Russia-NYC Photo Series 9

I learned something new about Russian sports from my chance encounter with Mikhail, whom I saw standing next to Lenin’s Tomb on Red Square in his New York hat and USA-flag shirt with Mickey Mouse. Mikhail, who lives about 200km from Moscow, was in town to visit his sister. He said he is a member of a stuntbike team, which is soccer (football) on motorbikes with the exception that the ball is much bigger. He said Russia as several stuntbike teams around the country. As for his t-shirt… It jokingly calls Mickey Mouse “America’s version of Cheburashka,” a Russia’s cartoon character. Cheburashka was created in mid 1960s, whereas Mickey Mouse was created in 1920s.