Dick Button was an American original in the world of figure skating. He dedicated much of his life to the sport, from exceptional figure skater to sharp television commentator.
Born in New Jersey in 1929, Button began skating at 12. His father sent him to a skating school in Lake Placid, New York. Button’s tutor was Gustave Lussi, a Swedish instructor who continued to coach him during his competitive years. Button competed in the 1948 European Championships. Button won against Hans Gershwiler. Dick Button is the only American to win the European Championships. Following his victory, non-Europeans could not compete in the European Championships.
Button established himself as a figure skater during the Olympics. In the 1948 Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Button secured the men’s singles and won the gold medal. Button became the youngest man to win the Olympic gold in Figure Skating. Success continued in the 1952 Olympics in Oslo, Norway. He captured gold again and became the first American to win back-to-back Olympic championships in figure skating. Button had many firsts, thanks to his dazzling performances during his many competitions. Button became the first skater to land a double axel, a triple loop, and a camel spin.
After retiring from competition, Button became a performer in ice shows, including touring with Holiday On Ice and being part of the Ice Capades. For the next 50 years, Button became a TV commentator and analyst. He started with the 1960 Winter Olympics. Aside from covering numerous Olympics, Button also provided commentary for the U.S. and World Figure Skating Championships. He was an analyst for all three major networks: CBS, ABC, and NBC. In 1981, Button won an Emmy for outstanding sports personality on TV. His last assignment as a broadcaster came at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Dick Button, in an interview with the New York Times: “Figure skating is a theatrical form. Skaters always have one foot in the sport and the other in the theatrical enterprise.”
Outside of figure skating, Button enjoyed being an actor and had a chance to perform on stage, including being cast in a made-for-TV movie, Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates.
Dick Button died earlier this year, on January 30th. He was 95. His death coincided with a horrible time for the figure skating world: many prospective skaters and their coaches were killed in a mid-air collision over the Potomac River.
