Figure Skating in the Formative Years: Singles, Pairs, and the Expanding Role of Women

Once a winter pastime for socializing and courtship, skating evolved into the wildly popular competitive sport of figure skating, one of the few athletic arenas where female athletes hold a public profile--and earning power--equal to that of men.   Renowned sports historian James R. Hines chronicles figure skating's rise from its earliest days through its head-turning debut at the 1908 Olympics and its breakthrough as entertainment in the 1930s. Hines credits figure skating's explosive expansion to an ever-increasing number of women who had become proficient skaters and wanted to compete, not just in singles but with partners as well.   Matters reached a turning point when British skater Madge Syers entered the otherwise-male 1902 World Championship held in London and finished second. Called skating's first feminist, Syers led a wave of women who made significant contributions to figure skating and helped turn it into today's star-making showcase at every Winter Olympics.   Packed with stories and hard-to-find details, Figure Skating in the Formative Years tells the early history of a sport loved and followed by fans around the world.

Table of Contents:
CoverTitleCopyrightCONTENTSPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionCHAPTER 1. A Goddess, a Saint, and a Daring PrincessCHAPTER 2. The Pioneering Years, 1662-1772CHAPTER 3. The Defining Years, 1772-1869CHAPTER 4. Toward an International StyleCHAPTER 5. The Rise of International CompetitionCHAPTER 6. Skating Between the World WarsCHAPTER 7. Show SkatingCHAPTER 8. What Lies AheadPreface to the AppendixesAPPENDIX A. Competitors at the World Championships, 1896-1939APPENDIX B. Competitors at the European Championships, 1891-1939APPENDIX Competitors at the North American Championships, 1923-1941APPENDIX D. Competitors at the Olympic Winter Games, 1908-1936APPENDIX E. Medal Counts by Discipline and CountryAPPENDIX F. Host Cities for the ChampionshipsAPPENDIX G. World Figure Skating Hall of Fame (Pre-World War II Members)APPENDIX H. Thumbnail Sketches of World and Olympic ChampionsNotesBibliographyIllustration Sources and CreditsIndex

About the Author :
James R. Hines is professor emeritus of musicology at Christopher Newport University. His books include Figure Skating: A History, The English Style: Figure Skating's Oldest Tradition, and Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating.

Review :
"As someone who has spent a lifetime on the ice, it is very meaningful to know who came before me and to better understand their contributions to my experiences on the ice. I think that goes for all skaters and skating fans. It's great fun to know how the sport we love came to this place. Without an appreciation for the past, the present loses value and the future means very little. Enjoy this book that chronicles skating's beloved history."--Scott Hamilton, gold medalist, 1984 Winter Olympics, and winner of four U.S. championships and four World Championships "Jim Hines adds to his authoritative history of figure skating with a detailed review of the evolution of figure skating, from a national level to international competitions. A must-read for anyone who loves figure skating and history."--David Raith, Executive Director, U.S. Figure Skating "Professor James Hines, the distinguished historian of the sport of ice skating, who is also a member of the International Society of Olympic Historians, has written a vital new work that has done much to recognize and record the vital role of women in the success of the sport over the past century and is, therefore, a valuable addition to the literature of the sport."--Benjamin Wright, Senior Past President of the USFSA and former chair of the ISU Figure Skating Committee