"Shattered Dreams" - 1961 USA World Team

SkateFan4Life · Aug 15, 2005

Here is a link to a long, moving story published in the Boston Globe a few years ago that details the personal stories of the members of the 1961 US World Figure Skating Team who perished when their plane crashed in Belgium, enroute to the 1961 World Championships in Prague.

I had not known that Dudley Richards and Maribel Owen, the US pairs champions, were romantically involved, and that they had planned to announce their engagement after the Worlds. I had also not known that Dudley was a close friend of Ted Kennedy, who was then the young brother of the newly inaugurated President, John F. Kennedy. Richards and Ted Kennedy were pals at Harvard University and at Cape Cod.

This tragedy resulted in the ISU cancelling the Worlds as a sign of mourning for the lost US team.

http://www.boston.com/sports/packages/usfigureskating/stories/122900_shattered_dreams.htm

SkateFan4Life · Aug 15, 2005

Peggy Fleming was 12 years old at the time of the plane crash. Her coach died in the crash, along with a number of senior level skaters who trained at her rink. In one fell swoop, she lost her coach and all of her skater role models. Evy Scotvold compares this tragedy to the day JFK was assassinated - everything just stood still (in the figure skating world, at least) as the news spread of the crash.

SkateFan4Life · Aug 17, 2005

President John F. Kennedy issues the following statement from the White House the day after the 1961 plane crash:

"This disaster has brought tragedy to many American families, and it is a painful loss to the international community of sports as well. Our country has sustained a great loss of talent and grace that had brought pleasure to people all over the world."

miffy · Aug 17, 2005

That's such a lovely article, remembering so many people. I was almost in tears several times while i read that. Thank you for the link SkateFan4Life.

SkateFan4Life · Aug 17, 2005

miffy said:
That's such a lovely article, remembering so many people. I was almost in tears several times while i read that. Thank you for the link SkateFan4Life.

You're welcome, miffy. I sure wish this link did not exist and that that plane had not crashed back in 1961. But it did crash, and, IMHO, the least we an do is remember those wonderful skaters, the talent and dedication they had to their sport, and the promise they had for the future. Tragically, they never lived to fulfill their dreams. God bless them all.

dlkksk8fan · Aug 17, 2005

Here is a book that is comming out about the 1961 team members

Frozen in Time : The Enduring Legacy of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team
by Nikki Nichols (Hardcover - January 9, 2006)

76olympics · Aug 17, 2005

I need to start saving my pennies. January looks like a major book-buying month for moi!

SkateFan4Life · Aug 17, 2005

dlkksk8fan said:
Here is a book that is comming out about the 1961 team members

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm definitely buying and reading that book!

pairsfan · Aug 18, 2005

Thanks. I just ordered it from Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_1/103-5569129-0880639?v=glance&s=books

Ladskater · Aug 18, 2005

SkateFan4Life said:
Here is a link to a long, moving story published in the Boston Globe a few years ago that details the personal stories of the members of the 1961 US World Figure Skating Team who perished when their plane crashed in Belgium, enroute to the 1961 World Championships in Prague.

I had not known that Dudley Richards and Maribel Owen, the US pairs champions, were romantically involved, and that they had planned to announce their engagement after the Worlds. I had also not known that Dudley was a close friend of Ted Kennedy, who was then the young brother of the newly inaugurated President, John F. Kennedy. Richards and Ted Kennedy were pals at Harvard University and at Cape Cod.

This tragedy resulted in the ISU cancelling the Worlds as a sign of mourning for the lost US team.

http://www.boston.com/sports/packages/usfigureskating/stories/122900_shattered_dreams.htm

Canada's Donald Jackson - World champion (1962) and Canadian champion was training in New York at the time and was great friends with most of these skaters. He almost got on the same plane, but due to a cold remained at home. What a close call. He talks about this tragedy in his biography.

SkateFan4Life · Aug 18, 2005

Ladskater said:
Canada's Donald Jackson - World champion (1962) and Canadian champion was training in New York at the time and was great friends with most of these skaters. He almost got on the same plane, but due to a cold remained at home. What a close call. He talks about this tragedy in his biography.

Ladskater, yes I am aware that Don Jackson was training in New York and had been scheduled to fly to the World Championships with the American team. He came down with the flu and rescheduled his flight. His change in plans literally saved his life.

I did not mention him because I was writing about the US Team that lost their lives. That was my focus.

Yazmeen · Aug 18, 2005

From the brief taped bits I've seen of her skating, and from the SI cover issue on Laurence, I feel as thought I've come to know her skating a tiny bit, and it was breathtaking. She was probably the most "natural skater" in US skating history along with arguably Janet Lynn and Michelle Kwan. It just flowed out of Laurence. I wish there were more video of her performances available.

Pardon me while I wipe my eyes. Sigh....

SkateFan4Life · Aug 19, 2005

Yazmeen said:
From the brief taped bits I've seen of her skating, and from the SI cover issue on Laurence, I feel as thought I've come to know her skating a tiny bit, and it was breathtaking. She was probably the most "natural skater" in US skating history along with arguably Janet Lynn and Michelle Kwan. It just flowed out of Laurence. I wish there were more video of her performances available.

Pardon me while I wipe my eyes. Sigh....

I've seen small pieces of Laurence Owen's performances, and she, indeed, was a natural. She seemed to skate with a lot of heart, as well as athleticism. She had "the look" of a future World and possibly Olympic champion. What a terrible loss to America and to the figure skating world.

SkateFan4Life · Aug 27, 2005

Just one more comment on this sad topic. The USFSA had urged the ISU to not cancel the 1961 World Championships in the wake of the loss of the US team. The ISU, however, voted to cancel the championships as a sign of mourning for the Americans who perished in the plane crash. The USFSA responded with:

"The sacrifice made by the ISU and the skaters around the world in cancelling the championships this year eases the burden all of us in the United States feel, and it shows the sincere affection and esteem our skaters were held throughout the world."

"Shattered Dreams" - 1961 USA World Team

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