I wish that the team had taken another flight, and that now-senior-citizens Dudley and Maribel Richards could show this video to their children, grandchildren, and friends...
there was a couple of pairs skaters from the US team on that flight, that were parents of a baby that was anywhere from 6 months to 18 months. I remember they had a baby, but, don't remember the age. I always wondered what happened to him afterwards.
@ProudKansan08 Ice dancers Robert and Patricia Dineen were survived by an eight-month-old son, Robert Jr. He was adopted and raised by a paternal uncle and aunt, and appeared as an adult at a skating exhibit that was a tribute to the U.S. figure skating and ice dancing team that perished in the 1961 crash.
God rest their sweet souls. It is such an honor to finally see the performances of Maribel, Dudley and the other skaters who left this world much too soon.
Thank you so much for posting this. What a treat to see this performance. How incredibly sad that they were gone all too soon. RIP the 1961 National Team.
I do so like this video! It shows what all those things you read about in the old USFSA rulebook about pairs skating was about!!! Glad to have it back!
He was a close family friend of the Kennedy family, and he had roomed with Ted at Harvard. Ted wrote about his friendship with "Dud" in his autobiography. I believe Richards was the oldest of the skaters who perished in the crash.
I'm reading two books about these skaters and how they died, and its nice to actually see Little Maribel, as she was called sometimes, and Dudley skating, other than reading about how they skated. It is too bad that he was waiting to propose marriage to her after they skated in Prague. I wonder if she knew he was going to propose, since most couples speak about marriage, or if he was going to surprise her. The books say they were in love. From what I read about the last minutes of their lives, it must of been horrendous, the way the jet was spinning, going straight up in the air, bucking back and forth and then nose diving. One book even suggests that there was or were terrorist/s aboard the plane from the former Belgium Congo aboard and that it was kept from the public, but the pilot was found to have a bullet in his head, and a gun was found on the jet, and this would of been the very first aerial terrorist act, but its been kept hush hush. Don't know if this is true or not, but it could explain why the jet looked like the pilot didn't know what he was doing in the last moments. The crash has never been explained to anyone's satisfaction. So sad. May they all rest in peace.
Gully R. Sure the other book is Indelible Images also by Patricia Shelley Bushman. It’s a companion book to Indelible Tracings illustrated with many rare photos of the 61 team. I highly recommend it.
@schutzenhaus Well, I'm under 50 and I agree with those who say that the loss of figures has cost the sport as far as good basics, and edge work. I think lowering the percentage of figures versus the SP and LP a little more would have been sufficient (enough but not so much to keep great free skaters like Yamaguchi and Ito out of the medals). Jmo.
I always thought the opposite. If the skaters didn't do well on the figures, and had the perfect skating performance, the low scores of the figures always seem to cost the skaters medals or placing. I understand how it makes one better skaters, but, like I said, it cost lots of skaters who should have gotten 1st place and the gold and those who scored perfect in the figures and not so good in the competition, higher scores and placements. To me, it was like a double edged sword.
Beautiful unison - there was so much dignity and style in skating then. Sounds like Dick Button too assisting with commentary. Sad as the team was gone as of 2/15/1961. We will never forget them. RIP ⛸ 🌎 ✌ ☮
Interesting to compare them to the pairs skaters now at the 2022 Winter Olympics! The moves are much more difficult now, they probably thought the moves done now were un achievable then
All of them dead so suddenly. I think changes have been changed and entire teams can fly on one plane. All of that talent and knowledge gone immediately. Dudley Richards was the roomate and friend of Ted Kennedy's when they were at Harvard.
They were being seen as a romantic partners. Maribel and Dudley were wonderful. This is beautiful and they were dead in less than one month and I will always wonder why
Kathleen Gourn Not only a longtime friend and summer-sailing-partner at Hyannis, Dudley Richards also was Teddy Kennedy’s freshman roommate at Harvard.
How sad to watch the 1961 team knowing that they would all perish in a couple of weeks. We are so fortunate to have their lovely performances on film!
I wish that the team had taken another flight, and that now-senior-citizens Dudley and Maribel Richards could show this video to their children, grandchildren, and friends...
there was a couple of pairs skaters from the US team on that flight, that were parents of a baby that was anywhere from 6 months to 18 months. I remember they had a baby, but, don't remember the age. I always wondered what happened to him afterwards.
@ProudKansan08 Ice dancers Robert and Patricia Dineen were survived by an eight-month-old son, Robert Jr. He was adopted and raised by a paternal uncle and aunt, and appeared as an adult at a skating exhibit that was a tribute to the U.S. figure skating and ice dancing team that perished in the 1961 crash.
