The Golden Age of American Skating” Fourteen Remarkable Years
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“The Golden Age of American Skating” Fourteen Remarkable Years By James R. Hines The years after Second World War, from 1946 until 1961, Weld, one of six women representing four countries, the year of the plane crash that took the lives of the entire won the bronze medal behind two Swedish skaters, United States World team en route to the figure skating Magda Julin and Svea Norén.8 But the first American championships in Prague, has been called “The Golden figure skater to compete in an Olympic competition was Age of American Skating.” American men dominated the Irving Brokaw who placed sixth in a field of twelve men sport, and the women did likewise through the latter at the 1908 London Games.9 half of the period.1 Collectively they claimed six of eight Prior to First World War, the World Championships, Olympic gold medals as well as most of the world titles. based on participation, were, in effect, a second The origin of the sobriquet is unknown, but competition European Championship because all entrants were results confirm its appropriateness.2 A survey of the years from Europe.10 That changed after the war. Skaters from 1908, the year of the London Olympic Games, the from the United States appeared at eight of the sixteen first to include figure skating, through 2002, the year of interwar championships held in Europe and competed the Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games, remembered in all three disciplines, a combined twenty entries. They especially for the judging scandal following the pairs carried home five medals, three silver and two bronze.11 competition, provides a backdrop against which the Canadian skaters competed in 1928 and 1936, but won no phenomenal postwar years can be appreciated. A medals. larger statistical base for analysis has been achieved by The World Championships were held twice in North including results from the World Championships as well America during that period: New York City in 1930 and as at the Olympic Games.3 Montreal in 1932. Twenty-two entries in 1930 – nine Figure skaters from the United States have competed Americans, six Canadians, and seven Europeans – totaled at all Olympic Games at which winter sports were two more than the number in Europe the previous contested, an accomplishment matched by only one year, but the small number of European entries – three other country, Great Britain.4 The Americans did not men, two women and two pairs – was disappointing. compete at the World Championships, however, until Participation increased significantly in 1932, undoubtedly 1924 and not continuously until 1936.5 The United States a result of the Olympic Winter Games being held two Figure Skating Association (USFSA), which enters skaters weeks earlier at Lake Placid, New York. At the World in international competitions but not the Olympics, was Championships, thirty-two entries included eight not founded until 1921 and did not join the International Americans, eight Canadians, fourteen Europeans, and Skating Union (ISU) until 1923.6 two Japanese; at the Games, thirty-four entries included Beatrix Loughran, the ladies silver medallist at the ten Americans, six Canadians, sixteen Europeans, and United States Championships in 1922, traveled to Oslo, two Japanese.12 The cost of transportation, time involved Norway, for the 1924 World Championships and carried in ocean travel, and the poor worldwide economy home the bronze medal. It was America’s auspicious made it difficult for skaters to cross the Atlantic in either beginning in world competition. She competed in a field direction. of seven talented women, including Herma Szabó of Europe’s best skaters were sent to compete in North Austria, the reigning world and Olympic champion; and America. Sonja Henie of Norway, Karl Schäfer of Austria, an eleven-year-old from Norway destined to become a ten-time world and three-time Olympic champion, James R. Hines | is a professor emeritus in musicology Sonja Henie. Just two weeks earlier, Loughran had from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, competed at the Olympic Games in Chamonix and won Virginia, United States. His interest in figure skating, dating from his teen years as a roller skater, evolved more recently the silver medal behind Szabó in a field of eight women into the history of skating on ice. A comprehensive book, representing six countries.7 Figure Skating: A History, published by the University of Illinois Loughran was not the first American lady to win an Press in 2006, has been internationally acclaimed as the definitive history of the sport. Three additional books have Olympic figure skating medal. At the Antwerp Games followed. in 1920, a year before the USFSA was founded, Theresa 44 and pair skaters Andrée and Pierre Brunet of France until war was declared in September 