Memorabilia

When I was up in Lake Placid this past weekend, the rinks were down. Every year they take the ice down for a few weeks, presumably for maintenance. So bummed that I couldn't skate!

But I always enjoy being in the arenas anyway, ice or no. They're quite literally monuments to figure skating history. I love walking the halls bedecked with priceless photos and plaques and memorabilia of figure skating past and present. There's a palpable Olympic spirit there that I've never felt anywhere else, including in other winter Olympic venues like Salt Lake City and Squaw Valley.

Speaking of figure skating artifacts, I saw this article recently in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, about a guy who has amassed the largest collection of figure skating memorabilia in the world (30,000 pieces!). Now that he's getting on in years, he wants to give it to a museum or archive, and is searching for active takers. It would be a true shame if this impressive collection, which includes everything from photos to Sonja Henie's costumes, disappeared into oblivion after its owner passes. His story is pretty impressive, and worth a read.

I know I've held on to every piece of figure skating memorabilia I've ever come across. I have skating magazines that date back into the 90s, photos of all my favorite skating stars, and I have all my results sheets, medals, competitor's passes and good luck charms. They're all at my parents' house, and I think they're going to make me transfer them to my own house one of these days...I should probably get on that before they decide to chuck it all...