HIstory in the making?
- Thread starter Fossi
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2003
Interesting to see that others share my concerns about the effects of over-jumping on skaters' bodies.
Does anyone know if this issue is being publicly debated or considered by the ISU or USFSA?
Does anyone know if this issue is being publicly debated or considered by the ISU or USFSA?
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Sonia became Zanuck's little darling. With Shirley Temple getting on in age, the ice skating spectaculars in movies were quite a hit and kept 20th Century in the black.
Joe
Joe
Donna ML said:
Hi Donna ML,
You know, I wasn't really sure of the year that Sonja came in second @ Worlds, but figured it had to be on her first try b/c even in the biography about her (Queen of Ice, Queen of Shadows: The Unsuspected Life of Sonja Henie) by her only sibling, Leif Henie, he never mentioned anything but her wins - 3 Olympic Golds & 10 World Golds. However, he did mention how she came in 8th place at her first Olympics in 1924 (also said how both Sonja & her father thought it was a mistake to compete @ that particular Olympics). Anyhow, I always found that kind of odd, as if ashamed that Sonja actually won silver @ Worlds one year, and it wasn't worth mentioning (JMHO)...
***Note: btw how did you come by this info......not that I don't believe you (I do, no lie)........but was wondering if there was a website out there mentioning this? Thanks in advance.
Btw, do you know of a Jim Johnson? He used to have thee BEST Sonja site on the web, but then one day it disappeared!*** Peace & Love, Nadine
P.S. Donna ML, I really am glad that you've decided to post and truly welcome & look forward to more posts from you (no lie). It always feels good to meet another Sonja Fan, but more than that I love when new knowledgeable posters show up! WELCOME!
P.P.S. One day I hope to meet (online that is) the famous f.s. historian Ben Wright!
^)Sonia was the first skater I ever saw, I was all of three years old. I told my parents that I wanted to learn to skate like her. This was kind of hard since we lived in Southern Califorina and we did not have many rinks and no Ice in the winter . Of course this was 1939. After the war I was able to take lessions at Pickwick in Burbank, so began a lifelong obcession with skating.
I do admit that I am a nit-picker reguarding skating history. Skatingdatabase online has a complete list of all competors and their placements at the World Championships and Olympics for all
diciplines. It's address is www.eskatefans.com/skatabase/majors.html
I do admit that I am a nit-picker reguarding skating history. Skatingdatabase online has a complete list of all competors and their placements at the World Championships and Olympics for all
diciplines. It's address is www.eskatefans.com/skatabase/majors.html
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- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
Yes, that would be awesome is Miki Ando won Worlds! I've never seen her skate before and am really looking forward to seeing her skate and to see everybody else!
Donna ML said:
WOW (I really mean that)!!!
You actually were fortunate enough to see Sonja skate in person.......OMG........that truly must have been something special (thank you so much for sharing that, no lie)!
Always wished that I would've gotten the chance to see Sonja skate, but she died when I was just a babe (literally). 
You don't have to answer this, but I would be very appreciative if you did (not to mention honored), but what was it like to see Sonja skate in person? I realize you were just a child/toddler, but even at that age I wonder if you were able to experience a certain "something"??? (aka atmosphere, energy, aura, magic, etc.). As well as on t.v.? Or at the show house?
What I mean by the above is more of an intangible, rather than a tangible aspect. An example of this is the first time I ever saw Oksana Baiul skate (another all-time favorite of mine).......happened to turn on the t.v. during 93 Worlds......and there she was ~ Bambi on ice (no lie)! She was skating to that famous Broadway Show Tunes number, and there was an electricity about it all.........kind of like if it was possible, one could see a swish of red hot electricity where once she danced........leaving in her wake a residue of that energy/electricity. JMHO.
Before I end, I wanted to sincerely Thank You for posting that link to that wonderful site (no lie). Most comprehensive World Record Stats I have ever seen! Weird, never knew before (until you posted) that Sonja placed 5th at her first ever Worlds in 1924 in Oslo, Norway, at the age of 11 (must've been right after her first debut at the Olympics where she placed 8th/last). However, I did know that she placed second one year at Worlds (though this is rarely mentioned in publications, let alone in the biography done on her by her only sibling). Haven't finished surfing through them all, but I intend to, not to mention bookmarking it.
***Note: here's a link to several Sonja Henie sites (too bad Jim Johnson's site has been MIA for at least a year now
- http://www.mnc.net/norway/henie.htmPeace & Love, Nadine
P.S. Off-topic, but just wanted to mention that I have a sister whom is named Sonia (but with an "i").
^)http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3632169/1081533634712_1s.henie.jpg
My aunt worked for 20th Century Fox in the make-up dept. She was the make-up artist for several of Sonia's films. She managed to get a studio pass for my mother,my sister and I to see a skating sequence filmed. I don't remember much except I really liked it. I was fortunate to see Sonia several times when her Hollywood on Ice show was on tour during the 1940's. I also had the pleasure of seeing and meeting Belita and Vera Ralston who practiced at my rink. Though not as well known as Sonia they both made skating movies during the 40's, that I as a skating fanatic thought were good. My other favorite during my formative years was Donna Atwood, I made sure that I went every time her show came to Los Angeles. My early obcession was with the pro's. 1948 changed all that , Dick Button and Barbara Ann Scott's wins at the Olympics opened the world of amature(elegible) skating to me.
My I do go on and on but I love to chat about skating. Not much chance at home as I am the only skating fan.
