Dick Button | Golden Skate

Dick Button

dlkksk8fan

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Does Dick Button have a offical web site?
It seems he had put out a book titled "An Edge Is A Lean Of The body: A Memoir of Skating" . It is out of print but I thought that perhaps I could send a email or contact someone through a web site to see if this book is available.
 

treeskater

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
No Mr. Button does not have a web site. And No Mr. Button has not gotten around to writing the book with the title you mentioned. Publishing houses sometimes do this even though the book is still in the works/being written. He had started working with someone on the book but that relationship did not work out. I do hope he will find another assistant soon but his activities besides skating do keep him very very busy. I also think he would be the ideal person to narrate a "History of Mens figure skating" like the one HBO did about Ladies FS.
 

PrincessLeppard

~ Evgeni's Sex Bomb ~
Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I checked on Amazon, and the book has been published, it is just way out of print, and none of the other book dealers that they deal with has copies available, which is weird because I can usually find ANY book I want there. I would keep checking, to see if it shows up.

Good luck!

Laura :)
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
treeskater said:
I also think he would be the ideal person to narrate a "History of Mens figure skating" like the one HBO did about Ladies FS.

Love him or Hate him, he is the one to narrate such a history. He's seen them all and could give vivid accounts of Men's Figure Skating with plenty of annecdotes. Of course, being a twice gold Oly winner, as well as twice gold Euros winner he'll always be special.

Joe
 

Grgranny

Da' Spellin' Homegirl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Takura, I can't wait until you get old and see how it feels for someone to say something like that. I was born the same year he was! :cry:
 

takura

On the Ice
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
Grgranny said:
Takura, I can't wait until you get old and see how it feels for someone to say something like that. I was born the same year he was! :cry:

Sorry :( ,I was just being a silly billy. ;)
 

Glacierskater

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Another good resource for books is Ebay. If this book has actually been published, you might want to look for it there. There are 2 conflicting posts as to whether is has been or not.
 

sk8m8

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Great Site

Just a heads up for making your books searches easier...

go to www.isbn.nu this is a website that gives the IBSN number to any book. This book is how all books are listed internationally, so if there is a site in Finnland that sells an out of print book, you can locate it by its IBSN number.

Also, www.alibris.com specializes in out of print/rare books

there are sites
www.fetchbook.com and
www.bookfinder.com that do comparative searches (they will search a number of sites that all sell used books...amazon, half.com, alibris, etc)

Good luck on your book searches. And if nobody will put up with Uncle Dickie for 6 months to get the story, just send me. It would be worth all the "Buttonisms" just to get the story straight from the source. ;)
 

Eeyora

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
I used to hate Dick Button. I used to hate how he would predict how a skater would do prior do entering a jump. However over the past ten years or so he has grown on me. Yes he is the most critical commentator. But he is the most knowledgeble about the sport. I often do find myself agreeing with him most of the time. He doesn't always recognize flutzing but he notices small mistakes and occasionally does recognize flutzing. Which is more than commentators for the other networks. I also like that he does not sugar coat his commentary with fluff. Although some may say he is becoming senile such as when he occeasionally misidentifies jumps. I still find him the best and knowledgeble commentator in the bussiness. I missed him when he was out with his head injury. Peter C was not able to fill his shoes at the major events. Therefore I hope Dick stays with ABC and is able to commentate for ESPN for years to come.
 

OwenEvans

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
A great place to find old/out of print/rare books is:

www.abebooks.com

From Treeskater: "I also think he would be the ideal person to narrate a "History of Mens figure skating" like the one HBO did about Ladies FS."

Could anyone tell me a little about this HBO Ladies FS doco????

:)
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
Joesitz said:
Love him or Hate him, he is the one to narrate such a history. He's seen them all and could give vivid accounts of Men's Figure Skating with plenty of annecdotes. Of course, being a twice gold Oly winner, as well as twice gold Euros winner he'll always be special.

Joe

Dick Button is THE VOICE of figure skating, or at least of American figure skating. The guy is brilliant - seven US titles, five World titles, two Olympic gold medals, and the last American to win the European title. He's articulate, passionate, full of ancedotes, and he makes figure skating a wonderful spectator sport for legions of fans and viewers.

I remember the first time I saw him commentate on ABC TV's "Wide World of Sports". Black and white television - 1962 Worlds at Prague. Dick and Jim McKay were the commentators to witness and report Don Jackson's historic first triple lutz. Dick was practically jumping up and down, "He did it!!!!! He landed it!!!!" When he interviewed Don, Dick looked almost as happy as Don.

I also remember his sensitive and emotional reporting at the 1980 Winter Olympics in which Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner were forced to withdraw.
He said, to paraphrase, "I don't feel bad because they are Americans. I feel sorry because they worked so hard for so many years, and now they were finally at the point where they could show the world how great they are."

Dick really should write a book on the sport. He's been around for so long, and has known so many of the great skaters of the past, present, and future.

Hey, if he needs a ghost writer, I'll volunteer!!! :laugh: :laugh:
 

Gardenkitty

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
I actually asked Mr. Button about the book when I saw him at a skating event, and he said that his attempt at writing it was interrupted by his recovery from his fall and head injury and that the book has not been published.

I'd love to read his take on skating during the last 50 years - I'm sure he'd have some very interesting things to say (and a unique way of saying them :laugh: )
 

RealtorGal

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
He could write the definitive book on skating! :love: Instead we're stuck with 2nd hand mush from sensationalists masquerading as so-called sports journalists (and we all know who I mean!)... Sigh. :eek: :sheesh: :p
 
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