dive Bomber" (1941), "The Sea Wolf" (1941), "Casablanca" (1942), "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942), "This Is the Army" (1943), "Mildred Pierce" (1945), and "Life with Father" (1947).  One of the biggest hits of 1940 was "The Sea Hawk" starring Errol Flynn in the role of an adventurer in the mold of Sir Francis Drake. Flora Robson played Queen Elizabeth I, and Claude Rains acted as the Spanish ambassador, whose job it was to mislead the Queen who rightly suspected the Spanish Armada was about to attempt to invade England. Some critics felt the story was equivalent to actual events then taking place in Europe, describing it as a "thinly veiled diatribe against American isolationism on World War II's brink." Film columnist Boyd Martin noticed the similarities:  "Dive Bomber" (1941) was released a few months before the Attack on Pearl Harbor; the film well received by the public being rated as the sixth-most popular film that year. No other pre-Pearl Harbor picture matched the quality of its flying scenes. Film columnist Louella Parsons wrote, ""Dive Bomber" again makes us glad we are Americans protected by a Navy as competent as ours."  Filming at the active naval base in San Diego required great care, especially for aerial sequences. Curtiz shot every foot of "Dive Bomber" with Navy assistance and under strict Navy scrutiny. To create realistic shots, he mounted cameras on the Navy's planes to achieve "amazing point-of-view shots," taking viewers inside the cockpit during flight. He also mounted cameras underneath the wings of planes to dramatize take-offs from the

1950s.

Curtiz's films continued to cover a wide range of genres, including biopics, comedies, and musicals. Some of the popular and well-received films included "Young Man with a Horn" (1950), "Jim Thorpe – All-American" (1951), "The Story of Will Rogers" (1952), "White Christmas" (1954), "We're No Angels" (1955), and "King Creole" (1958).  "Young Man with a Horn" (1950) starred Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, and Doris Day, with Douglas portraying the rise and fall of a driven jazz musician, based on real-life cornet player Bix Beiderbecke. Curtiz directed another biopic, "Jim Thorpe – All-American" (1951), this time starring Burt Lancaster, based on the true story of a Native American athlete who

Directing style.

Preparation.

Curtiz always invested the time necessary to prepare all aspects of a film before shooting. "As far as I am concerned," he said, "the chief work in directing a film is in preparing a story for the screen... Nothing is as important... A director can be likened to the field general of an army. He should

Cinematography.

Sidney Rosenzweig argues that Curtiz did have his own distinctive style, which was in place by the time of his move to America: "high crane shots to establish a story's environment; unusual camera angles and complex compositions in which characters are often framed by physical objects; much camera movement; subjective shots, in which the camera becomes the character's eye; and high contrast lighting with pools of shadows". Aljean Harmetz states that, "Curtiz's vision of any movie... was almost totally a visual one".  A few months after arriving in Hollywood as Warner Bros.' new director, Curtiz explained that he wanted to make viewers feel as though they were actually witnessing a story on screen: In preparing scenes, Curtiz liked to compare himself to an artist, painting with characters, light, motion, and background on a canvas. However, during his career, this "individualism," says Robertson, "was hidden from public view" and undervalued because,

Types of stories.

Before coming to Hollywood, Curtiz always considered the story before he began working on a film. The human-interest side of a story was key, along with having the plot develop as the film progressed. He explains:  His attitude did not change when he joined a large studio, despite being given large spectacles to direct. As late as the 1940s, he still preferred "homey pictures." He said it was "because I want to deal with human and fundamental problems of real people. That is the basis of all good drama. It

Personal habits.

Curtiz was always extremely active: he worked very long days, took part in several sports in his spare time, and was often found to sleep under a cold shower. He skipped lunches since they interfered with his work and he felt they often made him tired. He was therefore dismissive of actors who ate lunch, believing that "lunch bums" had no energy for work in the afternoons.  Wallis said he was "a demon for work." He arose each morning at 5 am and typically remained at the studio until 8 or 9 pm. He hated

Working with colleagues.

