What's Old Is New Again: New Articles Re: Figure Skating History

[SkateGuard]

An opportunity to treasure.

Agree 100%!

The latest Skate Guard blog is for all you 70's skating lovers... a look back at The 1978 World Figure Skating Championships in Ottawa:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/04/the-1978-world-figure-skating.html

 

[Josh78]

Charles Tickner's FS is, to this day, one of my favorite competitive programs -- not flashy or full of big tricks, but solid and flowed from one element to the other and really hit the notes of the music!

 

[Seerek]

Agree 100%!

The latest Skate Guard blog is for all you 70's skating lovers... a look back at The 1978 World Figure Skating Championships in Ottawa:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/04/the-1978-world-figure-skating.html

How close was it between Charles Tickner, Jan Hoffmann and Robin Cousins as far as the overall ordinals at 1978 Worlds?

Apparently, very close: nobody had a majority of first place ordinals..

ETA: for people unaware of how it worked backed in the 6.0 era, if there was not a skater with a majority of 1st place ordinals (in this case 5) to determine the winner, they integrated 2nd place ordinals (iow, whoever had the most combined 1st/2nd place ordinals). That's why Tickner won gold despite only 2 1st place ordinals.

 

[SkateGuard]

Charles Tickner's FS is, to this day, one of my favorite competitive programs -- not flashy or full of big tricks, but solid and flowed from one element to the other and really hit the notes of the music!

Of the medallists, I'm always going to be partial to Robin Cousins, but I definitely agree with you - it was one of Tickner's best skates!

How close was it between Charles Tickner, Jan Hoffmann and Robin Cousins as far as the overall ordinals at 1978 Worlds?

Apparently, very close: nobody had a majority of first place ordinals..

Thanks for sharing this, Seerek! Super close indeed.

The latest Skate Guard blog briefly looks at a dance hall turned ice rink turned dance hall in London, England... The Hammersmith Ice Drome:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/04/the-hammersmith-ice-drome.html

 

[SkateGuard]

The latest Skate Guard blog introduces The Three Bruises, A Trio Of Skating Cut-Ups:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/04/the-three-bruises-trio-of-skating-cut.html

 

[SkateGuard]

Meet The Errand Boy, a 19th century Dutch shopkeeper's assistant with a very special talent in the latest Skate Guard blog:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/04/the-errand-boy.html

 

[SkateGuard]

This month's edition of #Unearthed, An American Family In Frankfurt, offers an amusing glimpse into skating culture in Germany in the 1860's:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/04/unearthed-american-family-in-frankfurt.html

Stay tuned to Skate Guard next week for three fascinating new blogs - a look back at a competition from the 1930's, a bio of a talented yet overlooked American figure skater and a comprehensive history of the history and evolution of spinning.

 

[SkateGuard]

In the latest Skate Guard blog, it's time to take A Haupt, Skip And A Jump Through Skating History and take a brief look at the story of Ollie Haupt Jr., a talented young skater from Missouri whose career was affected by World War II:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/a-haupt-skip-and-jump-through-skating.html

 

[Josh78]

In the latest Skate Guard blog, it's time to take A Haupt, Skip And A Jump Through Skating History and take a brief look at the story of Ollie Haupt Jr., a talented young skater from Missouri whose career was affected by World War II:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/a-haupt-skip-and-jump-through-skating.html

What an interesting local connection to figure skating that I never knew! As a fan, I've always been looking for a St. Louis connection to the sport that was important (not as an afterthought, where we only seemingly get events once in a blue moon because of USFSA's media demands, and where any talent that grows up in the local clubs basically is given the impression early that they have to leave for the greener strong club pastures of Michigan/Chicago/Colorado/California if they're to get anywhere close to the elite level) -- What might have been if the world had only paid attention to (and taken care of) Adolf Hitler sooner...Thanks for the interesting read!

 

[SkateGuard]

What an interesting local connection to figure skating that I never knew! As a fan, I've always been looking for a St. Louis connection to the sport that was important (not as an afterthought, where we only seemingly get events once in a blue moon because of USFSA's media demands, and where any talent that grows up in the local clubs basically is given the impression early that they have to leave for the greener strong club pastures of Michigan/Chicago/Colorado/California if they're to get anywhere close to the elite level) -- What might have been if the world had only paid attention to (and taken care of) Adolf Hitler sooner...Thanks for the interesting read!

So glad that you enjoyed reading this one! It's really interesting to see how skaters from the Midwest and Pacific Coast down in the States started to emerge as legitimate threats to New York, Boston and Philadelphia skaters in the late thirties... and how the war negatively impacted competitive U.S. men's skating while women's skating only thrived. Erle Reiter's story was quite similar to Haupt's:

http://www.startribune.com/erle-reiter-figure-skater-in-1936-olympics-dies-at-91/36113149/

 

[SkateGuard]

By request, the latest Skate Guard blog is on The History And Evolution Of Spinning:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/the-history-and-evolution-of-spinning.html

 

[SkateGuard]

The latest Skate Guard blog looks back at The 1932 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, held 85 years ago during The Great Depression:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/the-1932-us-figure-skating-championships.html

 

[SkateGuard]

He played music for Sonja Henie, skated with Belita and choreographed for Peggy Fleming. Bob Turk, the legendary Ice Capades director, passed away in February 2017 and today on #SkateGuard, I'm sharing excerpts from what may well have been his last interview:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/a-conversation-with-bob-turk.html

 

[skatesindreams]

That was wonderful; thank you, Ryan!
Mr. Turk was right: Being alone is terrible, particularly when it is precipitated by the loss of all those you care for.

