Barbara Ann Scott
Barbara Ann Scott was a renowned Canadian figure skater, born on May 9, 1928, in Toronto, Ontario. She began skating at a young age and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest skater to pass the Canadian gold figures test at just ten years old. By age twelve, she won her first national junior championship, and at thirteen, she became the first woman to perform a double Lutz in competition. Scott’s impressive career included four Canadian national senior titles and the distinction of being the first North American to win both the world and European championships in 1947 and 1948.
Her most notable achievement came during the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, where she won the gold medal, marking a significant moment for Canadian figure skating. Following her Olympic success, Scott toured as a professional skater and became known for her grace and sportsmanship. After retiring at twenty-five, she transitioned to a life in equestrian sports, becoming a respected horse breeder and judge. Scott received numerous accolades throughout her life, including induction into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada. She passed away at the age of eighty-four, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering athlete and a beloved figure in Canadian sports history.
Subject Terms
Barbara Ann Scott
Figure skater
- Born: May 9, 1928
- Birthplace: Ottawa, Ontario
- Died: September 30, 2012
- Place of death: Amelia Island, Florida
Contribution: Barbara Ann Scott was a figure skater who won the first World Skating Championship title for Canada. She was also the first Canadian skater to win a gold medal in the Olympic women’s singles skating competition, becoming known as “Canada’s Sweetheart.”
Early Life
Barbara Ann Scott was born on May 9, 1928, in Toronto, Ontario. She began skating when she was seven years old, and by age nine she was training seven hours a day. At the age of ten, Scott passed the Canadian gold figures test and was at the time the youngest skater ever to do so. She won the national junior championship at age twelve, and at thirteen she became the first woman to successfully perform a double Lutz in competition. Although she was young, she was dedicated to her sport and to training: She woke at seven each morning and practiced all day and then completed her schoolwork with a tutor after her training.
Scott’s father died when she was twelve, and Ottawa residents raised money to send Scott, her coach, and her mother to competitions around the world. She won her first of four Canadian national senior titles at the age of fifteen.
Skating Career
When Scott was twelve, she placed second in the Canadian Seniors Championship. She won the championship again in 1944, 1945, 1946, and in 1948. She was the first North American skater to win the world and European championships, which she did in 1947 and again in 1948. In 1945, 1947, and 1948, Scott won the Lou Marsh Trophy, which is awarded to Canada’s athlete of the year.
In the 1948 Winter Olympic Games in San Moritz, Switzerland, Scott competed on an outdoor rink with ice that had been considerably roughed up by two previous hockey games. Despite the pits and ruts in the ice, Scott skated almost flawlessly and won the gold medal. She was the first Canadian to win the singles skating competition, which had been previously dominated by European skaters. Following her win, Scott was lauded by Prime Minister W. L. Mackenzie King, she appeared on the cover of Time magazine, and a doll was created in her image. Regardless of her accomplishments and fame, Scott was noted for her grace, sportsmanship, and modesty on and off the ice.
After winning the gold medal, Scott became a professional skater and toured with the Hollywood Ice Revue for the next five years. Her contract specified that a portion of her salary be donated to aid handicapped children.
Post-Professional Life
Tired of the constant travel involved in performing as a professional, Scott retired from skating at twenty-five and in 1955 married Hollywood Ice Review publicist Tom King, settling in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Scott then raised show horses, winning several competitions and becoming a highly regarded equestrian in the United States. She also served as a figure-skating judge and commentator and often returned to Canada as a featured guest at sport and charity functions.
Scott was named a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1955 and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1979. In 1991, she was named to the Order of Canada and was inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
In 2009, Scott was asked to be a part of the Olympic Torch run for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. She was thrilled by the request, and she trained for the event by speed walking. On December 13, 2009, at the age of eighty-one, Scott carried the torch into the House of Commons for its trek to Vancouver. Still characteristically humble, she told a reporter that she was deeply honored that people still remembered her and wanted her to take part in the event.
Barbara Ann Scott died at the age of eighty-four at her home on Amelia Island, Florida. She predeceased her husband, and they did not have any children.
Bibliography
“Barbara Ann Scott.” Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica-Dominion, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2013.
“Barbara Ann Scott Doll.” Museum of Vancouver. Museum of Vancouver, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2013.
“Barbara Ann Scott: Facts, Highlights.” Ottawa Sun. Canoe Sun Media Urban Newspapers, 1 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Aug. 2013.
Goldstein, Richard. “Barbara Ann Scott, Canadian Figure Skater, Dies at 84.” New York Times. New York Times Company, 1 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Aug. 2013.
“Heritage Minutes: Barbara Ann Scott.” Historica-Dominion. Historica-Dominion Institute, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2013.
Kuitenbrouwer, Peter. “Toronto Plans to Scrap Skating Rink Dedicated to Barbara Ann Scott Months after Olympic Champion’s Death.” National Post. Postmedia Network, Inc., 25 July 2013. Web. 25 Aug. 2013.
Perry, Heather A. “Olympic Gold: Canadians Still Carry Torch for Local Woman.” FBNewsLeader. Fernandina Beach New Leader, 30 Nov. 2009. Web. 25 Aug. 2013.
Scott, Barbara Ann. Skate with Me. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1960. Print.
Stevens, Neil. “Honouring Living Legend Barbara Ann Scott.” TheStar. Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd., 29 Jan. 2008. Web. 25 Aug. 2013.