Esko Karhunen

Esko Ensio ”Sir Emal” Karhunen (4 January 1928 – 8 March 2016) was a Finnish basketball player and contributor.

Esko Karhunen
Personal information
Born4 January 1928[1]
Helsinki, Finland
Died8 March 2016(2016-03-08) (aged 88)
Helsinki, Finland
NationalityFinnish
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Career history
1944–1960Kiri-Veikot / HOK-Veikot / Pantterit
Career highlights and awards

The 183-centimetre-tall (6 ft 0 in) Karhunen played his whole SM-sarja career for Pantterit and its predecessors winning a record-high total of 13 Finnish championships. He also capped eight times for Finland men's national team and represented his country at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.[2] After his career as a player Karhunen was a basketball contributor in Pantterit. He organized a practise tournament which was played between 1971–2000 and brought Harlem Globetrotters to Finland.[3][4][5]

Karhunen was inducted to Finnish Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.[6] Karhunen died peacefully on March 8, 2016 in Helsinki at 88 years of age.[7]

References
  1. "Koripallon arvokisoissa pelanneet suomalaismiehet". Suomen Urheilutietäjät ry. 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  2. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Esko Karhunen Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  3. Esko Karhunen – Finnish Basketball Association
  4. National Team Statistics – Finnish Basketball Association
  5. Esko Karhunen – Finnish Basketball Museum
  6. "Salmi, Hakola ja Karhunen Suomi-koriksen Hall of Fameen". Finnish Basketball Association. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  7. "Koripallolegenda Esko Karhunen on poissa". Finnish Basketball Association. 9 March 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2016.


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