February 13, 2018
Artistry On Ice
The year was 1976 and Olympic fever was in full force that February. There was one person, particularly, everyone was talking about. From her cute, bobbed haircut to her signature skating move, girls everywhere wanted to look like her and boys wanted to date her.
On February 13, the skater won the women’s Olympic gold medal in figure skating. Her name was Dorothy Hamill and she was 19 years old.
From the infallible Wikipedia:
“At the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, Hamill came in second in the figures and then won the short and long programs, taking the gold medal. She was the last single skater to win the Olympics without a triple jump. Hamill also won the 1976 World Championships and then turned professional.
“Hamill is credited with developing a new skating move — a camel spin that turns into a sit spin – which became known as the “Hamill camel.” The bobbed hairstyle that she wore during her Olympic performance was created by stylist Yusuke Suga, and started a fad, known as the “short and sassy” look. Her glasses with oversized frames also started a trend in the 1970s. The media dubbed her ‘America’s sweetheart.’”
Only seven American women have ever won gold in Women’s Olympic Figure skating: Tenley Albright (1956), Carol Heiss (1960), Peggy Fleming (1968), Dorothy Hamill (1976), Kristi Yamaguchi (1992), Tara Lipinski (1998) and Sarah Hughes (2002).
Another Olympic fact, Peggy Fleming was the only US athlete to win a gold medal in the 1968 Olympics. The skating program had been decimated seven years earlier when a fatal plane crash on February 15, 1961, claimed the lives of the entire US skating team and coaches who were en-route to Belgium for an international competition. Also from the infallible Wikipedia:
“All 18 athletes of the 1961 U.S. figure skating team and 16 family members, coaches, and officials were among the fatalities. The dead included 9-time U.S. ladies’ champion, turned coach, Maribel Vinson-Owen and her two daughters, reigning U.S. ladies’ champion Laurence Owen (age 16) and reigning U.S. pairs champion Maribel Owen (age 20). Maribel Owens’s pairs champion partner Dudley Richards and reigning U.S. men’s champion Bradley Lord also died, along with U.S. ice dancing champions Diane Sherbloom and Larry Pierce. The team also lost U.S. men’s silver medalist Gregory Kelley, U.S. ladies’ silver medalist Stephanie Westerfeld, and U.S. ladies’ bronze medalist Rhode Lee Michelson. Laurence Owen was the cover story for the February 13 issue of Sports Illustrated.”
Although I was never an Olympian, I first tried ice skating about age 8 when our neighbor, Royce, sprayed water on his family’s driveway to create an ice rink. Royce, who was several year’s older, had outgrown a pair of skates which I got to borrow. I was very excited about this and, after the skating session, rushed home to ask my mother if we could buy the skates.
My mother, ever practical, told me ‘no.’ I think it had a lot to do with the fact that, in reality, there were few days in any winter – even in Yakima – where the temperatures were cold enough to create an ice rink; also, I did have a tendency to flit from one interest to another and, no doubt, the obsession with ice skating would soon fade. This is why Dorothy Hamill, and not me, won the 1976 Olympic Gold medal. That and the fact that I’m one of the most un-athletic people I know!
As always a couple of links:
The moment you draw a Chance card that says “Take A Walk On The Boardwalk” probably one of two things happen:
“According to an advertisement placed in The Christian Science Monitor, Charles Todd of Philadelphia recalled the day in 1932 when his childhood friend, Esther Jones, and her husband Charles Darrow came to their house for dinner. After the meal, the Todd’s introduced Darrow to The Landlord’s Game, which they then played several times together. At that point the game was entirely new to Darrow, and he asked the Todd’s for a written set of the rules. After that night, Darrow went on to utilize this by distributing the game himself as Monopoly – an act for which the Todd’s refused to speak to Darrow ever again.
In the past 50 years there has not been an artist, more than this one, who has provided the soundtrack for our lives. He embodies the concept of be ‘an original’ and has, since the beginning of his long career, gone his own way. In addition to his commercial success, he’s been recognized by his own country and was knighted on January 30, 1998.
