Irving Brokaw
Encyclopedia
Isaac Irving Brokaw was an American
figure skater, artist
, lawyer
, and financier
. He represented the United States at the 1908 Summer Olympics in the figure skating competition
, becoming the first American to compete in a sport included in the Winter Olympic program. After he won an international prize in Switzerland
, he brought the International Style
of skating back to the United States. His book, "Art of Skating" was known as the figure skater's bible.
on March 29, 1871 as Isaac Irving Brokaw to Isaac Vail Brokaw and Elvira Tuttle Gould. He was a member of a wealthy New York City family, his father having founded the Brokaw Brothers men's clothing stores. His brothers were lawyer and sportsman George Tuttle Brokaw
(whose first wife was Clare Booth, later Luce), Howard Crosby Brokaw, and Frederick Brokaw, who drowned at Elberon, New Jersey, while a student at Princeton. Noted cousins included sportsmen William Gould Brokaw and Clifford Vail Brokaw, their sisters Florence Brokaw, of Martin Hall, (Mrs. James E. Martin, later Mrs. Preston Pope Satterwhite) and Lilla Brokaw (Mrs. H. Bramhall Gilbert, later Mrs. Cyril Patrick William Francis Radclyffe Dugmore).
On February 4, 1903, Brokaw married Lucile Nave in St. Joseph. Her family co-owned the Nave & McCord Mercantile Company
, a chain of wholesale stores in the Midwest. They had three daughters:
Irving Brokaw died March 19, 1939, in West Palm Beach, Florida
.
in figure skating, where he placed 6th
. The 1908 Olympics were the first Games in which figure skating was contested. Brokaw became the first American to compete in skating, and by extension any Winter Olympic sport, at the Olympic Games.
He was later elected as an honorary president of the U.S. Figure Skating Association, and made large contributions to skating techniques.
Brokaw graduated from New York Law School and 1907, but never practiced law as a profession. He was also a well-known artist, and a member of The Salons of America, an art society, and also of the Huguenot Society.
In the 1910, Brokaw wrote the book "The Art of Skating", which was referred to as the "figure skater's bible" by Time Magazine. In 1976, he was posthumously inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
figure skater, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, and financier
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
. He represented the United States at the 1908 Summer Olympics in the figure skating competition
Figure skating at the 1908 Summer Olympics
At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, four figure skating events were contested. This took place at the Prince's Skating Club, in the district of Knightsbridge...
, becoming the first American to compete in a sport included in the Winter Olympic program. After he won an international prize in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, he brought the International Style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
of skating back to the United States. His book, "Art of Skating" was known as the figure skater's bible.
Personal life and family
He was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on March 29, 1871 as Isaac Irving Brokaw to Isaac Vail Brokaw and Elvira Tuttle Gould. He was a member of a wealthy New York City family, his father having founded the Brokaw Brothers men's clothing stores. His brothers were lawyer and sportsman George Tuttle Brokaw
George Tuttle Brokaw
George Tuttle Brokaw was an American lawyer and sportsman.He was born in Elberon, New Jersey, a son of Isaac Vail Brokaw, who with his brother, William, owned the New York City-based Brokaw Brothers clothing stores from 1856 until his death in 1914.As the eldest child, George inherited the right...
(whose first wife was Clare Booth, later Luce), Howard Crosby Brokaw, and Frederick Brokaw, who drowned at Elberon, New Jersey, while a student at Princeton. Noted cousins included sportsmen William Gould Brokaw and Clifford Vail Brokaw, their sisters Florence Brokaw, of Martin Hall, (Mrs. James E. Martin, later Mrs. Preston Pope Satterwhite) and Lilla Brokaw (Mrs. H. Bramhall Gilbert, later Mrs. Cyril Patrick William Francis Radclyffe Dugmore).
On February 4, 1903, Brokaw married Lucile Nave in St. Joseph. Her family co-owned the Nave & McCord Mercantile Company
Nave & McCord Mercantile Company
The Nave & McCord Mercantile Company was a major pioneer mercantile chain of stores in the Midwest from the mid-19th century through the early 1930s. The company’s primary founders were brothers-in-law Abram Nave and James McCord.- Early history:...
, a chain of wholesale stores in the Midwest. They had three daughters:
- Barbara (Mrs. Leonard Jarvis Cushing)
- Louise, aka Mimi (Mrs. Richard Derby Tucker)
- Lucile (Mrs. James Duane Pell Bishop and later Mrs Rombout van Riemsdyk). She became an artist.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1070947/2/index.htm#ixzz18YzkY0Xj Lucile Brokaw was the model for what is considered the first "action" fashion photograph, taken by Martin MunkacsiMartin MunkácsiMartin Munkácsi Kolozsvar, Austro-Hungary, May 18, 1896, died July 13, 1963, New York, NY) was a Hungarian photographer who worked in Germany and the United States.- Life and Works :...
and published in Harper's BazaarHarper's BazaarHarper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
in 1933. In it she appears running down a beach.http://store.metmuseum.org/posters+prints/martin-munkacsi-lucile-brokaw-piping-rock-beach-long-island-exhibition-poster/invt/80007346/?temp=enlarged&layout=empty
Irving Brokaw died March 19, 1939, in West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
.
Career
As a figure skater, Brokaw competed in early national championships in the United States that predated the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and won the events in 1906 and 1908. He competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
in figure skating, where he placed 6th
Figure skating at the 1908 Summer Olympics
At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, four figure skating events were contested. This took place at the Prince's Skating Club, in the district of Knightsbridge...
. The 1908 Olympics were the first Games in which figure skating was contested. Brokaw became the first American to compete in skating, and by extension any Winter Olympic sport, at the Olympic Games.
He was later elected as an honorary president of the U.S. Figure Skating Association, and made large contributions to skating techniques.
Brokaw graduated from New York Law School and 1907, but never practiced law as a profession. He was also a well-known artist, and a member of The Salons of America, an art society, and also of the Huguenot Society.
In the 1910, Brokaw wrote the book "The Art of Skating", which was referred to as the "figure skater's bible" by Time Magazine. In 1976, he was posthumously inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame
United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame
The United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame serves as a repository for the sport of figure skating. The United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame is where the greatest names in the history of the sport are honored. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame is considered the highest achievement an...
.
Further reading
- Irving Brokaw, Former American Champion, Describes What Is True and "Fake" in This Art of Winter – New York Times article
- Irving Brokaw Skating in Central Park – New York Public Library
- Collins, Arian, "The Nave Family, Bordertown Publications, San Diego, CA, 2009