Zlín is a city of about 74 000 people in eastern Czech Republic. It was known as Gottwaldov from 1949 to 1989; named after the first communist president of Czechoslovakia, Klement Gottwald. It was officially changed back to  Zlín on 1 January 1990.  Zlín is first mentioned in records in 1322 when it was acquired by Queen Elizabeth Richeza. She was a Polish princess and Queen consort by her two marriages.  Zlín is home to PSG Berani Zlin who plays in the Czech 1.liga, the second highest level of professional hockey in the Czech Republic. They won the Czech Extraliga twice in 2003-04 and 2013-14, and were runners up 4 times. They are also the current defending champions of the Czech 1.Liga. Their current roster is made up of all Czech players except for one Canadian, Alexandre Mallet, from Amqui, Quebec. Mallet was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks (2nd round, 57th overall) in the 2012 NHL entry draft. The Canucks traded his rights to the New York Islanders in 2014 for Andre...

Chomutov is a city of abour 47 000 people in north west Czech Republic. The sender's card features a Harley-Davidson FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic. He also writes he loves hockey and is a off-ice referee for HC  Piráti  Chomutov. The team plays in the 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League. They were established in 1945 as  ČSK Chomutov. They have played in the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League from 1950-51 to 1963-64, and again for a season in 1967-68.  In 2012-13 the team was promoted to the Czech Extraliga after winning the First National Hockey League championship. However, they were only there for a season and were relagated again. However, they won the FNHL championship again in 2014-15 and promoted again.  In 2023-24 they are playing in the 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League. The current roster has no international players.

Brno is a statutory city of 380 000 people founded just over a 1000 years.  HC Kometa Brno is Brno's entry in the Czech Extraliga and is the most successful hockey club in the Czech Republic. It was founded in 1953 as an army hockey team "Red Star." It has 13 Czechoslovak and Czech league titles and three European Cup titles. Two of the 13 titles are in the Czech Extraliga - 2016-17, and 2017-18. They also won the Spengler Cup in 1955.  Two Canadians play on Kometa - Rhett Holland from Calgary, and Kevin Tansey from Hammond, Ontario. 

Klara from Karlovy Vary sent me one of those info-map cards.  Evidence of pre-historic human settlements dating back to the Palaeolithic Era; Between 870-1806, is was the Duchy and Kingdom of Bohemia; 1806, became a part of the Austrian Empire; 1918, gained indepdence fro Austria-Hungary, becoming Czechoslovakia; 1993, Czechoslovakia split up peacefully to become the Czech Republic and Slovakia; and 2004, Czech Republic joined the European Union. Karlovy Vary is a spa city with numerous hot springs consisting of 13 main springs and 300 smaller springs. The city has about 50 000 residents and lies on the confluence of the Rivers  Ohře  and  Teplá. It is named after the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and the King of Bohemia, who founded the city. HC Energie Karlovy Vary was founded in 1932 and currently plays in the Czech Extraliga. The won the Extraliga championship in 2008-09, after being the runners up the previous season.