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Scott Hamilton (figure skater)
Encyclopedia
Scott Scovell Hamilton (born August 28, 1958) is an American
figure skater
and Olympic
gold medalist. He won four consecutive U.S. championships (1981–1984), four consecutive World Championships (1981–1984) and a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics
.
. He was adopted at the age of six weeks by Dorothy (née McIntosh), a professor and Ernest S. Hamilton, a professor of biology, and raised in Bowling Green, Ohio
. He has two siblings, older sister Susan (his parents' biological daughter) and younger brother Steven (who was also adopted). He attended Kenwood Elementary School.
When Scott was two years old he contracted a mysterious illness that caused him to stop growing. After numerous tests and several wrong diagnoses (including a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis
that gave him just six months to live), the disease began to correct itself. His family physician sent him to Boston Children's hospital to see a Dr. Shwachman. Sources are unable to verify if he was actually diagnosed by Dr. Shwachman as having Shwachman-Diamond syndrome. It is said that a special diet and exercise cured the problem. However, he grew to only 5-foot-2½ and he weighed only 108 pounds during his peak skating years. Scott attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
At age 13 he began training with Pierre Brunet, a former Olympic champion. In 1976 however, he was almost forced to quit skating because the cost of training was too high, and he enrolled in college. However, Helen and Frank McLoraine
stepped in to provide financial support for Hamilton to continue his training. Hamilton would later work with the McLoraines in continuing philanthropic support for figure skating.
, earning him a place on the U.S. Olympic team. He finished in fifth place at the 1980 Winter Olympics
, where he also had the honor of carrying the American flag in the opening ceremony. His breakthrough performance was in the 1981 U.S. Championships. He performed flawlessly and the audience was at a standing ovation several seconds before the end of the performance. He never lost a competition again. In 1981 he won gold in the World Figure Skating Championships
. He won gold again in 1982 and 1983 at the U.S. and World Championships, and won the gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics
. He won that year's World Championships and then turned professional in April 1984.
After turning professional, Hamilton toured with Ice Capades
for two years, and then created "Scott Hamilton's American Tour," which later was renamed Stars on Ice
. He co-founded, co-produced and performed in Stars on Ice for fifteen years before retiring from the tour in 2001 (though he still returns for occasional guest performances).
He has been awarded numerous skating honors, including being the first solo male figure skater to be awarded the Jacques Favart Award (in 1988). In 1990 he was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame
.
Hamilton was a skating commentator for CBS
television for many years, beginning in 1985. He has also worked for NBC
television. In 2006 he was the host of the FOX
television program "Skating with Celebrities
." He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Special Olympics International.
episode "Dances with Dogs".
He was also seen in The Fairly OddParents
episode The Fairy World Games" as Timmy Turner's cohost
He appeared on the August 26, 2008 episode of Wanna Bet?
, where he finished 2nd, losing to Bill Engvall
. In 2009, he appeared in the second season of Celebrity Apprentice
.
He made a small appearance on Roseanne as himself, participating in a mock linoleum skating competition credit sequence.
He also made a brief appearance in "Blades of Glory."
On March 8, 2010, Scott Hamilton: Return to the Ice premiered on the Bio Channel. The two-hour television special chronicled Scott's return to skating after battling cancer.
honored its 10th birthday, Scott Hamilton was recognized as the Foundation's first ever "Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year."
In 1993, the Associated Press
released results of a national sports study in which Hamilton ranked as one of the top eight most popular athletes in America, ranking far ahead of big-name sports stars such as Michael Jordan
, Magic Johnson
, Troy Aikman
, Dan Marino
, Wayne Gretzky
, Joe Montana
, and Nolan Ryan
.
In 1997 Hamilton had a much-publicized battle with testicular cancer
. He made a return to skating after his treatment and his story was featured in magazines and on television.
On November 14, 2002, he married Tracie Robinson, a nutritionist. The couple have two sons, Aidan McIntosh Hamilton (born September 13, 2003) and Maxx Hamilton (born January 21, 2008), and a dog named Boogie. The family resides in Franklin, Tennessee
. They are members of the Church of Christ.
It was announced on November 12, 2004, that Hamilton had a benign brain tumor, which was treated at the Cleveland Clinic
. He has also helped benefit St. Jude's Children's Hospital and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
where he is an honorary board member.
In 2009, Hamilton wrote the book, The Great Eight
, which shared the secrets to his happiness and how he overcame numerous challenges and disappointments throughout his life.
On June 23, 2010, Hamilton went into brain surgery to prevent the recurrence of the benign tumor discovered in 2004. Called craniopharyngioma
, the tumor could have caused blindness if left untreated. On June 25, 2010 it was reported that Hamilton was resting comfortably in the hospital and was "Doing great"
In November 2010 Scott was in the hospital again, reported "People Magazine". Apparently in the removal of the benign tumor in June, an artery in the brain was "nicked". They stopped the bleeding but an aneurysm formed days later. Scott came through the surgery well, reported the article.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
figure skater
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medalist. He won four consecutive U.S. championships (1981–1984), four consecutive World Championships (1981–1984) and a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
.
