1952 Winter Olympics Dick Button

[dvdneely]

not only was he famous for jumping, but his spins were top-notch! thanks for posting!

[betolala]

38-43 second series WTF damn..

[k9henrydog]

@betolala Not many can manage three double axels in a row....he missed the last one......then there is an edit to some other skating........best wishes

[avonchick11]

how does he spin so much and not puke lol xp

[k9henrydog]

@avonchick11 A childhood of practice, but you can make yourself sick.....especially if you have a cold or flu.........you just get used to it, best wishes

[bigyellowduck]

Did you see that jump when he switched feet on his camel spin? Wow~! No wonder he's a legend!

On a funny note, the top related video to this one is Johnny Weir's Poker Face. XD If only we could transport that performance back to 1952... so many minds blown!

[k9henrydog]

That 'would' be a fun thing to see.....I doubt they would have let his costume out of the dressing room!

that change foot spin was a classic Gus Lussi move, and quite common in the 60's. My coach, a student of Lussi, taught it to me, err tried to teach it to me!! lol best wishes

[KiMarsha49]

since he didn't have to learn any of that. And his criticism is only corrective because he

has the mental drive of a perfectionist. He can't help that I'm sure and only wants them to do their

best and I'm sure they know this and see it that way..So don't speak for others unless you've been

there.

[KiMarsha49]

Ok, first of all.Dick Button originated the Triple Loop and if he had been young enough to skate or

had in other words, been born in another place and time...he would have had the skill and athleticism

to perform any of the newer jumps and sequences today's skaters master. So the comment above about how

he criticizes todays skaters harshly furthering the fact that he can't even do what they do..doesn't

make sense cont'd below

[octavian300]

I agree with you,

but

why

are

you

talking

like

this? :o sorry XD

[GrissomLovesSara]

@KiMarsha49 Exactly! Plus I enjoyed this performance more than most that include fancy Quad jumps. This was very fluid and enjoyable. You don't have to sit there and say 'oh are they gonna make it?' The Russians think Gold is owed to them. Sorry but it doesn't work that way anymore. When you lose, take it like a man

[Keattie]

The Paley Center curators just posted a blog about Dick Button, who costarred in the 1958 TV musical "Hans Brinker." I have vague childhood memories of him winning the race and his skating was amazing!!!

[k9henrydog]

that would be something to look for!! I remember a few good 1960's Hans Brinker shows and movies myself. Perhaps I saw it, and did not realize it. Great book! best wishes

[Cathie8791]

A great skater for sure. Dick has always been particularly harsh in his commentaries, but I think deep down he's good hearted and really routing for all these kids. He reminds me of Simon Cowell in that he tells the truth, which is often hard to hear.

[MadMorgan1989]

For the record, this man HARSHLY criticizes skaters whose proficiency FAR SURPASSES anything that he could do. Not going to say that he wasn't talented, but he really needs to lighten up.

[kitboy69]

I agree, I'm finding his commentary SO annoying!

[k9henrydog]

Dick Button brings a Harvard education, 2 a 'Technical College' world. Read the New York Times Arts critics, &you will find Dick quite considerate and tame,compared to real criticism. U young 'whippersnappers' have all been deluded by Scott Hamilton's SKATING AS SPORT, jump counting histrionics!Commentators should bring more 2 an event than just their adrenaline junkie addictions! If the art doesn't show thru N a skaters performance,this sport will soon die a slow death from repetitive boredom.

[Grania52]

Exactly. I'd liken it to when men's tennis "evolved" to simply serve/volley. Bang-bang-bang and the point was over. No one wanted to watch that and the promoters knew it.

With few exceptions, I was very disappointed with the women's competition this year. Arms flailing about like Edward Scissorhands between jumps. Where's the grace, the lyricism, the lay-backs? When Mirai Nagasu, the final skater, executed an exquisite lay-back toward the end of her program, I was almost moved to tears.

[1RoaringMonk]

theres no grace he moves like some greasy potato on a skillet

[k9henrydog]

I can't decide if this is a complement or a put down....best wishes

[Grania52]

Scott Hamilton was a fine skater and seems like a good person, but I want to throttle him when he grunts and growls each time a skater lands a jump. It ruins the whole experience! I wish someone would speak to him about it.

Maybe Dick should have a word with him.

[k9henrydog]

I agree with you 100%, It shows a whole different mental approach to the sport. (a limited one I might add) Skaters don't always make a great commentator. The excitement is already there, we don't need him to add it for us......He's learning though, I thought he did a better job with the Olympics this time....best wishes

[juhkir123]

Dick was right about Pleshenko...no passion!

[lilrojokickdrum]

Sweeeeeet!!!

[toshirofan]

Wow! Thanks!

[brucesv912]

man ive always heard him commentating and thought "what makes him so special" but after actually seeing him skate i am blown away...he was so powerful

[GlitteringGirl65]

Glad he didn't listen to his teacher saying "hell would freeze over before he would become a real skater."

Goes to show: follow your heart and dreams and don't listen to any negative comments.

[k9henrydog]

So true!.............and what an influence he has been for soooo many! best wishes

[dvdneely]

A great skater - not for his time, for ANY time!

[Newtuber1964]

Great flying sit spin!!!!

[spencer225]

i dont like how he always critisizes things that are good. like evan lysacek's 2007 US nationals program he said the triple lutz-triple toe was 2 footed but in the replay it was clean

[k9henrydog]

Well, it's really hard to provide live commentary. You have to go with your impressions, and like you say, check the videotape. That is why they added a techinical specialist with replay! think of how many judges over the years, miscalled a jump landing???!!!

[liriub]

Thank you for posting this vid. I had no idea Dick Button was a former skater, and a great one! I found out that just now, he became a legend, full of gold medals. Good for him! :)

[k9henrydog]

oh yes, we are ALL skaters because of Dick Button. This sport was the plaything of the world's wealthy elite until Dick televised in America, and Eva Pawlik brought TV skating to European audiences! The song "Just One Person", has great significance to we "Peoples of the Frozen Waters!!" best wishes

[figureskater717]

my coach knew this guy. she and him had the same coach. when i found this out i thought it was really cool=)

[k9henrydog]

my first coach was one of Gus lussi's last students as well....Barry Kamber....maybe your teacher knows him!!! best wishes

[figureskater717]

know it wasn't guss lussi... it was a coach when they were younger...

[k9henrydog]

I did learn that Gus Lussi was a Swiss ski jumper (guess that explains the spin advances Dick innovated) that came to Lake Placid in the 1920's, for the jumping hill. Sometime in the next decade, he transformed into a skating coach.

[CLCSDB]

I've met him, I have his autograph, he was very nice. I met him in lake placid, at an ice show, I was the first to receive his autograph there.

[k9henrydog]

Yes, I agree, but we need to give a little credit to his Lake Placid based coach, Gus Lussi!! Someone should find a little video of him!! I can't say that I know anything about where he came from or how he ended up in Lake Placid!!

[cryscars]

Dick Button is THE American legend of American male ice skating!!! He was a innovator, WELL ahead of his time and putting athletism into skating. He did jumps that others weren't even doing back then, and he had a smoothness about his skating along with the jumps. It's hard to believe that Dick Button, who commentates on everything having to do with skating, is the same man in this old film. Amazing!!! We were ALL younger once.