Harry Radix, right, with older brothers Frank and Oscar
Harry’s parents Dora and Stasi
Garden, America’s first official immigrant center. Harry’s father, Stanislaus Korzeniewski, changed his surname (a common practice for new immigrants) to Radix upon arrival from Poland to the United States in 1867. He mar- ried Dora Pipper, of German descent, in Ohio in 1873. Te couple moved to Kansas where they rented land and farmed. Stanislaus, who spoke six languages, owned
a local hotel/restaurant in Burrton in the mid- 1880s. Te Radix House was one of Burrton’s crown jewels, and Stanislaus was highly regarded for his work ethic and attention to detail. Tragedy struck the Radix family when Dora
died on Jan. 13, 1889, from intermittent fever at the age of 35, leaving 5-year-old Harry and his four siblings without a mother. Dora’s sister, Amelia, took care of the
younger children for a few years in Junction City, Kan., while Stanislaus and his oldest son moved to Denver for work. In 1893, the family was re- united when Stanislaus moved them to Chicago for the World’s Fair, where he worked as a confec- tioner and baker until his death in 1901.
CHICAGO BECOMES HOME Chicago is where Harry Radix put down
roots, building a career as a diamond and gold broker and becoming the country’s most ardent fan and supporter of figure skating and golf.
18 AUG./SEPT. 2012
He grew up in the city’s Fullerton-Halsted neighborhood — now the trendy Lincoln Park area — participating in various sports. He was an outstanding ice skater and played sandlot base- ball for the Voedisch Colts. Te entrepreneur- ial Radix had neighborhood merchants build bleachers so admission could be charged. After playing semi-pro baseball, he became an avid golfer who shot in the 70s. He remains a significant figure in the Chicago golf community. Much like his father, Radix possessed a great
business sense with the people skills to match. In 1900, at age 16, he worked at the original Marshall Field’s, the famed department store in Chicago’s Loop area. An ambitious young man, Radix took a cashier’s job with precious metals dealer Tomas J. Dee Company and climbed the ranks to become president — all before the age of 40. It was during this period that he married Gertrude Bukal in 1909. Well established as a business man, Radix re-
discovered another love: figure skating. In 1929, he made his presence known as a member of the Chicago Figure Skating Club. Te following year, he became club president. His boundless energy, enthusiasm and willingness to serve propelled the Chicago FSC to new heights. In April 1935, the club produced its first
all–figure skating carnival at the old Chicago Sta- dium. Te two blockbuster performances drew
a total of 31,000 spectators and paved the way for many more club-produced shows. Radix rou- tinely brought in the world’s best skaters, includ- ing three-time Olympic champion Sonja Henie of Norway. Nancy Meiss, a longtime judge and 2009 inductee into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, recalls Henie’s debut in Chicago. “I was president of the junior club of the
Chicago Figure Skating Club at the time,” Meiss said. “Harry came to me and said, ‘Sonja wants your Friday night to practice. [Te club’s junior skaters practiced on Friday nights.] I told him that I’m sure the members would say yes. Tey would go there on Friday night and watch her skate.
“Harry told [Henie’s] father that she could
have the ice on Friday night and that the kids would like to come and watch her skate. Sonja told her father, ‘Te kids could come and pay to watch me skate.’ So I never was a fan of Sonja Henie.” In 1936, Radix made good on his promise
to provide his membership with one of the fin- est indoor facilities. He and a group of Chicago sportsmen purchased and converted the Chicago Riding Club (an equestrian building) into one of the largest artificial ice surfaces in the country. Te club’s new home, the Chicago Arena, hosted the U.S. Championships in 1937, which was the
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