As a teenager in the 1970’s you could not turn on the radio without hearing many of Elton John’s songs. One song in particular stands out for me. It was late fall of 1972 and I was a sophomore in high school. And there was this guy – Ron – who I had a thing for. He, however, was pretty clueless when it came to the whole dating thing, so our relationship never went beyond ‘friends.’ Mostly we’d sit with each other at the Eisenhower High School basketball games and talk to each other in the one class we shared.
“It won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. David and Bacharach also won Best Original Score. The song was recorded by B. J. Thomas in seven takes, after Bacharach expressed dissatisfaction with the first six. In the film version of the song, Thomas had been recovering from laryngitis, which made his voice sound hoarser than in the 7-inch release. The film version featured a separate vaudeville-style instrumental break in double time while Paul Newman performed bicycle stunts.”
Raindrops keep falling on my head but that doesn’t mean, my eyes will soon be turning red- crying’s not for me. And I’m never gonna stop the rain by complaining, because I’m free- nothing’s worrying me!”
Ultimately, the BJ Thomas version has been given the nod as a significant song. Also from the infallible Wikipedia:
Truly riveting events. Which is why January 16th being “National Nothing” Day seems appropriate.*
When I was in high school I had a fabulous teacher by the name of Mrs. Renn. Sadly, the year I was in her class she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. But that did not stop her from coming to school every day and imparting her knowledge and wisdom to a bunch of ungrateful teenagers. One day I recall one of the students must have complained about the literature we were discussing and that she was bored. Mrs. Wren didn’t get mad at the student but took the opportunity to impart her philosophy on life. I paraphrase but the message was this “there is no excuse to EVER be bored; if you have your mind, you can always find something interesting to read, or write, or do.”
So here’s a toast to 2018 as a whole blank slate of a year stretches before us. Whatever your goal may be I wish you the : ‘aim’ ‘dedication’ ‘fortitude’ ‘heart’ ‘mettle’ ‘moxie’ and ‘perseverance’ to achieve it. Happy New Year!
I admit it. I’m a complete nerd when it comes to natural disasters. I’m fascinated by tornadoes and all nature related phenomenon. And while we are mostly able to deal with windstorms, snowstorms and the occasional earthquake here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s impossible to imagine what December 26, 2004 must have been like for the people who experienced a rare mega-thrust earthquake and the devastating tsunami which struck near Sumatra in the Indian Ocean.
Down at Long Beach, Washington, there are the blue tsunami signs which direct people to routes that would, ostensibly, lead them to higher ground. Recently I saw a program on HGTV where a family was purchasing a vacation home ten miles north in Ocean Park. Personally, I would buy something no more than a mile north of Long Beach; in lesser known Seaview would be better. From that location there is a road which quickly gets you up on top of a rather tall promontory. If, however, one happens to be on the north end of the peninsula when such an earthquake occurs it’s probably best to carry an auto- inflatable rubber boat with you when visiting the coast.
It took the author only six weeks to complete the novella which was published on December 19, 1843. All 6,000 of the original copies sold out in less than six days and the book, arguably, is one of the most famous literary works in history.
It’s been the source of much confusion and for those of us from the ‘state’, a source of consternation. When, on December 12, 1800, Congress created the ‘District of Columbia’ I doubt they knew how it would all play out.
Ironically, had they named our state Columbia there would not be any confusion today over which ‘Columbia’ is being discussed since the entire world pretty much calls the nation’s capital ‘Washington.’
Talk about muddying the waters. To learn more about this whole mess be sure to check out these links:
One interesting thing is that a circle was cut from the floor of the Ryman Theater and installed in the center of the new Opry stage. When our family visited Nashville in March 2013 we toured the facility and stood in the famous ‘circle.’ Later that evening we attended a show which featured Craig Morgan as that night’s main act. I was surprised, however, by the number of long time Opry acts which were still being performed including a ‘Minnie Pearl’ impersonator and also Little Jimmy Dickens who, until he died in 2015, was the oldest Opry member.
If you go to Nashville, a visit to the Grand Ole Opry is a must and very worthwhile.
barbaradevore.com 