Louise and Ben traveled the country and the world judging events and serving on countless international and U.S. Figure Skating commit- tees. Ben is regarded as the organization’s chief historian and served as U.S. Figure Skating’s president from 1973 to 1976. Mary Louise judged 30 U.S. Championships from 1944 to 1994, as well as the 1964 and 1992 Olympic Games. Her 13 judging assignments at the World Championships took place between 1964 and 1991. When Mary Louise died, the club’s junior
activities committee immediately created the Mary Louise Wright Memorial Exhibition Fund for skaters within the club who demonstrate great promise. Tey put on an annual exhibition at the club to help fund the grants awarded to deserving skaters.
“Te junior activities committee decides
who gets the money,” Ben said. “We have a rea- sonably good-sized fund created over the last seven years.” When they weren’t judging competitions,
Mary Louise and Ben enjoyed numerous other interests, including curling. Tey were both also tennis officials as well as active golfers. “Te many contributions of Mary Louise
and Ben to figure skating are significant and speak to their commitment and dedication to this great sport,” U.S. Figure Skating President Patricia St. Peter said.
MORE ABOUT BEN WRIGHT
• As the senior past president of U.S. Figure Skating, Ben Wright holds registration No. 1. He was the chairman and a member of the ISU’s Figure Skating Technical Committee from 1973 to 1992. He served as chairman of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame and Museum Committee for 20 years and is the author of Skating in America (1921- 1996): The 75th Anniversary History of the United States Figure Skating Association. He is an honorary member of the ISU and U.S. Figure Skating and a member of the World Figure Skating and U.S. Figure Skating Halls of Fame. He is an officer, board member and honorary member of The SC of Boston, of which he has been a member since 1937.
1. Mary Louise and Ben attended an exhibition of Olympic champion Scott Hamilton’s memorabilia at the U.S. Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame in the 1980s. Pictured are [l-r] Tom Collins, Joe Serafine, Ben Wright, Scott Hamilton, Fred LeFevre, Helen McLoraine, Franklin Nelson, Mary Louise Wright and Claire Ferguson.
2 Ben Wright is recognized for his many decades of service at the 2011 U.S. Figure Skating’s Governing Council meeting in Chicago.
3. The 1941 North American Championships Four from the Saint Paul FSC (l-r) Robert Uppgren, Janette Ahrens, Mary Louise Premer and Lyman E. Wakefield, Jr.
4. For decades, Mary Louise Wright and husband Ben judged competitions all over the world. This picture was taken at the 1994 Olympics in Hamar, Norway.
5. Curling was a big part of Mary Louise and Ben’s life together. They enjoyed sharing this pastime with friends [l-r] Arnold Schroeder, Jack Might, Pieter Kollen, Jan Serafine, Mary Louise Wright, Ben Wright, Joe Serafine, Christine Haigler, Carlo Fassi and Chuck DeMore. This picture was taken at the Broadmoor SC in Colorado Springs, Colo.
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