The flip side of his dedication was an often callous demeanor, which many attributed to his Hungarian roots. Fay Wray, who worked under him on "Mystery of the Wax Museum", said, "I felt that he was not flesh and bones, that he was part of the steel of the camera". Curtiz was not popular with most of his colleagues, many of whom thought him arrogant. Nor did he deny that, explaining, "When I see a lazy man or a don't care girl, it makes me tough. I am very critical of actors, but if I find a real actor, I am first to appreciate them."  Nevertheless, Bette Davis, who was little known in 1932, made five more films with him, although they argued consistently when filming "The Cabin in the Cotton" (1932), one of her earliest roles. He had a low opinion of actors in general, saying

Personal life.

Around 1918, he married actress Lucy Doraine, and they divorced in 1923. He married his second wife, Lili Damita, in 1925 and they divorced in 1926. The marriage to Damita is disputed. Recent research by Alan K. Rode in his 2017 biography of Curtiz states that while a number of modern sources aver that they were married for a year or so before Curtiz left for Hollywood, there is no evidence of such a marriage. When he left for the United States, he left behind an illegitimate son and an illegitimate daughter.  Curtiz had left Europe before the rise of Nazism, other members of his family were less fortunate. He once asked Jack Warner, who was going to Budapest in 1938, to contact his family and help them get exit visas. Warner succeeded in getting Curtiz's mother to the U.S., where she spent the rest of her life living with

Death.

Curtiz died from cancer on April 11, 1962, aged 75. At the time of his death,

Legacy.

Michael Curtiz directed some of the best known films of the 20th century, achieving numerous award-winning performances from actors. Before moving to Hollywood from his native Hungary when he was 38 years of age, he had already directed 64 films in Europe. He soon helped Warner Bros. become the nation's fastest-growing studio, directing 102 films during his career in Hollywood, more than any other director. Jack Warner, who first discovered Curtiz after seeing one of his epics in Europe, called him "Warner Brothers' greatest director."  He directed 10 actors to Oscar nominations: Paul Muni, John Garfield, James Cagney, Walter Huston, Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains, Joan Crawford, Ann Blyth, Eve Arden, and William Powell. Cagney and Crawford won their only Academy Awards under Curtiz's direction, with Cagney on TV later attributing part of his success to "the unforgettable Michael

Academy Award nominations.

Curtiz also won an Academy Award in the category of Best Short Subject (Two-reel), for "Sons of Liberty".  Six of Curtiz's films

AFI.

The American Film Institute ranked "Casablanca" #3 and "Yankee Doodle Dandy" #98 on its list of the greatest American movies. "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and "Mildred Pierce" were nominated for the list.

Michael Curtiz ( ; born Manó Kaminer; December 24, 1886 April 11, 1962) was a Hungarian-born American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed classic films from the silent era and numerous others during Hollywood's Golden Age, when the studio system was prevalent.

Michael Curtiz, rodným jménem Manó Kertész Kaminer (24. prosinec 1886, Budapešť – 10. duben 1962, Los Angeles) byl maďarsko-americký filmový režisér židovského původu. Jeho nejslavnějším filmem je "Casablanca". Za režii tohoto romantického snímku získal roku 1943 Oscara.


Early and personal life.

Twardek was born in Toronto, Ontario and raised in Ottawa. His father is Czech and his mother is Canadian.

Club career.

Early career.

Twardek began playing with West Carleton SC at the age of five. He graduated from the Ottawa South United Academy before signing for English club Millwall.

Millwall.