They were doomed. The plane went nose first to the ground and exploded due to machine error. I wish I could tell them to take another plane.
God rest their sweet souls. It is such an honor to finally see the performances of Maribel, Dudley and the other skaters who left this world much too soon.
faeryquene. So beautifully done, so.much flair, so awesome
Remember 1961 today so happy there is film of these skaters.
Thank you so much for posting this. What a treat to see this performance. How incredibly sad that they were gone all too soon. RIP the 1961 National Team.
Wow - they were really good. Love the jumps together. And a really difficult transition into back camel spin.
I do so like this video! It shows what all those things you read about in the old USFSA rulebook about pairs skating was about!!! Glad to have it back!
Love this gem
These two were a couple off the ice too - rumor has it Dudley was going to propose in Prague.
He was a close family friend of the Kennedy family, and he had roomed with Ted at Harvard. Ted wrote about his friendship with "Dud" in his autobiography. I believe Richards was the oldest of the skaters who perished in the crash.
MissFit29 True!
interesting to see a lot of ice dance type moves and lifts. oh how times have changed this disipline.
I'm reading two books about these skaters and how they died, and its nice to actually see Little Maribel, as she was called sometimes, and Dudley skating, other than reading about how they skated. It is too bad that he was waiting to propose marriage to her after they skated in Prague. I wonder if she knew he was going to propose, since most couples speak about marriage, or if he was going to surprise her. The books say they were in love. From what I read about the last minutes of their lives, it must of been horrendous, the way the jet was spinning, going straight up in the air, bucking back and forth and then nose diving. One book even suggests that there was or were terrorist/s aboard the plane from the former Belgium Congo aboard and that it was kept from the public, but the pilot was found to have a bullet in his head, and a gun was found on the jet, and this would of been the very first aerial terrorist act, but its been kept hush hush. Don't know if this is true or not, but it could explain why the jet looked like the pilot didn't know what he was doing in the last moments. The crash has never been explained to anyone's satisfaction. So sad. May they all rest in peace.
Do you happen to recall the name of the third book you read? I've read Indelible Tracings and Frozen in Time. Those are the only two I have found.
Gully R. Sure the other book is Indelible Images also by Patricia Shelley Bushman. It’s a companion book to Indelible Tracings illustrated with many rare photos of the 61 team.
I highly recommend it.
Thanks so much, Valerie Teti!
Gully R. You’re welcome glad I could help!
First aerial terrorist attack was an American flight the captains daughter went on to fly for Twa and is an aerobatic pilot
@schutzenhaus Well, I'm under 50 and I agree with those who say that the loss of figures has cost the sport as far as good basics, and edge work. I think lowering the percentage of figures versus the SP and LP a little more would have been sufficient (enough but not so much to keep great free skaters like Yamaguchi and Ito out of the medals). Jmo.
The weight of the school figures was lowered and finally eliminated.
I always thought the opposite. If the skaters didn't do well on the figures, and had the perfect skating performance, the low scores of the figures always seem to cost the skaters medals or placing. I understand how it makes one better skaters, but, like I said, it cost lots of skaters who should have gotten 1st place and the gold and those who scored perfect in the figures and not so good in the competition, higher scores and placements. To me, it was like a double edged sword.
Beautiful unison - there was so much dignity and style in skating then. Sounds like Dick Button too assisting with commentary. Sad as the team was gone as of 2/15/1961.
We will never forget them. RIP ⛸ 🌎 ✌ ☮
Lost this beautiful pair this day 1961 🌹
4:08 I loved the spiral straight into the spin...rest in peace.
Gone this day February 15, 1961 🌹
Remember the lost of 1961 USA skaters February 15.
fab42355 they died on Feb 15?
xjacky11x x Yes, they did.
I own the DVD Rise and the 1961finals. The only book I don't own is indelible images. I see this and it's sad at what could have been.
Interesting to compare them to the pairs skaters now at the 2022 Winter Olympics! The moves are much more difficult now, they probably thought the moves done now were un achievable then
60 years ago they were gone 😢 💔
55 years ago we lost our skaters
Для того времени очень даже хорошо катались, какое место заняли, интересно
All of them dead so suddenly. I think changes have been changed and entire teams can fly on one plane. All of that talent and knowledge gone immediately. Dudley Richards was the roomate and friend of Ted Kennedy's when they were at Harvard.
I don't know who named me slimefart when my name is Ken.
They were being seen as a romantic partners. Maribel and Dudley were wonderful. This is beautiful and they were dead in less than one month and I will always wonder why
He was a personal friend of the Kennedy family
Kathleen Gourn Not only a longtime friend and summer-sailing-partner at Hyannis, Dudley Richards also was Teddy Kennedy’s freshman roommate at Harvard.