Stan Mikita

Mikita was born Stanislas Gvoth in Sokolce, Czechoslovakia, on May 20, 1940. His father, also named Stanislas, was a textile factory worker, while his mother worked in the fields. Soon after the end of World War II,

Stan Mikita

Czechoslovakia was taken over by the Communists. To give their middle child, Mikita, a better life away from the Communists, they allowed him to be adopted by a childless aunt and uncle, Joe and Anna Mikita, who had lived in Canada for the past 20 years.

When Mikita was eight years old, the Mikitas took him to their home in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The young Mikita did not want to leave his parents and home behind, going so far as to plot how he was going to throw himself off the train that was taking him out of the country and run back. However, Mikita was foiled and he arrived in Canada just before Christmas in December 1948. When Mikita came to his new country, he did not speak any English and knew nothing about hockey.