‘100 YEARS OFEXCELLENCE’
SC of Boston celebrates historic milestone by TROY SCHWINDT/PHOTOS BY SARAH BRANNEN
he Skating Club of Boston celebrated its 100th anniversary on Feb. 18 with “Te Skat- ers’ Ball” at the historic Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in downtown Boston. An all-star cast of past and present skating greats attended the gala, including Olympic champions Dick Button, Tenley Albright, Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill, Olympic medalists Nancy Kerrigan and Paul Wylie, World champion Randy Gardner, and many oth- ers who have called Te SC of Boston home. Te sold- out, black-tie event, which featured a “Winter Wonder- land” theme, attracted 573 guests. Te significance of the anniversary milestone wasn’t lost on any of the longtime members, including Paul George, who, with wife, Helen, has been involved with the club on and off for more than 50 years. “When I think about its long, distinguished history,
T
I’m reminded of other sports dynasties, where athletes and teams have excelled for decades,” George said. “Te Boston Celtics come to mind.” Te evening possessed a magical feel, event co-chair
Sally Zeghibe said. “It was like old home week,” said Zeghibe, who,
with Suna Murray, pulled the spectacular evening togeth- er. “People who hadn’t seen each other in 25 or 30 years picked up right where they left off. Friendships made in skating endure. It was magical to see all of these people come together for this historic occasion.” Te guest list also included grandsons of A. Winsor
Weld, the first president of U.S. Figure Skating and sec- ond president of Te SC of Boston. “We were able to bring it back from the very begin-
ning,” Zeghibe said. Zeghibe credited Murray with being able to reach out to the skating community and pack the hotel, which is also celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. “She was the driving force,” Zeghibe said. Wylie acted as master of ceremonies, and music pro-
vided by the Bo Winiker Orchestra drew many current and former skaters to the dance floor. Te SC of Boston, the third-oldest figure skating club in the country [Te SC of Boston was actually in- corporated in April of 1912], has recently announced de- tails about the development of its new world-class facility,
1. Brian Boitano, Ross Miner, Paul Wylie and Harrison Choate enjoyed the festive atmosphere.
2. Olympic champions Dick Button and Tenley Albright helped make up the rich history of The SC of Boston.
3. Skating great Paul Wylie and his wife, Kate, reveled in The SC of Boston’s historic occasion.
4. The SC of Boston pairs team of Gretchen Donlan and Andrew Speroff paid tribute to “100 years of Excellence.”
22 APRIL 2012
which will be located just six blocks away from its current home. Te new complex will feature three rinks, one for hockey, one for figure skating and one in a 2,000-seat performance center. Te building architects attended the gala and set up a model of the new facility for all to see. “We really needed to step up to the plate as this gen-
eration to put something into place that would serve the club and figure skating for the next 100 years,” Te SC of Boston President Joe Blount said. One of the club’s longtime coaches, Tom McGinnis, became the club’s 35th honorary member during a din- ner held the night before the gala. McGinnis has coached at Te SC of Boston since 1961 and continues to work with figure skaters there from beginning through com- petitive levels. He also directs the club’s Monday night Basic Skills program. In the event program distributed at the Skaters’ Ball, a four-page pull-out timeline with classic images and information of Te SC of Boston’s glorious history was featured.
“I used to come and watch the Ice Chips show in the
mid-1960s,” said Hamill, whose grandmother lived near- by. “And then I skated in the show myself many times. It was a small world in those days.” Gardner, who is a lifetime club member with his
partner Tai Babilonia, also remembered skating in Ice Chips. “Tai and I did Chips for years,” he said. “We’d come
early and leave late. Tenley [Albright] was a great sup- porter of ours.” Te gala also served as a benefit for the club’s new
Youth in Sport initiative. Te program provides support for city youth and city-based organizations supporting youth in learning, appreciating and excelling in the sport of figure skating. More information can be found on the club's website:
www.youthinsport.scboston.org. “To reach this extraordinary milestone is a testament to the dedication of your community of skaters, profes- sionals and families to establishing and maintaining a standard of excellence in every facet of our sport for the past 100 years,” U.S. Figure Skating President Patricia St. Peter said in her congratulatory letter that appeared in the event program.
5. Coach Bobby Martin and wife, Barbie, delighted in their evening on the town.
6. World pairs champion Randy Gardner and The SC of Boston Executive Director Doug Zeghibe spent the evening getting reacquainted with old friends.
7. Olympic champion Brian Boitano and The SC of Boston’s longtime member Ben Wright talked past, present and future.
8. The historic Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in downtown Boston provided the ideal setting for The
SC of Boston’s 100th anniversary celebration titled “The Skaters’ Ball.” The gala recognized “100 Years of Excellence.” A winter wonderland theme fit the occasion perfectly. The hotel also turns 100 this year.
9. Stephen Carriere, the 2008 U.S. bronze medalist, cut the rug with a young lady.
10. Even the dessert took on a celebratory look. 11. For one night, skating took center stage in the great sports town of Boston.
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PHOTOS BY SARAH BRANNEN
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