Best skaters before 1980? | Golden Skate

Best skaters before 1980?

76olympics

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
I am going to appeal to some older fans or historians on this one. I was 12 at the time of the 76 Olympics-so I am no expert- but that is when I really became a fan. I have always wished that more books were written about the earlier skaters now. That would be an auto-buy for me. (I know there were a few chapters in Beverly Smith and Christine Brennan-but I want more!)

I have a fondness for Dorothy Hamill-maybe it's because she was the first skater who really interested me first-hand. As far as males go-I liked what I have seen of Toller-really dramatic and interesting. I would love to be able to see some footage of Dick Button; but I imagine that not much was filmed in his era yet (the events weren't really televised until the 1960s, I think)

Does anyone have any anecdotes or opinions about the earlier skaters?
 

dlkksk8fan

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Hi 76Olympics! There are books out there written about skaters before 1980.

Linda Fratianne was four times National US champion, World Champion in 1977 & 1979 and Olympic silver medalist in 1980.

Tai Babilonia & Randy Gardner were National Champions from 1976-1980 and World Champions in 1980.

Charles Tickner was National Champion from 1977-1980 and World Champion in 1978. He also won the Olympic bronze medal in 1980.

Lisa Marie Allen was the a National silver medalist in 1978-1980.

Janet Lynn 5 time National Champion from 1969-1973, Olympic bronze medalist in 1972.

Gordon McKellen National Champion from 1973-1975.

JoJo Starbuck & Ken Shelly US National Champions from 1970-1972. World bronze medalist in 1971 & 1972.
 

SusanBeth

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Of course- Janet Lynn was incredible. There's an edited clip of her 72 Olympic skate available via Rinkside. You can find a few older videos there too. Anyway, I can't stop watching Janet's feet, because her edges were amazingly deep.
 

show 42

Arm Chair Skate Fan
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Dlk........great list. Can't think of anything to add except John Misha Petkovich.....the hang time on his jumps was awesome, and of course, there was the great John Curry....took men's skating to a new level of artistry..........42
 

floskate

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 18, 2003
Thanks for starting this thread. I love watching skaters from the '70's and my tapes from that era are my most treasured.

Definately Curry and Janet Lynn from that area. John loved Janets' skating. He did a masterclass series that was televised here round about the early '90's before he became seriously ill. He showed his students a tape of Janet skating at the 1971 Worlds in Lyon and was just in awe of her.

I adore Tollers skating. Clips of him from the 1973 and 1975 Skate Canada are available on Rinkside.

For pure athleticism I'd add Terry Kubika in 1976. He had some awesome jumps plus the backflip. And Vern Taylor - the first man to land triple axel and in possession of a huge tripe lutz.
And lets not forget Charlie Tickner who was a skater of style and musicality. Loved his performances too.

I was only a small child in those days, but I've read so much about them that it has been wonderful for me to finally see their performances!
 

A.H.Black

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
There are books available about most of the skaters mentioned. They just aren't in print. When I first got "captured" by skating, I went through interlibrary loans to get books about John Curry, Dick Button, Dorothy Hamill, and Scott Hamilton.

I remember a story about Dorothy Hamill from her "autobiography" about when she was learning her double axel. She said she fell so often and her hip was so bruised that she could hardly get in and out of the car.

There is also footage shown every once in a while but you really have to look for it. I have tape of Dick Button's 2axel and 3loop and a little other stuff. I also have a few performance by John Curry. I wish I had more of David and Hayes Jenkins. Especially of David landing a 3axel (yes triple) at the 1960 Olympic Exhibitions.
 

Bijoux

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 8, 2004
I envy you guys your 70's tapes. As a child, Peggy Flemming and that Grenoble Olympics were the first I remember. I can't remember the Oly skate, only that skating was still an outdoor sport, and what most impressed me was her chartreuse green outfit and the bouffant hairdo. In H.S., Dorothy's cut was all the rage. I can say she's one of the few ladies skaters whose artistry shows when she was just stroking around the rink. I like seeing her Vioxx comercial when she just sails across the rink with her foot crossed in the back. Not any of today's skaters look as magestic doing a simple move like that. Her back/posture is still so beautiful.

How I wish I could see all those skates again. I had a crush on John Misha Petkovich. John Curry clips remind me of how grace in men's skating was valued. I have not much memory of Linda Fratianne's skating. I wish I did. They seemed to really hype the Oly gold medalists the most, in that respect, fs hasn't changed.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
show 42 said:
... and of course, there was the great John Curry....took men's skating to a new level of artistry..........42

Yes, the wonderful John Curry!!! He was the skater who got me interested in men´s skating in early seventies. Until that time I had only watched it bored and with a half eye if at all... To me, before John Curry came onto the scene, the interesting disciplines were ladies and pairs.

In ladies the great skaters in freeskate were Karen Magnussen, Janet Lynn, Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Fleming. I have a remembrance of having seen Carol Heiss on so-called non-stop (my family got TV in 1964) and that I liked her performance. Best I remember from her that the word ice-princess came into my mind in connection with her very strongly.