In 2013, Twardek joined the academy of English Championship side Millwall and signed his first professional contract with the club in April 2015.  After missing the start of the 2015–16 season, due to a dislocated toe sustained in July, he returned from injury on 8 October 2015, playing in the reserve match against Plymouth Argyle U21. Towards the end of the 2015–16 season, Twardek appeared three times as an unused substitute bench. Following this, Twardek signed a one–year contract extension with the club.  Twardek made his senior debut for Millwall on 30 August 2016, in an EFL Trophy game against West Bromwich Albion under-23s, where he set up a goal for Jimmy Abdou, in a 2–0 win. However, although he made three appearances, his first team place at Millwall became limited, leading him to get loaned out for first team football. By the time he went out on loan, he made three appearances for the side.  In the 2017–18 season, Twardek made his league debut for Millwall on 21 November 2017, coming on as a late substitute, in a 0–0 draw against Hull City. He went on to make two more appearances for the side before being loaned out to Carlisle United. He was released by Millwall at the end of the 2017–18 season.

Loan spells.

On 5 January 2017, Twardek joined National League side Braintree Town on a 28-day loan. He made his Braintree Town debut two days later, where he started the whole game and set up a goal, in a 2–1 loss against Chester. His performance at Braintree Town resulted in his loan spell being extended for another month and eventually for the rest of the season. He went on to make 12 appearances for the side, as Braintree Town were relegated from the National League at the end of the season after finishing in the bottom four.  Twardek moved on loan to Carlisle United on 26 January 2018 for the rest of the season. He made his Carlisle United debut, where he started and earned himself a Man of the Match, in a 1–0 win over Forest Green Rovers on 30 January 2018. Although he made three more starts, Twardek most appearances comes from substitute bench, leading him to make 12 appearance for Carlisle United. At the end of the 2017–18 season, Twardek’s loan spell with Carlisle United came to an end.

Sligo Rovers.

After being released by Millwall, Twardek joined Irish club Sligo Rovers on 3 July 2018. Twardek made his Sligo Rovers debut, where he came on as a substitute for Caolan McAleer in the 69th minutes, in a 2–1 loss against Bray Wanderers on 8 July 2018. He scored his first goal for the club on 1 March 2019 against Finn Harps in a 2–1 victory. Twardek was acknowledged as the club's Player of the Month in July and August 2019. He left the club at the end of the 2019 season.

Bohemians.

In November 2019, Twardek signed for Bohemians ahead of the 2020 season. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 league win over his former side Sligo Rovers on 24 April 2020 in Dalymount Park. Twardek was named February Player of the Month by the club's fans via an online poll.

International career.

Twardek is eligible to play for Czech Republic (through his father and passport) and Canada (through his mother and his birth country). Having been capped for the Czech Republic levels from under–17 to under–19 side, he switched his international allegiance to Canada in 2016.

Youth.

In October 2013, Twardek was called up by Czech Republic national under-17 side, leading him to make his debut against Israel U17, in a 4–2 win. On 20 February 2014, he scored his first Czech Republic U17 goal, in a 2–2 draw against Wales U17. Twardek went on to make 11 appearances and scoring once, with his last appearance came on 31 March 2014 against Albania U17, with a 2–0 win.  In April 2015, Twardek was called up by the under-18 side, making his debut on 20 April 2015, in a 2–1 win over United Arab Emirates U18. He went on to make three more appearances for the under-18 side. The following year, in February 2016, Twardek was called up by under-19. He played in both matches against Greece U19 on 2 February 2016 and 4 February 2016, drawing 1–1 and losing 1–0 respectively.  Despite making no appearance since switching to Canada, Twardek was nominated for Canada's Under-20 Player of the Year award in 2016. In February 2017, Twardek was named to Canada's roster for the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship He didn’t made his debut for the side until on 17 February 2017, where he started and played the whole game, in a 1–0 loss against Honduras U20. He then scored his first goal for the side, in a 2–0 win over Antigua and Barbuda U20 on 23 February 2017. He was named the Canada U20 Player of the Year in December 2017.  In May 2018, Twardek was named to Canada's under-21 squad for the 2018 Toulon Tournament. He made his debut for the side on 28 May 2018, where he was given the captaincy and played 66 minutes before coming off as a substitute, in a 0–0 draw against Portugal U19. Twardek then captained the side on two more occasions. Twardek was named to the Canadian U-23 provisional roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship on February 26, 2020.

