In January 1863, the New York Skating Club was organized. For the first two years, its members skated on a small pond within Central Park at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue known as the Conservatory Pond. There they erected the first NYSC clubhouse at a cost of $2000.
Club Meteorologist and "Father of American Figure Skating"
In 1865, owing to a misunderstanding with Central Park's commissioners, the Club moved to the Fifth Avenue Pond, managed by Mr. Oatman and located on the east side of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street. The Club skated here until 1868.
For the winters of 1871 and 1872, club members skated on McMillans Pond located on the east side of Fifth Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets. This stereopticon view from NY Public Library collection shows the clubhouse that may have been at this location. A club carnival was held here in 1871
Champion Irving Brokaw Tells of Graceful and Skillful Movements on Blades
This was the first of three rinks in Manhattan to be so-named. Located on the east side of Broadway and 53rd Street, it was converted from an old roller rink in 1916 and operated until 1922, when a new “Iceland” was built.
The face of NYC figure skating during the early 20th century. Brokaw and Cheever won Gold for their 10-Step at the 1920s Nationals
Irving Brokaw joined with the Iceland partners and built this new rink which measured 80’ x 200’. The New York Skating Club clubhouse was located in this building at 261 West 52nd St. Sonia Henie first skated in New York City at this Iceland when she was 17 in 1929. The rink was a subject of foreclosure in 1932 and re-opened as the Gay Blades Ice Rink. The building is now the Roseland Ballroom and is slated for demolition in 2014.
Club member Beatrix Loughran wins the first of her 3 Olympic Medals - the Silver medal in Ladies Singles in 1924. She is the only American to win three Olympic medals in figure skating (1924 - Ladies Silver, 1928 -Ladies Bronze, 1932 - Pairs Silver). She won three World’s bronze medals, Ladies in 1924 and Pairs in 1930 and 1932. She is a six-time National champion (1925–1927 in singles, 1930–1932 in pairs). Her Pairs partner was Sherwin Badger.
3-time US pairs medalists Grace Munstock and Joel Liberman won US silver in 1924 and took home bronze in 1925 and 26.
In 1925, the New York Americans joined the National Hockey League, playing in Madison Square Garden. The Amerks proved to be an even greater success than expected, leading Garden president Tex Rickard to go after a team for the Garden despite promising the Amerks that they would be the only hockey team to play there. Rickard was granted a franchise, which he originally planned to name the New York Giants.[citation needed] By the time the franchise was granted in April 1926, the name "New York Rangers Professional Hockey Club" was the official name.[1] The origin of the name Rangers, as in "Tex's Rangers" is variously attributed to Rickard himself or the New York press.[2][3] Rickard managed to get future legendary Toronto Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe to assemble the team. However, Smythe had a falling-out with Rickard's hockey man, Col. John S. Hammond, and was fired as manager-coach on the eve of the first season — he was paid a then-hefty $10,000 to leave.[4] Smythe was replaced by Pacific Coast Hockey Association co-founder Lester Patrick, but kept all of the players Smythe had assembled. The new team turned out to be a winner. The Rangers won the American Division title their first year but lost to the Boston Bruins in the playoffs. The team's early success led to players becoming minor celebrities and fixtures in New York City's Roaring Twenties nightlife. It was also during this time, playing at the Garden on 48th Street, blocks away from Times Square, that the Rangers obtained their now-famous nickname "The Broadway Blueshirts".
Iceland atop Madison Square Garden, the third and last rink of this name. The club's home until 1969.
U.S. Dance champion (1936), U.S. Dance silver medalist (1937), U.S. Fours champion (1939 with Joseph Savage; U.S. Pair bronze medalist (1936 with Howard Meredith); U.S. Dance bronze medalist (1939 with George Boltres).
The Rink opened in 1936 as a way to get more people to visit what was then known as The Sunken Plaza. It was supposed to be a temporary attraction but has became a New York City fixture. Since then, the rink, adorned with a bronze statue of Prometheus, has hosted generations of tourists and New Yorkers alike, some 11 million in all, and become a symbol of the holiday season.
With partner Nettie Prantell, he was the 1937-1938 U.S. Champion and 1943 bronze medalist. With partner Sandy MacDonald, he was the 1939-1941 U.S. Champion and 1942 silver medalist. With partner Kathe Mehl, he is the 1944 U.S. silver medalist. After his competitive career ended, Hartshorne became a skating judge. He was en route to the World Figure Skating Championships in 1961 when his plane (Sabena Flight 548) crashed near Brussels, Belgium, killing all on board. His wife, Louisa, was also killed in the crash.
The pair won the title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships twice in 1945 and 1946.
