Volume I. Number 2

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October/November 2005 Volume 1, Number 2 Join the Museum in its New Enrich your historical Beginnings knowledge about the sport you love As the year comes to a close, the Museum is launchingMuseum Board of Trustee its members at the recent board second meeting September 14 at the Annual Sofitel Hotel, Chicago, Illinois. Appeal. This easy-to-read, soft- cover, book is the first historical survey of figure This year's theme, New Beginnings, skating in over 40 years. recognizes the Museum's commitment to becoming a world- When you have a passion class institution that promotes for something, it can knowledge and enjoyment of figure motivate you to accomplish skating to diverse audiences a seemingly insurmountable throughout the world. Among other task. Just as World and accomplishments during the past Olympic skaters devoted year the Museum has recruited an years of training to perfect outstanding board of trustees, their talents, author James developed a strategic plan, co- R. Hines in his new book, published a popular history of figure Figure Skating: A History, skating, revamped the exhibit spent over six years of galleries, and launched this bi- research pursuing his monthly newsletter. passion of writing the only complete history of figure During the upcoming year, with your skating in more than forty

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help, the Museum will launch a film years. The nearly 500-page, preservation initiative, develop a soft-cover volume is a traveling exhibition on the history of comprehensive historical figure skating, produce a school survey of the sport and is co- outreach kit, identify and actively published by the World acquire significant skating collections, Figure Skating Museum & create a finding guide for archive Hall of Fame and the researchers, and introduce an Adopt- University of Illinois a-Costume program to conserve its Press. All orders placed costume collection. through November 30 will receive 15% off the retail The Annual Appeal is critical to the price of $29.95. Museum's operation and its ability to move forward with these plans. Your "It was a mammoth project gift of $25, $50, $100, $250, $500 or that involved six solid years more will help get us there. . . . each of research," commented gift is important. Donors who Hines, who became contribute gifts of $100 or more will interested in the project receive a special gift --- the first in our following the attack on series of mugs based on the Nancy Kerrigan at the U.S. Museum's collections. This year's Championships in 1994. "A mug features the colorful abstract historian must approach painting created by ice dancers everything critically and Michael Seibert and Judy Blumberg strive for accuracy," said the using their skates as artist's brushes. professor of musicology at Christopher Newport Look for our Annual Appeal mailing University in Newport News, soon, and become a partner in the Virginia. As a former ice Museum's New Beginnings. Help the dance roller skater and a Museum become the premier participant in the performing institution dedicated to preserving arts for more than 40 years, and sharing the legacy of figure Hines fully understands the skating! passion that drives skaters, A Special Gift for Donors over $100 many of whom he interviewed and researched Donors for this book. who contribute "My purpose in writing this gifts of book was to put into one $100 or volume information that more will readers - young beginners, receive skating moms, coaches, this skating fans, and special competitive skaters - can mug enjoy and at the same time based on learn something about the the sport they love," Hines Museum's Donors who contribute gifts commented. He elaborated, collections. of $100 or more will receive "Has it ever occurred to you

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this mug based on the that backward skating didn't Museum's collections. always exist?" The author explains in his book that it Support the Museum>> was not until the 1830's that Henry Boswell, an outstanding skater from Oxford, Museum receives Foundation Awards England, significantly altered the basic skate design that In backward skating really took moving off. the Museum Click here for full article>> toward one of A Military Battle on Ice its long- term The Museum's 1920 - 1948 Olympic films are part of the comprehensive collection of strategic over 3,500. goals of making resources of the Museum accessible to diverse audiences throughout the world, Executive Director Brian Alexander is pleased to announce two recent awards.

The Museum received $1,500 from The Bank at Broadmoor in Colorado This sterling-silver figurine in early Dutch military dress is Springs, Colorado, to develop a part of the Museum's curriculum-specific traveling trunk Grafstrom collection. focusing on the science and history of figure skating. It will be targeted to This sterling-silver figurine in upper-level elementary students. early Dutch military dress from the Museum's The Kerr Foundation in Oklahoma Grafstrom collection is City, Oklahoma, awarded the believed to represent a Museum $5,000 to assist in the battle fought in 1572 Museum's Skating Film Preservation between the Dutch and Initiative. This grant will help the Spanish. preserve the 1920 - 1948 Olympic films which are part of the Museum's In the winter of 1572, a small overall collection of over 3,500 videos fleet of armed ships and films. Sonja Henie's 1928 belonging to the Dutch had Olympic performance and early been frozen in the ice near childhood footage are a part of this Amsterdam. Spanish troops valuable collection. In addition, were dispatched over the ice competition performances for to attack the imprisoned national, international, and Olympic vessels. The ships' crews, events are available from 1924 to the however, had fortified present. Many of these earlier films themselves by digging a

