Man Without a Mask

Alfred "Fredi" Püls was an integral part of Innsbruck and the surrounding area. The former goaltender, who won the Austrian championship title four times and was a key figure for the Austrian national team at numerous major events (the Olympic Winter Games and World Championships), passed away last Monday at the age of 87.

During his life, the Tyrolean held numerous positions and received an impressive array of honours, including the Silver Medal of Merit of the Republic of Austria, the State's Cross of Merit, the sporting badge of honour from both the province and the city, and the title of Commercial Councillor.

"A jack-of-all-trades, a man of many parts, an Innsbruck original who was not always at the forefront of the never-ending rankings, yet was known to everyone," as Fred Steinacher, author of the biography "Fredi Püls – the Man Without a Mask", put it.