Famous Latvian Men

Mikhail Tal was a Soviet Latvian chess player. Widely regarded as one of the best attacking players and a creative genius, Tal was renowned for his unpredictability and improvisation. He was also known as the magician from Riga for his daring, combinatorial playing style. Since 2006, the Mikhail Tal Memorial has been annually held in Moscow to honor Tal's memory.

Kristaps Porzingis is a Latvian basketball player who currently plays professional basketball at the National Basketball Association (NBA) where he represents the Dallas Mavericks. Standing at 7’3, Porziņģis is one of the tallest players active in the NBA. Also an important player for his Latvian national team, Kristaps Porzingis won the Latvian Rising Star of the Year award in 2015.

Soviet stand-up comedian, actor, and director Arkady Raikin remains one of the most revered Soviet humorists of the 20th century. Starting his career with state theaters and variety shows, he later established his own theater in Leningrad. He also founded the Satyricon Theater in Moscow and was made a Hero of Socialist Labor.

Once a lanky kid, Yevgeny Marchenko was inspired by an acrobatic gymnastics program at his school and later pursued the sport as a career option. He later not only became a Soviet national champion, but also a 5-time World champion and a 4-time European champion. He also coached Carly Patterson.