OT: Dick Button Dead at 95

[RUhasarrived]

Known as Mr.Figure Skating,the Englewood native won Olympic Gold Medals in 1948 and 1952 before retiring to attend law school.
He later was in Holiday On Ice and a few other shows along with being a TV commentator for decades.
Several skating jumps and spins had him as the originator.
He suffered a brain injury when attacked in Central Park in 1978 by a gang of youths armed with baseball bats.
It's ironic that he should pass on a day after the plane disaster which claimed several skaters.

 

[Section124]

RIP. Great American figure skater. Was a great analyst and was always honest in his commentary.

 

[DHajekRC84]

One of the classic faces of the winter Olympics when I was growing up.

 

[zappaa]

Grew up with Dick Button back in the days i watched every second of the the summer and Winter Olympics.
How else would I know what a flying sit spin, triple salchow and double axels were.
RIP Dick

 

[MADHAT1]

RIP Mr Button
>Button’s impact began after World War II. He was the first U.S. men’s champion — and his country’s youngest at age 16 — when that competition returned in 1946. Two years later, he took the title at the St. Moritz Olympics, competing outdoors. He performed the first double axel in any competition and became the first American to win the men’s event.<

https://www.thesunchronicle.com/spo...cle_089d8e0b-ab5c-5aa1-a42e-781b98daa411.html

 

[Colbert17!]

It's ironic that he should pass on a day after the plane disaster which claimed several skaters.

Saw this in an article:

"After a 1961 plane crash killed the entire U.S. figure skating team on the way to the world championships, which then were canceled, Button persuaded ABC Sports executive Roone Arledge to televise the 1962 event on “Wide World.” That’s when he joined the network as a commentator."

This broadcast started the mainstreaming of figure skating competitions.

 

[greenknight]

Grew up with Dick Button back in the days i watched every second of the the summer and Winter Olympics.
How else would I know what a flying sit spin, triple salchow and double axels were.
RIP Dick

Remember him with a bow tie

 

[ashokan]

It's ironic that he should pass on a day after the plane disaster which claimed several skaters.

Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding in the news as well.
They knew some of the people on the plane
Dick Button (Englewood) was great for Olympics

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/olym...rs-she-talks-about-victims-tragic-plane-crash

 

[bac2therac]

Loved his tart delivery alongside Peggy Fleming during the golden age of the Olympics

RIP