I recently did a post in which I discussed the Croatia Turkey Soccer Europe Cup -
And in it I mentioned that I was Born in Croatia.... Now I don't know if there's a song by that name...or if there's a Croatian equivalent to Bruce Springsteen.....But here is a video on Croatia...
I thought I'd also share some Croatian Trivia with you. I know there are a lot of people that don't even know where Croatia is............(one of the States in the Former Yugoslavia).........but for Soccer fans its definitely on the Map......!
Zagreb (The Capital) Dubrovnik
If it wasn't for Croatia we wouldn't have.....
Marco Polo, the explorer, was born on the island of Korcula
Marco Polo Museum in Korcula
Slavoljub Penkala filed for a patent for a "mechanical pencil" in 1906 and invented the first fountain pen in 1907 (where the word pen derived from). He also invented the hot water bottle....
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The neck tie, or cravat (kravata, krawate, derived from Croat), was first worn by Croatian soldiers in the European Thirty Year War (1618-1648)
A Cravat Wrapped around the Arena in the city of Pula
Ante Maglica invented the famous Maglite flashlight 
Nikola Tesla - Born in Croatia, the inventor of the radio, alternating current, induction motor, rotating magnetic field, train air brake, wireless technology and designer of the first power plant in Niagara Falls
Benedikt Kotruljevic wrote in 1458, "The Book on the Art of Trading" in which, among other things, he presented the the principles and methods of double entry bookkeeping as a necessary attribute of trade activity. These are the foundations of accounting today.
Faust Vrancic, invented the parachute 
Ivan Mestrovic, the sculptor, is famous for his work around the world, including the Native American horseman in Chicago
Andrija Mohorovicic- discovered and has one of the earth layers names after him (the Moho Layer). It's the boundary between the crust and the mantle (the Mohorovicic discontinuity).
Roger Boscovich - (Ruđer Bošković ) - astronomer, mathematician; developed the first coherent description of atomic theory; discovered the equator of the sun and the period of its rotation. Also has a moon crater named after him.
Juan Vucetich - Croatian-born Argentine anthropologist and police official who pioneered the use of fingerprinting.
Vladimir Prelog - Nobel prize in chemistry, 1975
Lavoslav Ruzicka - Nobel prize in chemistry, 1939
Starkist Tuna was founded by a Croatian in Alaska
Vlasic Pickles was founded by a Croatian in Detroit -Franjo Vlasic - from Livno, dairyman
The marble used in the White House was quarried on the Island of Brac. Also the Canadian WWI monument at Remy, Belgium.
Grgich Wineries are famous for their California wines
The Zinfandel grape originated in Croatia
Dalmatians have been bred on the Dalmatian coast for centuries
Antonio Andrónico Luksic Abaroa - Chilean businessman and founder of the Luksic Group. Before his death, he was the richest person in Chile (fourth in Latin America, 132nd in the world), with a fortune of 4,200 million dollars, according to Forbes magazine.
Ivo Andrić - a novelist, short story writer, and the 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature
Ivan Gašparovič - President of Slovakia (Croatian father)
Néstor Kirchner Ostoić - Former President of Argentina (Chilean mother of Croatian descent). His wife is now president.
Francisco Orlić Bolmarčić - Former. President of Costa Rica , Croat parents
John Malkovich - actor, producer and director
Vanna White (born Vanna Rosich) - best known as the hostess and puzzle board operator on the long-running game show Wheel of Fortune
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Eric Bana (born Eric Banadinovich) Australian actor famous for roles in Chopper, Troy, Incredible Hulk and Munich
Denise Richards - actress (mother of Croatian descent)
Jenna Elfman (born Jennifer Butala) actress of TV show Dharma & Greg
Nina Moric - supermodel. She was in the Ricky Martin "Livin' La Vida Loca" video.
Korina Longin - Model appeared in Victoria Secrets and a N-Sync video
Scott Bakula - American actor who played leading roles in two science fiction television series: Quantum Leap and Star Trek: Enterprise.
Mira Furlan - actress with roles in Babylon 5 and Lost
Goran Višnjić - actor (ER)
Krist Novoselic - best known as the bassist for Nirvana.
"Tomo" Milicevic lead guitarist of band 30 Seconds to Mars. The band won the MTV2 Award for "The Kill" at the MTV Video Music Awards, 2006.
Helen Merrill (born Jelena Milcetic) - Jazz vocalist with a career spanning six decades. She has recorded and performed with some of the world's most notable jazz figures including Clifford Brown, Chet Baker, Stan Getz and Gil Evans.
Marz (born Zlatko Hukic) Rapper with former affiliation with the Insane Clown Posse and their label Psychopathic Records.
Branko Lustig - won two Academy Awards as producer for Schindlers List and Gladiator.
Dušan Vukotić - author and director of short animated films. Won Academy Award for best animated short in 1961 being the first foreigner to do so.
