Does $2,000 seem like a lot of money for a pair of slightly used athletic shoes? How about if you knew one of the shoes was a minor part of recent Latvian hockey history?

Latvian hockey fan Dainis Krievs was fined LVL 50 for hurling his left shoe onto the ice of Arēna Rīga during the May 11 World Championship game between Canada and the hometown team.

Rīga resident Jānis Dumpis, who goes by the handle “bulkcover,” now is offering Krievs’ left shoe—and its less famous right-footed partner—for sale on eBay, an online auction service. Dumpis doesn’t own the shoes, but has agreed to handle the sale for Krievs, he told Latvians Online in an e-mail.

The left shoe was one of many diffferent items fans threw in protest of an American referee’s frequent penalty calls against the Latvian national team. The action delayed the game and garnered press coverage at home and abroad. Latvia lost the game 0-11.

The listing, which ends June 11, asks USD 2,000 for the initial bid. The story of the left shoe is retold in detailed text illustrated with several photographs, including two of a court judgment against Krievs. The shoes are listed under the heading, “Latvia-Canada 0:11 Ice-Hockey IIHF 2006 Scandal SHOEs.”

Dumpis usually markets Latvian antiques on eBay and currently offers more than 50 other listings, including old photographs, philatelic items and books.

Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga is scheduled to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress at 11 a.m. ET June 7, according to the president’s press office.

Vīķe-Freiberga, on a visit to the United States in late February and early March, was invited by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to address Congress.

Joint meetings of Congress are infrequent. So far this year, only three have been held and all were to hear from foreign leaders: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia and Silvio Berlusconi, who at the time was prime minister of Italy. In addition, President George W. Bush presented his State of the Union to a joint session of Congress.

Vīķe-Freiberga’s appearance before Congress in Washington, D.C., will cap a weeklong visit to the United States that will begin with her arrival May 31 in Los Angeles. From June 1-4, the president will attend the the 45th annual International Achievement Summit. Vīķe-Freiberga also will meet June 3 with members of the Latvian community in Los Angeles.

In Washington, the president is expected on June 5 to present the 7th Annual Peter Weitz Journalism Prize at a meeting of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. On June 6, she will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. And after the president’s June 7 address to Congress, Vīķe-Freiberga is scheduled to meet with Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, as well as with business representatives.

Vīķe-Freiberga will leave for Latvia on June 8, arriving in Rīga on June 9.

(UPDATED 30 MAY 2006)

The Latvian National Team fell 0-1 to the U.S. Men’s National Team in a football (soccer) friendly game May 28 in East Hartford, Conn.

The U.S. team’s goal came in the 43rd minute of the first half when Brian McBride, assisted by Steve Cherundolo, scored from six yards out, getting the ball past Latvia goalie Aleksandrs Koļinko, according to the Web site for U.S. Soccer.

The Latvian team appeared in much better form during the second half than in the first, Coach Jurijs Andrejevs said.

“In all the second half showed quality football,” he said in a statement released by the Latvian Football Federation. “If we would have realized one of our goal attempts, then the game would have been ideal.”

The U.S. team got eight shots on goal, but Latvia had three.

Latvian players Genādijs Soloņicins, Andrejs Prohorenkovs and Juris Laizāns each was booked with a yellow card, while the U.S. squad earned none.

A total of 24,636 people attended the game, including a contingent of Latvian fans, according to the LFF and U.S. Soccer.

The Latvian National Team’s next friendly match is against Russia on Aug. 16, according to the LFF. The U.S. team, meanwhile, heads June 1 to the World Cup in Germany.

(UPDATED 29 MAY 2006)