Childhood
Hamilton was born in OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He was adopted at the age of six weeks by Dorothy (née McIntosh), a professor and Ernest S. Hamilton, a professor of biology, and raised in Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green is the county seat of Wood County in the U.S. state of Ohio. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Bowling Green was 30,028. It is part of the Toledo, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bowling Green is the home of Bowling Green State University...
. He has two siblings, older sister Susan (his parents' biological daughter) and younger brother Steven (who was also adopted). He attended Kenwood Elementary School.
When Scott was two years old he contracted a mysterious illness that caused him to stop growing. After numerous tests and several wrong diagnoses (including a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
that gave him just six months to live), the disease began to correct itself. His family physician sent him to Boston Children's hospital to see a Dr. Shwachman. Sources are unable to verify if he was actually diagnosed by Dr. Shwachman as having Shwachman-Diamond syndrome. It is said that a special diet and exercise cured the problem. However, he grew to only 5-foot-2½ and he weighed only 108 pounds during his peak skating years. Scott attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
At age 13 he began training with Pierre Brunet, a former Olympic champion. In 1976 however, he was almost forced to quit skating because the cost of training was too high, and he enrolled in college. However, Helen and Frank McLoraine
Helen M. McLoraine
Helen Myers McLoraine was the founder of The Pioneer Fund, a philanthropic organization "with a focus on figure skating, higher education assistance and medical research". She was a private investor in the gas and oil industry since the 1950s and became an early female figure in business leadership...
stepped in to provide financial support for Hamilton to continue his training. Hamilton would later work with the McLoraines in continuing philanthropic support for figure skating.
Skating career
In 1980, Hamilton finished third in the U.S. Figure Skating ChampionshipsUnited States Figure Skating Championships
The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters...
, earning him a place on the U.S. Olympic team. He finished in fifth place at the 1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, where he also had the honor of carrying the American flag in the opening ceremony. His breakthrough performance was in the 1981 U.S. Championships. He performed flawlessly and the audience was at a standing ovation several seconds before the end of the performance. He never lost a competition again. In 1981 he won gold in the World Figure Skating Championships
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
. He won gold again in 1982 and 1983 at the U.S. and World Championships, and won the gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
. He won that year's World Championships and then turned professional in April 1984.
Ice Capades
The Ice Capades was a traveling entertainment show featuring theatrical performances involving ice skating. Shows often featured former Olympicand National Champion figure skaters who had retired from amateur competition....
for two years, and then created "Scott Hamilton's American Tour," which later was renamed Stars on Ice
Stars on Ice
Stars on Ice is a touring figure skating show produced by IMG. It was originally conceived in 1986 as a vehicle for IMG client Scott Hamilton, who had been released from his contract with Ice Capades, after being told that male skaters do not sell tickets...
. He co-founded, co-produced and performed in Stars on Ice for fifteen years before retiring from the tour in 2001 (though he still returns for occasional guest performances).
He has been awarded numerous skating honors, including being the first solo male figure skater to be awarded the Jacques Favart Award (in 1988). In 1990 he was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame
United States Olympic Hall of Fame
The United States Olympic Hall of Fame is an honor roll of the top American Olympic athletes.The Hall of Fame was established by the United States Olympic Committee in 1979; the first members were inducted in 1983. Between 1992 and 2003, the Hall of Fame went dormant, with no induction of new...
.
Hamilton was a skating commentator for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television for many years, beginning in 1985. He has also worked for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television. In 2006 he was the host of the FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
television program "Skating with Celebrities
Skating with Celebrities
Skating with Celebrities is a celebrity reality television show that began airing on the Fox network on January 18, 2006. The show also aired in Australia on Network Ten in early 2006 and in New Zealand in October 2008. The show was the U.S. version of Dancing on Ice, which also aired in the U.K....
." He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Special Olympics International.
Television appearances
Hamilton voiced the dog dancing commentator on the King of the HillKing of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
episode "Dances with Dogs".
He was also seen in The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents is an American-Canadian animated television series created by Butch Hartman about the adventures of Timmy Turner, who is granted fairy godparents named Cosmo and Wanda. The series started out as cartoon segments that ran from September 4, 1998 to March 23, 2001 on Oh Yeah!...
episode The Fairy World Games" as Timmy Turner's cohost
He appeared on the August 26, 2008 episode of Wanna Bet?
Wanna Bet?
Wanna Bet? was a reality game show airing on ABC featuring four celebrities making wagers on whether ordinary Americans will be able to complete outrageous stunts....
