Mark Sertich

Mark Sertich
Born	(1921-07-18)July 18, 1921 Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Died	(2020-08-24)August 24, 2020 Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Playing career	1981–2020

Mark Sertich (July 18, 1921 – August 24, 2020) was an American ice hockey player. Sertich died on 24 August 2020 in Duluth, Minnesota at the age of 99.

Biography

Mark was born on July 18, 1921 in Duluth, Minnesota. His parents were from Yugoslavia, Croatians by nationality. He was first introduced to hockey at the age of 10.

Initially, he competed without skates, later winning them as a consolation prize for second place in one of the competitions.

Later, in an interview, he recalled: “In the beginning, I played hockey without skates, in those days it was considered good luck if your parents could buy you at least a stick.”

After graduating from school, Sertich got a job.

His father died, and so he had to provide for his family.

In 1942, he was drafted into the US Armed Forces, participated in the battles of World War II and was one of those who liberated the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria.

After the war, Mark quickly adapted to civilian life - he returned to work as an office manager, and in his spare time began to develop hockey in his native Duluth.

He organized the construction of an outdoor hockey rink - he beat officials for money to buy building materials, prepared all the necessary documents.

The new ice rink became a center of attraction for local kids, Sertich created a children's hockey team and coached it for many years, and also led the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association permanently.