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are the only known copies. wide trench around the Approximately 80% of these films entire fleet, which became were transferred to video in the mid an almost impregnable 1980's; however, 35mm masters fortress. were not always created. The well-armed Dutch As the Museum regularly receives troops, wearing ice skates, film requests from journalists, advanced out of this frozen scholars, and the media, this grant stronghold. A quick battle will help fund the costs of creating ensued. The Dutch, who masters to preserve this valuable were accustomed to skating, footage and continue to make it easily defeated the Spanish. readily available. Several hundred Spanish troops lay dead on the ice. The Museum gratefully acknowledges Within the next twenty-four these institutions for their support. For hours a rapid thaw released more information on grant or the ships and the Dutch sponsorship opportunities, please escaped. A sudden contact the Museum at (719) 635 - temperature drop froze the 5200. ice once again making pursuit by the Spanish Click here to learn about the importance impossible. Astonished at of film preservation>> these maneuvers on the ice, A Successful Career Outside of the Spanish quickly ordered seven thousand pairs of Skating skates, and their soldiers soon learned to perform In our military maneuvers on inaugural skates. issue, we asked our Meet our Poster Winners readers for suggestions In our inaugural issue, we for future ran a contest to identify a issues. canvas painting currently on Tamara exhibit in the Museum. We Moskvina, asked readers to correctly Advisory identify the painting in which Council two former U.S. National and Dr. Tenley Albright member, World ice dance medalists suggested featuring a former world- used their skate blades as class figure skater who has achieved artist brushes. We had an recognition outside the figure skating overwhelming response with world. We liked the idea and chose many informed readers Tenley Albright, since it soon will be correctly identifying the the 50th anniversary of her gold artists as Judy Blumberg medal performance at the 1956 and Michael Seibert. Olympics in Italy. Our two winners were Ann After having received a silver medal Greenthal, a current

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at the 1952 games, Albright in 1956 international judge, and Amy became the first American woman to Stetson, a researcher at win Olympic Gold. Despite having ABC Sports. Both women been diagnosed at an early age with have figure skated and live polio, Albright pursued skating and in New York City. along with her Olympic medals won two gold and two silver medals for Thank you to everyone who ladies singles at the World participated. Look for more Championships from 1953 - 1956. contests in the future issues.

While training for the Olympics, A special thanks to our Albright studied at Radcliffe College State Game of America in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Albright later received her M.D. Supporters degree from Harvard Medical The city of Colorado Springs School. Dr. Albright is currently a was host to the 2005 State faculty member and lecturer in the Games of America July 28 - Program of Surgery at Harvard 31. As many as 9,000 Medical School. In addition, Albright athletes from all over the holds eight honorary degrees. USA competed in 24 different events showcasing Dr. Tenley Albright's medical their individual and team accomplishments are as impressive talents. Of these as her successful skating career. participants, approximately She currently consults with or is on 800 figure skaters competed the Boards of Directors for several in all the major skating medical or research facilities. She disciplines. was appointed In 1989 by the Secretary of the Department of The Museum staff Health and Human Services and greeted several thousand President George H. W. Bush as a visitors eager to enrich their delegate to the World Health knowledge about figure Assembly. In 1999, Dr. Albright skating. Many visitors also received the Research America supported the Museum by Advocacy Award for her work purchasing special gifts to advancing medical and health take home. research. The Museum also had a Great Christmas Ideas from the display booth in the main ice Museum Store hall at the World Arena - the venue for all figure skating Order a new events. skating DVD or VHS We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing Cassette many of you again in 2007 when this special event Enjoy some will take place once again in of figure Colorado Springs.

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skating's Museum creates greatest U.S. Olympic figure moments skating wall with the new three-pack DVD or VHS cassette "Skating through time - Great Performances from the U.S. Figure Skating Own the ultimate set for $39.95 today. The Museum created this U.S. Championships." Olympic figure skating wall The three-volume set covers over for the new Greeley Ice Haus. three decades (1968 - 2005) of skating history with unforgettable performances by the world's most Downtown Greeley, accomplished figure skaters. Save Colorado, has a new facility almost $20 by ordering the complete and look with the opening of set for $39.95, or order individually at the Greeley Ice Haus, $19.95. September 24, 2005. Staff from the Museum and U.S. Figure Skating participated Wear a Piece of Skating History in the grand opening ceremonies with an How would you like to wear a piece of informational booth, free jewelry based on an original 1924 promotional items, and prize pencil drawing by Olympic Champion drawings throughout the Gillis Grafstrom (Olympic Champion day. Several thousand 1920, 1924, 1928)? families and skating fans attended the opening-day Why is this drawing from the Museum ceremonies. This collection so meaningful? During the impressive new brick facility 18th century, skaters discovered that currently houses one sheet the tracings made by their skates of ice in a town that could be used to create designs on previously did not have its the ice. The simple figure eight own ice rink. formed the basis of school figures until 1990. The more complex and The photo montage intricate designs of the skater's own represents all U.S. ladies creation were known as Special and men's Olympic Figures. These figures comprised a champions since the 1908 separate competitive event for the Olympic Winter Games. 1908 Olympics. Hopefully, we'll be able to expand the wall after the The jewelry is handcrafted from gold 2006 Olympic Games in and sterling silver and available in a Torino, Italy! variety of styles and prices. Keep checking our website for new

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offerings!

Please call Donna Brown, museum store manager, at (719) 228-3467 or order anytime online. Click here to view our jewelry selections>> We would like to thank our readers for their positive response to our inaugural newsletter. We welcome all comments. Please respond by clicking the "Reply to the Sender" link at the very top of the newsletter.

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