Senior.

Twardek was called up to the Canadian senior team for a friendly against El Salvador on 29 September 2017. He made his national team debut against El Salvador, where he came on as a late substitute, in a 1–0 loss.

Honours.

Individual

Kristopher David Twardek (born 8 March 1997) is a Canadian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Bohemians in the League of Ireland Premier Division. A former youth international for the Czech Republic, he has been capped by Canada at full international level.

Kris Twardek (* 8. března 1997, Kanada) je česko-kanadský fotbalový útočník a mládežnický reprezentant České republiky. Narodil se v Kanadě, otec Jiří pochází z Bohumína a do Kanady odešel v roce 1989. Matka je Kanaďanka. Jeho starší bratr Will Twardek je také fotbalista.


Early years.

Hans-Max Gamper (his mother's maiden name – Haessig – is generally appended in Spanish sources) was born in Winterthur, Switzerland. He was the eldest son and third of five children born to August Gamper and Rosine Emma Haessig. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was eight and the family moved to Zürich. He became a citizen of the city and in his later youth started to learn his craft as a tradesman in an apprenticeship at the silk trade house Grieder at the centrally located Paradeplatz. As a youngster, Gamper was a keen cyclist and runner. Throughout his life he was a lover of all sports and, apart from football, he also played rugby union, tennis and golf. In Switzerland, he was highly regarded as a footballer. His first football club was Excelsior Zürich which was playing in the same colours (red and blue) as later FC Barcelona. After some members of Excelsior split off to form FC Turicum Zürich, they reunited with Excelsior in 1896 to form FC Zürich. Gamper was a co-founder and the first captain of the club's history. In the early years of football in Switzerland, it was allowed to play for an indefinite number of teams from other cities as a guest player in friendly games – Gamper is known to have played among others two games for FC Winterthur and FC Basel. Hans Gamper representing FC Zürich (founded as a polideportivo) was in 1898 holder of the Swiss records over the 800m and 1600m track distances. He also organised the first international athletics competition in Zürich during autumn of the same year. Today, this event is one of the most renowned international athletics events worldwide, the Weltklasse Zürich (organised by FC Zürich spin-off LC Zürich). In 1897, work took him temporarily to Lyon in France, where he played rugby for Athletique Union. The other names they called him, all came from the difficulty the Catalan people had, pronouncing the German "H" and "G": Hans became Kans, Gamper became Kamper. But he is most known as Johannes, becoming Joan Gamper.

Founding FC Barcelona.

In 1899, he went to Barcelona to visit his uncle, Emili Gaissert, who was living there. He was on his way to Africa to help set up some sugar trading companies but fell in love with the Catalan city and decided to stay put. He would later become a fluent Catalan speaker and adopt the Catalan version of his name, "Joan Gamper". As an accountant, he found work with Crédit Lyonnais, the Sarrià Railway Company and as a sports columnist, he worked for two Swiss newspapers. He joined the local Swiss Evangelical Church and began playing football within the local Christian Protestant community in the district of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi. He also attended the Gimnasio Solé and helped publish a magazine, "Los Deportes". On 22 October 1899 Gamper placed an advert in "Los Deportes" declaring his wish to form a football club. A positive response resulted in a meeting at the Gimnasio Solé on 29 November and "Football Club Barcelona" was born. The founders included a collection of Swiss, British and Spanish enthusiasts. It is not known, if Gamper chose the legendary club colours, "blaugrana", after FC Basel or FC Excelsior Zürich. However, the other Swiss teams Gamper played for, and Merchant Taylors' School in Crosby, Merseyside have all been credited and/or claimed to be the inspiration. Although Gamper was the driving force behind the club, initially he chose only to be a board member and club captain. He was still only 22 and wanted to concentrate on playing the game he loved. He played 48 games for FC Barcelona between 1899 and 1903, scoring over 100 goals. His teammates included Arthur Witty. In 1900–01 he was a member of the FC Barcelona team that won the club's first trophy, the Copa Macaya. This competition is now recognised as the first Catalan championship. In 1902 he played in the very first Copa del Rey final. Barca lost 2–1 to Club Vizcaya.

