The Hamill Camel, 1976 Figure Skating Gold Medalist, a wedge hair style...There's not much more she can do to be more of an influence on the world of figure skating and day-to day life. Dorothy Hamill started skating at the age of eight and suddenly one competition came after another. Dorothy would stuff socks into her brother's skates and went out on a frozen pond to practice. Just the thought of skating backwards mesmerized her, but when she did that, she wanted to move on to more difficult things. Suddenly, she was waking up at four in the morning to go to seven hour skating practices. Dorothy didn't mind that she would not be able to participate in normal teenage activities. "I just wanted to skate and I loved it," she said one time.
In 1969, she won the National Novice Title at the United States Figure Skating Championships and the next year, Dorothy won the national junior silver medal at the same competition. She skated for eight years with the Ice Capades and had four ABC television specials, and also won an Emmy for her supporting role in "Romeo and Juliet" for CBS. Dorothy was later named "the most trusted woman in America" by Life Magazine. In 1991, Dorothy was inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame, and then later in 1992, to United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame. She purchased "Ice Capades" in 1993. Dorothy then later sold "Ice Capades" to International Family Entertainment.
Dorothy now spends her time skating, being a commentator for figure skating competition, a spokeswoman for Dept. 66, and spending time with her twelve year old daughter.
Fast Facts:
Date of Birth: July
26, 1956
Birthplace: Chicago,
Illinois
Grew Up In: Riverside,
Connecticut
Olympic Medal: 1976
in Innsbruck, Austria
Marital Status: Single
with one daughter
pictures from: http://www.farmington.k12.mn.us/3ap70s/hamill.html
and http://www.dorothyhamill.com
Why does Dorothy Hamill
contribute to many AIDS related organizations?
How did Dorothy Hamill
start skating and why?
How did Dorothy influence
the judges at the 1976 Olympics to award her the gold medal?