Taking a little break from stamping today. Today is the 50th anniversary of the plane crash where the entire U.S.Figure Skating team was killed, along with coaches, officials, and family members. The plane was on its way to Prague, where the athletes were to compete at the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships. This event is the single largest tragedy in sports.
Tonight, the movie, Rise, will be showing in theaters across the country. Its byline is "Can the end of one dream give rise to another?" The movie is about the impact of this plane crash on figure skating today. And, surprisingly, there is a close connection between that event and the people currently involved in the sport. For people like Peggy Fleming, her role models perished in the crash. Yes, she rose quickly to the height of her sport, but all while facing personal difficulties. Frank Carroll, one of the finest coaches in the sport today, lost his coach in that crash. Evan Lysacek's Gold Medal at the last Olympics completed a circle for Carroll.
Even if you're not a big figure skating fan, there is so much to see and hear. The movie contains interviews with Brian Boitano, Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, Scott Hamilton, and Michelle Kwan. And there are film clips of so many skating legends.
Rise is in theaters only one night, so time is critical.
By the way, many of you know that we're a "skating family." My daughters have been on skates since they were 3 years old, competitively most of that time.They learned so much from the sport. Hence the quote by Scott Hamilton in today's post title.
The traditional way to wish a skater good luck before competition is to say, "Skate Great". So today, instead of Happy Stamping, I'll close with…
Sk8 Gr8,
Sandi
I hope that you have the opportunity. It was a good history lesson. And it did a nice job of connecting an event that happened long ago to the lives of people today!
I wish I could have seen it.
As I said, this sport gave so much to my daughters, I can’t help but love it!
Beautifully written, Sandi. Well done. My mother and I have watched skating competitions since I was very young and I’m glad to have more of the inside scoop through your family. Cheers to those who continue to compete and bring such beauty to skating. And thank you to those who have left us but will never be forgotten. Sk8Gr8!!