Club President.

In 1908 Joan Gamper became president of FC Barcelona for the first time. Gamper took over the presidency as the club was on the verge of folding. Several of the club's better players had retired and had not been replaced. This soon began to affect the club's performances both on and off the field. The club had not won anything since the "Campionat de Catalunya" of 1905 and its finances suffered as a result. He was subsequently club president on five separate occasions ("1908–09, 1910–13, 1917–19, 1921–23" and "1924–25") and spent 25 years at the helm. One of his main achievements was to help Barça acquire their own stadium. Until 1909 the team played at various grounds, none of them owned by the club. Gamper raised funds from local businesses and on 14 March 1909, they moved into the "Carrer Indústria", a stadium with a capacity of 6,000. He also launched a campaign to recruit more club members and by 1922 the club had over 10,000. This led to the club moving again, this time to "Les Corts". This stadium had an initial capacity of 20,000, later expanded to an impressive 60,000.  Gamper also recruited the legendary player Paulino Alcántara, the club's second all-time top-scorer, and in 1917 appointed Jack Greenwell as manager. This saw the club's fortunes begin to improve on the field. During the Gamper era FC Barcelona won eleven "Championat de Catalunya", six Copa del Rey and four "Coupe de Pyrenées" and enjoyed its first "golden age". As well as Alcántara the Barça team under Greenwell also included Sagibarba, Ricardo Zamora, Josep Samitier, Félix Sesúmaga and Franz Platko.  His final presidency ended in controversial circumstances and personal tragedy. On 24 June 1925, FC Barcelona fans jeered the Spanish national anthem and then applauded "God Save the King" performed by a visiting British Royal Marine band. The dictatorship of Primo de Rivera accused Gamper of promoting Catalan nationalism. "Les Corts" was closed for six months. Gamper committed suicide after a period of depression brought on by personal and money problems and was laid to rest on the Cemetery of Montjuïc.

Legacy.

In 1966 the FC Barcelona president, Enric Llaudet, created the Joan Gamper Trophy in his honour. This is a pre-season tournament featuring international teams as guests and is traditionally used by the club to unveil the team for the forthcoming season. The club also permanently retired his club membership number and the city named a street, "Carrer de Joan Gamper" in Les Corts district, after him. In 2016 also in Zurich a small street in a central location of the city already named ""Gamperstrasse"" has been dedicated to him.  In 2002 FC Barcelona marked the 125th anniversary of his birth. In 2004 the Winterthur Group, a Swiss insurance company with offices in Barcelona since 1910, became sponsors of the FC Barcelona basketball team, which led to the team featuring the birthplace of Gamper on their shirts and in their name Winterthur FCB until 2007, after Winterthur Group was purchased by AXA. Perhaps this and the fact that the club developed into a polideportivo, the very personification of Gamper, is the most fitting tribute to this all-round sportsman. Today Barcelona is ""more than just a football club"". It promotes amateur track and field sports and has rugby union and cycling teams. All of these were sports played by Gamper. Barça also has professional basketball, handball and roller hockey teams as well as amateur indoor football, women's football, volleyball, baseball and field hockey teams. Over the years they have even had an ice hockey team.

Hans Max Gamper-Haessig (22 November 1877 – 30 July 1930), known in Catalonia as Joan Gamper (), was a Swiss football pioneer, versatile athlete and club president. He founded football clubs in Switzerland and Spain, most notably FC Barcelona and FC Zürich.

Joan Gamper, původním jménem Hans-Max Gamper (22. listopad 1877, Winterthur – 30. červenec 1930, Barcelona) byl švýcarský fotbalista, průkopník sportu a zejména fotbalu. Založil několik evropských fotbalových klubů, mj. FC Basilej, FC Curych a FC Barcelona.