1939. They were competed at both World Championships and the Lake then closed owing to blackout regulations enacted in Placid Games, and they won all of the gold medals. anticipation of German air raids, although some were The Americans did well, winning one silver and three allowed to reopen, when the Battle of Britain did not bronze medals at the two World Championships and begin until August 1940. National championships were one silver and one bronze medal at the Lake Placid not held during the war years. Games, but prior to Second World War, the world’s top The end of the war in Europe was celebrated on figure skaters were all Europeans.13 8th May 1945. Almost a year later, on 6-7 th May 1946, Throughout the history of international figure skating, Great Britain held its first postwar figure skating specific countries have dominated the sport for a period championships.15 The gold medallists included two of time, often in just one discipline, but none has prewar champions, Cecilia Colledge and Graham Sharp, maintained that dominance over the long term. It was but a new generation of skaters appeared as well, most Swedish skaters before First World War, primarily the men notably Jeannette Altwegg, who would became a world who were bolstered by Ulrich Salchow’s Olympic gold and Olympic champion in 1952, and the brother and medal and ten World titles. After the war, the Austrians sister pair, Jennifer and John Nicks, who would become dominated until the late 1930s when British men and world champions in 1953. Karol and Peter Kennedy, America’s best pair skaters after Second World War, present their forward inside spiral. Far left: Gretchen Merrill floated through the air with exuberance and the newfound artistry associated with free skating in the postwar years. Photos: Courtesy of the World ladies surfaced. Only once has a country been dominant Austria also suffered the devastation of an air war. Figure Skating Museum and in all disciplines simultaneously, a feat Austrian skaters Heavy bombing of Vienna, the country’s major skating Hall of Fame. accomplished for five years after the war. Except for the center, began in 1944. The city was bombed fifty-two ten years of unmatched success by Norway’s Sonja Henie times. Before the Allied bombing campaign began, in ladies skating, Austrian dominance continued through Austria managed to hold regional competitions through the Olympic Winter Games in 1936.14 1943 and, like Britain, was able to resume its national British figure skaters won two Olympic titles in 1908 and championships in 1946, one year after the war.16 Austrian four World titles between 1906 and 1912 but had claimed skaters reappeared internationally in 1948, an Olympic no additional titles after First World War when suddenly year, with all three disciplines represented. Their their success resurfaced following the Garmisch- combined sixteen entries at the Games and the World Partenkirchen Games in 1936. During the last three years Championships was the largest number for any country. before Second World War, 1937-1939, they won 40 percent Eva Pawlik won silver medals at both competitions, and of the medals and 44 percent of the titles at the World Edi Rada, one of just four returning prewar competitors, Championships. The reason for a country’s dominance is claimed the Olympic bronze medal.17 not always clear, but it happens in other sports and in Germany held wartime championships through artistic and cultural endeavors as well. 1944, but as a result of the severe damage caused by intensive aerial bombing of its major cities, national The Second World War championships were not held again until 1947, and German figure skaters did not reappear in international It was inevitable that change would occur after Second competition until 1951. Horst Faber, the only prewar World War. Europe, the epicenter of figure skating, had skater to compete that year won the silver medal at the been devastated by six years of war. In Britain, which European Championships. dominated the sport just before the war, twenty-six ice German entries at the World Championships included rinks opened during the 1930s and operated profitably three ladies, one man, and three pairs. Most important JOH 1 | 2016 “The Golden Age of American Skating” Fourteen Remarkable Years 45 MEDALS WON AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AUT BEL CAN CZE GER GBR HUN NOR SUI SWE USA 1936-1939 9 0 0 0 7 14 1 1 0 2 2 1947-1950 2 3 3 3 1 4 6 0 2 0 12 Dick Button led the Dick Button and the Jenkins Brothers way to the expanded athleticism associated Richard T. (Dick) Button set the stage for the new with America’s golden American school, displaying the increased athleticism age. His trademark associated with the golden age. At his first international stag jump was a competition, the 1947 World Championships, held in popular move of the Stockholm, he placed second behind Hans Gerschwiler period.