Maradona - the world's greatest footballer. His maternal great-grandfather Mateo Kariolić was born in Korčula, Dalmatia, today's Croatia, and emigrated to Argentina, where Maradona's grandmother Salvadora was born. Salvadora named her daughter Dalma after the Croatian region, after whom Maradona named his eldest daughter.
Davor Suker - (Golden Boot winner at the 1998 WC) (Real Madrid, Arsenal, Munich 1860)
Zvonimir Boban - Footballer (AC Milan)
Alen Boksic - Footballer (Lazio/ Juventus/ Middlesborough)
Dražan Jerković (Golden Boot winner at the 1962 EURO & 1966 World Cup)
Roger Maris (Maras) - American right fielder in Major League Baseball who is primarily remembered for breaking Babe Ruth's 34-year-old single-season home run record in 1961 on the last day of the season (He held the records for 37 years).
Dan Plesac - Baseball player who played for numerous major league teams
Toni Kukoc - basketball player for the Chicago Bulls
Rudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. - Basketball player/ coach. Third-leading scorer in San Diego/ Houston Rockets history. Coached the Rockets to 2 NBA championships. Also former coach of the 2000 US Olympic gold winning team and the LA Lakers.
Dražen Petrović, Mirko Novosel, Kreso Cosic, George Mikan - Basketball Hall of Famers
Andrew Bogut - Australian and Milwaukee Bucks basketballer player.
Handball mens team World champs 2003. Olympic gold medalists 1996 and 2004.
Ivano Balić - Twice voted world hand ball player of the year
Waterpolo mens World champs 2007
Duje Draganja - Fastest swimmer in the world. Holds world records in 50m freestyle. 2 gold medals in world champs
Sanja Jovanović - 50m backstroke world champ
Goran Ivanisevic - tennis player, won Wimbledon Tournament in 2001
Iva Majoli - tennis player, won French Open Tournament in 1997
Davis Cup winning tennis team - Mario Ancic, Ivan Ljubicic and Ivan Karlovic
Blanka Vlašić - current world indoor and outdoor high jump champion. Only two women (one indoor and one outdoor) have ever jumped higher than her.
Janica Kostelic, skier, won 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal in 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, 1 gold medal and 1 silver medal in 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, and counting...
Sofia Mulanovich - famous Peruvian surfer
Fred Couples - Golfer (Croatian mother)
Joe Sakic - Canadian professional hockey player who is the captain of the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League. One of the most successful players ever, Sakic is known for having won two Stanley Cups, various NHL trophies and being named to play in 13 NHL All-Star Games, as well as one of the strongest team leaders to ever play in the NHL
Frank Mahovlich- NHL Hall of Famer
George Chuvalo (Cuvalo) - Canadian heavyweight boxer who was never knocked down in ninety-three professional fights between 1956 and 1979. Twice fought for versions of the professional world's heavyweight title. Best known for his two fights against Muhammad Ali. He went the distance both times. "He's the toughest guy I ever fought," said Ali of Chuvalo after one fight.
Nikolai Volkoff (born Josip Peruzović) WWF wrestler. His career spanned from the 70's to the 90's. He had many famous tag teams including the Iron Sheik, the Bolsheviks and with 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan.
Fritzie Zivic ("The Croat Comet") - Boxer - best known for his title win against Henry "Hammering Hank" Armstrong taking the world welterweight title. 23,190 fans witnessed Zivic's welterweight title defense in 1941 and it remains the highest attendance at Madison Square Garden. He was inducted in to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.
Branko Cikatić. "The Croatian Tiger". He won the first K-1 (kickboxing martial art) World Grand Prix tournament held Japan in 1993.
Mirko "CroCop" Filipović - K-1 UFC fighter
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Gary Gabelich was the first person to a land speed record over 1000 km/h, it remained unbeaten until 1983
Nick Saban - American football coach - Head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide and former coach of Miami Dolphins
William Belichick (Beličić) - NFL football head coach for the New England Patriots leading them to 3 Super Bowl wins
Antun Augustincic sculpted the "Monument of Peace" in front of the United Nations Building in New York
Now thats probably more about Croatian trivia then you ever wanted to know! :-))))
If you or someone you know is thinking of Buying or Selling property in Chilliwack, Hope, Abbotsford, Langley or anywhere in the Fraser Valley Area of B.C. - or if you would like more information please give Liz Moras of Landmark Realty Chilliwack a call at- 604-799-0459 or e-mail at lizmoras@gmail.com.
Copyright © 2009 By Liz Moras, All Rights Reserved. All photos by Liz Moras except the one's I'm in!). All information provided by this author is only an opinion, it is not guaranteed, may be based on information collected from several sources, and may be time sensitive. It is not necessarily representative of the opinions of Landmark Realty Chwk. Ltd..
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