 

[SkateGuard]

That was wonderful; thank you, Ryan!
Mr. Turk was right: Being alone is terrible, particularly when it is precipitated by the loss of all those you care for.

Thank you! Only goes to show you that no matter how incredible a life you live, loneliness is something we all deal with at one point or another in our lives. He was just delightful.

 

[SkateGuard]

He won a Canadian senior men's title as a teenager during the second World War, served as a CFSA (Skate Canada) President and skated pairs with a World Champion... yet his story has been long overlooked. The latest #SkateGuard blog (re)introduces Nigel Stephens, An Overlooked Canadian Champion:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/nigel-stephens-overlooked-canadian.html

 

[skatesindreams]

Thank you for this "introduction", Ryan.

 

[SkateGuard]

Thank you for this "introduction", Ryan.

You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed reading. The latest blog, A Skate Guard Mother's Day Special: The Stories Of Three Famous Skating Mothers, briefly looks at the mothers of three women who won Olympic gold medals:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/a-skate-guard-mothers-day-special.html

 

[SkateGuard]

Things heated up at the Spectrum Arena in Philadelphia in January of 1968 when America's best figure skaters battled it out for spots on that year's Olympic and World teams at The 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The latest #SkateGuard blog looks at the stars, stats and stories from this interesting competition from decades past:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/the-1968-us-figure-skating-championships.html

 

[SkateGuard]

The latest #SkateGuard blog, The Gate On The River Scheldt, briefly highlights an absolutely delightful 16th century engraving of skaters in Belgium:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/the-gate-on-river-scheldt.html

 

[skatesindreams]

That is fabulous.
The inscription is so true!

 

[SkateGuard]

That is fabulous.
The inscription is so true!

I agree and love it as well - so much to learn from really taking the time to look at these old engravings!

The third of this week's Skate Guard blogs is up a day early. The Other Barbara Ann's: A Forgotten Era Of Canadian Women's Skating explores the accomplishments and stories of 6.0 Canadian women who achieved fame and success as skaters in the 30's and 40's:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/the-other-barbara-anns-forgotten-era-of.html

Stay tuned to the blog next week - we'll talk Lutzes, head to Holland in the 1960's and take a look at a fabulous ice show from the late 1990's.

 

[SkateGuard]

The latest Skate Guard blog looks at a little Lutz history... including the elusive Alois Lutz, inventor of the Lutz jump:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/its-all-about-that-lutz-bout-that-lutz.html

 

[skatesindreams]

When one can barely find record of Lutz' existence; it's amazing that he has had such overwhelming and lasting influence on the sport.

 

[SkateGuard]

When one can barely find record of Lutz' existence; it's amazing that he has had such overwhelming and lasting influence on the sport.

I really think he was fortunate to have skated at one of Vienna's two most popular rinks surrounded by a who's who of Austrian skating. Had he skated elsewhere, he may never have got the credit for the jump.

The latest Skate Guard blog is up! Sjoukje's Sidekicks looks at 6.0 Dutch skaters from the sixties who rode the wave of Sjoukje Dijkstra's success:

http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/sjoukjes-sidekicks-six-sensational.html

 

[SkateGuard]

In the latest Skate Guard blog, Sandra Bezic reflects on The Legendary Night Of Figure Skating in 1999:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/the-legendary-night-of-figure-skating.html

Also, if you're in the Ottawa area, don't miss this exhibit on the Canadian Jewish Experience featuring Louis Rubenstein:

http://www.cjnews.com/culture/arts/ottawa-exhibit-illustrates-canadian-jewish-experience

 

[SkateGuard]

This month's edition of #Unearthed on Skate Guard looks at a compelling primary source... a literary account of figure skating culture in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1875:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/unearthed-at-rink-halifax-nova-scotia.html

 

[Scrufflet]

In the latest Skate Guard blog, Sandra Bezic reflects on The Legendary Night Of Figure Skating in 1999:

http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/05/the-legendary-night-of-figure-skating.html

Also, if you're in the Ottawa area, don't miss this exhibit on the Canadian Jewish Experience featuring Louis Rubenstein:

http://www.cjnews.com/culture/arts/ottawa-exhibit-illustrates-canadian-jewish-experience

Thanks for this! I was there for that night in 1999 and it was truly special. Seeing Coulson and Toller were my highlights. And the introduction of each champion! A great night!

 

[skatesindreams]

How unfortunate that the entire program wasn't filmed, and preserved.
I wonder if those who made that decision, regret it now.

 

[SkateGuard]

Thanks for this! I was there for that night in 1999 and it was truly special. Seeing Coulson and Toller were my highlights. And the introduction of each champion! A great night!

You're so lucky to have attended this! It really was an unprecedented gathering of Canadian skating legends and a testament to just deep and fascinating our country's skating history really is!

How unfortunate that the entire program wasn't filmed, and preserved.
I wonder if those who made that decision, regret it now.

Agreed! I remember that particular strike and how it affected programming at the time... So unfortunate that this unique and truly special show didn't get the 'full' special treatment it deserved as a result.