In pairs the greatest skater was Rodnina with her both partners and Babilonia&Gardner. And Kilius&Baumler from Germany were wonderful also.

Marjaana
 
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rusalka

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 15, 2004
great link!!it's great to watch what figure skating was like in the past!and at last I got to see Rodnina-Zaitsev!
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Personally I never saw what everybody saw in John Curry. Sure he was one of the very first skaters to relate skating with ballet, and blended classical music and dance style together very well. But I was quite underwhelmed when I finally got to see his Don Quixote freeskate from the Olympics. I expected it to be stunning and unbelievably musical after all the years of raving I've read, but I wasn't impressed. But then I also don't get what's the fuss about Weir, so what do I know.

Gary Beacom, on the other hand, completely blew me away like no skater ever did when I saw this old tape of his just recently. I've never seen any skater's blades run effortlessly like that. His steps put all the skaters supposedly known for their "footwork" today to total shame. And he had so many interesting moves combined with intricate edging that I've never even seen, and can't even begin to describe. Too bad he was such an inconsistent skater. People rave about how Browning and Kulik have such natural talent, but Beacome was in a class by himself IMO.
I've yet to see Toller Cranston's skating, and I really hope I'd be amazed.
 
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Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
shine said:
Personally I never saw what everybody saw in John Curry. Sure he was one of the very first skaters to relate skating with ballet, and blended classical music and dance style together very well. But I was quite underwhelmed when I finally got to see his Don Quixote freeskate from the Olympics. I expected it to be stunning and unbelievably musical after all the years of raving I've read, but I wasn't impressed. But then I also don't get what's the fuss about Weir, so what do I know.

I can understand that. You see, my least favourite programme by John Curry was his 1975-76 freeskate. It was created for the win, but it does not give even a glimpse of that beauty which was in his other freeskates, in my opinion.

Marjaana
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Thanks Jaana, that could probably be the reason why it came off as rather mechanical. It is the only program of Curry's that I ever saw, so perhaps getting to see a few others could totally change my opinion. But I doubt there's any other perforamnce of his that I'd be able to find :(
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Trixie Schuba, the greatest skater of figures, who was so many miles beyond the other skaters there was no comparison, no way to fiddle the marks. Trixie was able to skate figures so precise that there simply was no way to tell how many reps she had skated of the figure, they were perfectly overlaid, and edged so deep you could see the tracings from anywhere. After some number of reps, when the figure was too deep so you might trip in the rut, she would deliberately offset the width of one blade and repeat in that rut, so I am told. It was the equivalent of doing quads when everybody else was doing doubles.

You can't forget Pahkamova and Gorshkov, who made ice dancing into the elegant sport it is today. And O'Connor and Millns who won the US's only ice dance Olympic medal (who were former roller skating world champions who wanted an Olympic medal) very very smooth skaters. And Sladky and Schwomeyer whom everyone dumps on now because they were the old ballroom style that North Americans sometimes get unhealthily nostalgic for.

Ken Shelley and Alicia Jo(jo) Starbuck. Ken was a good singles skater as well as a pair skater. Starbuck ended up a commentator and married and divorced Terry Bradshaw.

Igor Bobrin, a unique stylist, wildly popular with US crowds, Russian or not! He was skating in the late 1970's, but was also skating in the 1980's. He had a long career.

David Santee, thought to be the new great thing in US skating was snowballed and rolled under by Scott Hamilton. They were both very very fast. I once saw them practice on the same ice, and there really was no room for a 3rd skater; they filled the whole rink. Santee used to skate to Rocky, because he identified with the character. There was a case to be made for Santee to win 1981 worlds IMO.


Tim Wood was a good free skater for years, and I see he isn't listed.

And one should not forget Tenley Albright. I never saw her skate, though.

Another one to remember would be Scott Ethan Allen. After the US team died, Scott at 16 represented the US at the Olympics, landed the only triple jump in the FS, and finished with a bronze medal. He also won bronze at the following worlds.

I loved Toller's skating!! You may not be able to get his competitive programs, but his pro programs are readily available.

And I was lucky enough to see Gary Beacom's last competitive program, skated at 1984 World's. I believe he finished 10th. He was an amazing skater.

Robert Wagenhoffer never placed that high internationally, but was an amazing skater in the US. He is another that died young.

Priscilla Hill, who coaches Johnny Weir was a very elegant skater.

Denise Biellman won World's in 1981, but she had been amazing before 1980, landing the first 3lutz and creating the Biellman spin.
 
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Vash01

Medalist
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
I have only seen tapes of these skaters, but here is my list.

The Protopopovs 1964,68- ballet on ice

John Curry- 1976 Don Quixote

Janet Lynn- very light and skated with joy

Pakhamova-Gorshkov- Ice dancing legends. Their Masquerade Waltz was beautiful (though I have seen only a part of it).

1979 Babilonia-Gardner at worlds: The only US pair that appealed to me.
 
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