Yvonne Sherman won the gold medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships twice in ladies' single skating (1949 and 1950) and with Robert Swenning won the gold in pairs (1947) and the silver (1948). Sherman competed in both disciplines in the 1948 Winter Olympics.
US National Champion Sonya Klopfer was just 15 when she won her national title, but earned 2 world medals and a 4th place finish at the Olympics before her 17th birthday. Sonya Klopfer Dunfield later coached Olympic medalists Dorothy Hamill and Elizabeth Manley.
Carol Heiss wins Gold Medal. Carol was known as a very athletic skater for her time. In 1953, she became the first female skater to land a double axel. Carol first came to national prominence in 1951, when she was U.S. Novice Ladies' Champion at age 11. She won the U.S. Junior Ladies title in 1952, and then moved up to the senior level in 1953. From 1953 to 1956, she finished second to Tenley Albright at the National Championships. At the 1956 Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy Carol won the silver medal. At Worlds that year Carol won the first of her five consecutive world titles. Read more
1964 Olympic bronze medalist Scott Allen won the US national title in 1964 and 1966.
Skyrink, 450 West 33rd St. After the old MSG was razed in 1968, SCNY moved to Sky Rink, a cool oasis with royal blue cement walls decorated with white square cubes on the 16th floor of a building at 33rd Street
Melissa Militano competed as both a single skater and pair skater. As a pair skater, she won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships three times, in 1973 with her brother Mark Militano and in 1974 and 1975 with Johnny Johns. Melissa and Mark Militano represented the United States at the 1972 Winter Olympics where they placed 7th.
Dorothy Hamill wins Gold Medal Read more
1982 World champion and 1981 U.S. national champion. She competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics, placing 6th. She also won the Silver medal at the 1982 World championships and the Bronze in 1984
Founded in 1984 by Moira North, Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY) has changed the face of figure skating by creating works that integrate the sensibilities of contemporary dance, music and art. Through its performances in both traditional and alternative venues, ITNY presents on-ice dances that challenge the perceptions and conventional definitions of figure skating. ITNY was the first ice dance company to receive dance program funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. In addition to building and performing works of artistic merit, ITNY also reaches out to the next generation of skaters and audiences through its exemplary education, community outreach and training programs. "Since its establishment in 1984, the Ice Theatre of New York has combined the best of ice skating, dance and theater to create cutting edge performances that represent the very best New York's creative community has to offer." - Mayor Michael BloombergEnter story info here
In August 1995, The Skating Club of New York moved to it's current home at Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers. The new facility is on Pier 61 of the Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex
Figure Skating in Harlem was founded in 1997 by Sharon Cohen to provids opportunity, education, and empowerment for girls in underserved New York City communities. Using the artistic discipline of figure skating as a powerful magnet, we provide girls with innovative education and fitness programs that promote academic success, physical health, and emotional well-being.
With partner John Zimmerman (Birmingham FSC), they are the 2002 World bronze medalist and a three-time (2000–2002) U.S. national champion. The pair also competed at the 2002 Olympics.
Skyliners Synchronized Skating Team was established in 2001 to create a new competitive synchronized skating club in the tri-state area. Over the last eleven seasons, Skyliners has grown to be one of the top synchronized skating clubs in the country. The Senior, Junior, Novice, Intermediate and Juvenile lines represent the Skating Club of New York. Both our Junior and Senior lines are members of the US Synchronized Skating Team, and represent the United States at international events.
Sarah Hughes wins Gold Medal
Johnny Weir is the 2008 World bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, the 2001 World Junior Champion, and a three-time U.S. national champion (2004–2006). He represented the US at the 2006 and 2010 Olympics
Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov are the 2004–2007 U.S. silver Ice Dance medalists. They also competed at the 2006 Olympics in Torino
Emily Hughes is the 2007 U.S. National silver medalist, the 2006 bronze medalist and a member of the 2006 Olympic team. In 2005 she won the bronze medal at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships.
Adam Rippon is the 2010 Four Continents champion, the 2012 U.S. silver medalist, the 2008 and 2009 World Junior champion, the 2008 U.S. junior national champion, and the 2007–2008 Junior Grand Prix Final champion.
Maia Shibutani and her brother Alex (Artic FSC) are the 2011 World bronze medalists, 2011 Four Continents silver medalists, 2009 World Junior silver medalists, two-time U.S. national silver medalists (2011–2012), 2011 NHK Trophy champions and 2010 U.S. Junior national champions.
For the first time Skyliner history, one of the teams - the Junior Line- wins a gold medal. The Skyliner Junior team went on to represent the US at the upcoming World Junior Challenge Cup in Neuchatel, Switzerland.
January 23, 2014 • New York Athletic Club
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