Kolbeinn Hermann Pálsson (born 26 November 1945) is an Icelandic former

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player and a former member of the Icelandic national team. In 1966 he became the first basketball player to be named the

Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year The Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year ( is, Íþróttamaður ársins) is an annual award given to the best Icelandic sportsperson of the year. The winner is selected by the Icelandic Association of Sports Journalists. It was first given in 1956 to ...

. He served as the chairman of the

Icelandic Basketball Association The Icelandic Basketball Association (''Icelandic:Körfuknattleikssamband Íslands - KKÍ'') is the national governing body of basketball in Iceland and is a member of the continental association FIBA Europe and the global International Basketbal ...

from 1988 to 1996.

Early life

Kolbeinn started playing basketball at the age of 14. During his youth he was an avid

Handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the g ...

player and played with KR in the Icelandic top-tier handball league during the 1962–1963 before focusing fully on basketball.

Playing career

Kolbeinn spent his entire career with KR, playing a total of 383 games for the club. He last played during the 1980-1981 season, appearing in 4 games. On 18 November 1966 he scored 25 points against defending champions

Simmenthal Milano Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano, commonly known as Olimpia Milano or as EA7 Emporio Armani Milan after its title sponsor, is an LBA Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy. Its colors are white and red, and the team is sometimes ...

in the FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague). On 1 December 1977 Kolbeinn ruptured his left

achilles tendon The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus (h ...

in a game against

Valur Valur may refer to: People * Birkir Valur Jónsson (born 1998), Icelandic football player * Björn Valur Gíslason (born 1959), Icelandic politician * Guðjón Valur Sigurðsson (born 1979), Icelandic handball player * Guðni Valur Guðnason (born ...

. He managed to return before the end of the season and participated in the extra game between KR and

Njarðvík Njarðvík () is a town in southwestern Iceland, on the peninsula of Reykjanes. As of 2009, its population was 4,400. History In 1995 it merged with the town of Keflavík and the village of Hafnir to form the new municipality of Reykjanesbær. T ...

where KR won the national championship.

National team

Kolbeinn played 55 games for the Icelandic national team from 1966 to 1976. He played his first game in 1966 against Poland. In 1966 he made two free throws in the final seconds of Iceland's game against Denmark, giving them victory and the bronze in the 1966 Nordic Championships.

Awards, titles and accomplishments

Individual awards

: 1966

Titles

* Icelandic champion (7):

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Januar ...

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd go ...

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

* Icelandic Basketball Cup (7): 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1979

Personal life

Kolbeinn is the father of former Icelandic national team player Páll Kolbeinsson. His sister, Vigdís Pálsdóttir, played

handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the g ...

for

References

External links

Icelandic statistics 1978-1981
at kki.is {{DEFAULTSORT:Pálsson, Kolbeinn 1945 births Living people Kolbeinn Palsson Kolbeinn Palsson Kolbeinn Palsson Kolbeinn Palsson