The boards are interesting but most posters don't seem to care about skating's past. They are tied up in the present. I have my current favorites, but I love to rembember all of the past skaters who have given so much pleasure to lifelong fans like me.
My I do go on and on but I love to chat about skating. Not much chance at home as I am the only skating fan.
The boards are interesting but most posters don't seem to care about skating's past. They are tied up in the present. I have my current favorites, but I love to rembember all of the past skaters who have given so much pleasure to lifelong fans like me.
Sorry, Nadine got tied up in history again!!!
As to my feelings the second time I saw Sonia live (the first time I was too young) was that this was magic she related so well to the audience and you just knew she was very special. I still get that feeling when I see her old films. I also think that she had a great comedic talent. She was putdown so many time's about her lack of acting talent however so many of her movies showed a great comic talent. I just loved them.
I know from your posts that you are a Oksana and Sarah Hughes fan. But for me the only skater who gave me the same feeling of magic has been Michelle Kwan.
There have been so many skaters over the years that I have loved. But the top have to be Sonia and Michelle.
Thank you for your many Kind words,
Donna
As to my feelings the second time I saw Sonia live (the first time I was too young) was that this was magic she related so well to the audience and you just knew she was very special. I still get that feeling when I see her old films. I also think that she had a great comedic talent. She was putdown so many time's about her lack of acting talent however so many of her movies showed a great comic talent. I just loved them.
I know from your posts that you are a Oksana and Sarah Hughes fan. But for me the only skater who gave me the same feeling of magic has been Michelle Kwan.
There have been so many skaters over the years that I have loved. But the top have to be Sonia and Michelle.
Thank you for your many Kind words,
Donna
Donna ML said:
What a joy it is to have you here (no lie)!
I've always always wanted to converse with someone whom can remember what skating was like in Sonja Henie's day.........b/c I admit I absolutely LOVE history..........must get it from my late father whom was a school teacher, and history was his favorite subject to teach, especially to the little ones (including my siblings & myself).
***Note: it's not just skating either - love any kind of history really - whether it be boxing (my daddy & one brother used to box & won many trophies) or silent films or you-name-it!***
Back to skating, lol
, I known of whom you speak in regards to Belita, Vera Ralston, & Donna Atwood........have seen their names numerous times while perusing antique shops, old scrapbooks, etc........even procured a vintage scrapbook from one fellow whose brother used to skate in ice shows with Sonja Henie & Barbara Ann Scott! His last name was Paschoal (he died in 1997), and he was a junior competitor during the mid-50's, which was when he put his much beloved scrapbook together. He skated with Holiday On Ice and actually performed with Sonja Henie at the Boulevard Room in Chicago. In fact, the photo below was taken by him & signed by Barbara Ann Scott herself ~ he had the biggest crush on her (no lie); his scrapbook contained more stuff on her than anybody else in the skating world, including Sonja Henie! 
***Note: IIRC one of the aforementioned names (i.e. Belita, Vera Ralston, & Donna Atwood) appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine in the 60's; think it was the latter.***
Will end here, but wish to respond to your other post after this one - sorry, I don't know how to quote two posts at the same time. *embarrassed*
Peace & Love, Nadine
P.S. Unfortunately, I lost my grandmother in 1992 at the age of 82 (whom was a wealth of knowledge about history), but couldn't tell me much about skating b/c she was raised in an orphanage from the age of 5 until she was married. Needless to say, there was no money for ice skating, et al.
"I felt I was in the presence of a divinity" - remarked Ethel Barrymore upon seeing her hero Richard Strauss play piano for the first time
http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3632169/1078955599858_1barbarascott.jpg
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Donna ML said:
Me again, Donna, lol!
Thank you for your latest most interesting post.......and for sharing yourself like that.........much much appreciated (no lie).
Since you were so kind to me, I will reciprocate in turn, and tell you whom originally pulled me into skating (btw I also spoke about this a month or two ago, which you can find if you do a "search" on my posts).
Dorothy Hamill was the one whom caught my attention when I was, literally, just a child in 1976. I saw her skate, on t.v., at the 1976 Olympics and said I want to be just like her!. Lol!
Even allowed my mother to take me to the beauty parlor in order to get a "Dorothy Hamill Haircut". ^D Dorothy just had that special something ~ pure joy & an effervescence that translated through the t.v. screen onto the viewer ~ in fact I went outside the next day & pretended I was Dorothy on roller skates (my family didn't have the money in those days to allow us 5 kids to go ice skating, so roller skating was the next best thing). Btw, it was b/c of Dorothy that flowered my initial interest in skating, but more importantly in Sonja Henie (no lie). Thereafter, I couldn't wait to watch Sonja whenever her movies appeared on those early Saturday mornings (along w/Shirley Temple, lol). ^DDDOksana Baiul, however, was the one whom transfixed me in the same way that Sonja Henie did........almost as if they both put a spell on me (no lie)..........ethereal as well as comedic (btw I agree w/you on Sonja being a natural-born comedienne; likewise Oksana Baiul IMHO, especially when she skated to "All That Jazz"). Both skaters full of undeniable charisma, that's for sure.
Sincerely looking forward to more of your wonderful, knowledgeable, and insightful posts Donna! It truly is a pleasure having you here.
^)Peace & Love, Nadine
P.S. The following is the one whom started it all for me:
^Dhttp://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3632169/1081188921479_0000dorothy.jpg