, where he finished 2nd, losing to Bill Engvall
Bill Engvall
William Ray "Bill" Engvall, Jr. is an American comedian and actor best known for his work as a stand-up comic and as a member of the Blue Collar Comedy group.-Early life:Bill Engvall was born in Galveston, Texas...
. In 2009, he appeared in the second season of Celebrity Apprentice
The Apprentice (U.S. Season 8)
The Celebrity Apprentice 2 is the eighth installment of the United States version of the reality television series, The Apprentice. It premiered on March 1, 2009. The Celebrity Apprentice 2 aired for two hours on Sundays at 9:00 Eastern time...
.
He made a small appearance on Roseanne as himself, participating in a mock linoleum skating competition credit sequence.
He also made a brief appearance in "Blades of Glory."
On March 8, 2010, Scott Hamilton: Return to the Ice premiered on the Bio Channel. The two-hour television special chronicled Scott's return to skating after battling cancer.
Results
| Event | 1976–77 | 1977–78 | 1978–79 | 1979–80 | 1980–81 | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | 1983–84 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
5th | 1st | ||||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
11th | 5th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | ||
| U.S. Championships United States Figure Skating Championships The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters... |
3rd | 4th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |
| Skate America Skate America Skate America is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It is organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. The location changes yearly... |
1st | 1st | 1st | |||||
| Skate Canada International Skate Canada International The Skate Canada International is an international, senior-level invitation-only figure skating competition organized by Skate Canada. It is the second competition of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The location changes yearly. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: Ladies' singles, Men's... |
1st | |||||||
| NHK Trophy NHK Trophy The NHK Trophy is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.... |
4th | 1st | ||||||
| Nebelhorn Trophy Nebelhorn Trophy The Nebelhorn Trophy is an international senior-level figure skating competition organized by the Deutsche Eislauf-Union and held annually in Oberstdorf, Germany. The competition is named after the Nebelhorn, a nearby mountain.... |
2nd |
Awards
- 1996 - Hamilton was presented with the United States Sports AcademyUnited States Sports AcademyThe United States Sports Academy is an accredited, sport-specific institution located in Daphne, Alabama. It offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs as well as certificate programs. Founded in 1972, the Academy has provided its sports programs to more than 60 countries around the...
's Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias Courage Award in recognition of his courageous action in overcoming adversity to excel in sport. - 1996 - Hamilton received the Academy of Achievement Golden Plate AwardAcademy of AchievementThe Academy of Achievement is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in 1961 by photographer Hy Peskin. He established the Academy of Achievement to bring aspiring young people together with accomplished people...
Personal life
In 1990, as the Make-A-Wish FoundationMake-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...
honored its 10th birthday, Scott Hamilton was recognized as the Foundation's first ever "Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year."
In 1993, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
released results of a national sports study in which Hamilton ranked as one of the top eight most popular athletes in America, ranking far ahead of big-name sports stars such as Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
, Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
, Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
, Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
, and Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
.
In 1997 Hamilton had a much-publicized battle with testicular cancer
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
. He made a return to skating after his treatment and his story was featured in magazines and on television.
On November 14, 2002, he married Tracie Robinson, a nutritionist. The couple have two sons, Aidan McIntosh Hamilton (born September 13, 2003) and Maxx Hamilton (born January 21, 2008), and a dog named Boogie. The family resides in Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
. They are members of the Church of Christ.
It was announced on November 12, 2004, that Hamilton had a benign brain tumor, which was treated at the Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic is a multispecialty academic medical center located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The Cleveland Clinic is currently regarded as one of the top 4 hospitals in the United States as rated by U.S. News & World Report...
. He has also helped benefit St. Jude's Children's Hospital and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to multiple myeloma, an incurable but treatable blood cancer, which afflicts over fifty thousand Americans alone...
where he is an honorary board member.
In 2009, Hamilton wrote the book, The Great Eight
The Great Eight
The Great Eight: How to Be Happy is a self-help book written by Olympian figure skater Scott Hamilton.-Summary:...
, which shared the secrets to his happiness and how he overcame numerous challenges and disappointments throughout his life.
On June 23, 2010, Hamilton went into brain surgery to prevent the recurrence of the benign tumor discovered in 2004. Called craniopharyngioma
Craniopharyngioma
Craniopharyngioma is a type of brain tumor derived from pituitary gland embryonic tissue, that occurs most commonly in children but also in men and women in their 50s and 60s....
, the tumor could have caused blindness if left untreated. On June 25, 2010 it was reported that Hamilton was resting comfortably in the hospital and was "Doing great"
In November 2010 Scott was in the hospital again, reported "People Magazine". Apparently in the removal of the benign tumor in June, an artery in the brain was "nicked". They stopped the bleeding but an aneurysm formed days later. Scott came through the surgery well, reported the article.
External links
- NBCOlympics.com Bio
- Scott Hamilton's U.S. Olympic Team bio with photo gallery