Joszef Horvath: Freedom Trumps Material Wealth

     As Cold War rhetoric seems to be making a return between the US & Russia, it brings back memories of a time when the most talented in the Eastern Bloc tried to escape the dismal side of the Iron Curtain for freedom in the West. Rudolf Nureyev, Martina Navratilova and Mikhail Baryshnikov stand out on a list that reached into the dozens.
     Among those who fled to the West was Joszef Horvath, a standout on the 1979 & 1980 Diplomats. While he forfeited financial success in mid-1970s Hungary, he was more than happy to exchange it for freedom and the opportunity of a new life for his family. (To view in a larger size, place mouse on image and right click. Select "Open in a New Window.")

Perhaps the most memorable evening Horvath enjoyed with the Dips was a June 17, 1980, match in Rochester, NY. He scored both goals as Washington defeated his former mates, 2-1, and then hosted the post game celebration.