1982 US Figure Skating Pins: Tiny Treasures.

Last Updated on February 8, 2025 by Netropolitan Museum

Indianapolis event featured the smallest pins issued for a US Championship to date

The 1982 US Figure Skating Championships, held in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the now-demolished Market Square Arena, has two distinctions when it comes to the world of figure skating pins: first, the main logo pin was the smallest issued to date to commemorate a national championship, and second, the event featured an official mascot—Shivers the Penguin—that also was immortalized in a small pin. Shivers is believed to be the first official mascot to represent a US Championship.

Pins Gallery: 1982 US Figure Skating Championships

Beyond the pins, the 1982 Championships were also marked by a powerful winter storm that dropped 18 inches of snow on Indianapolis on Sunday, January 31. This unexpected weather event significantly impacted attendance at the afternoon’s Exhibition of Champions. Despite ticket sales indicating a sellout, hundreds of seats remained empty. Just before the exhibition began, spectators were invited to fill any open seats closer to the ice. Rumor had it this move was made at the request of ABC Television, which was covering the event, so it would appear the arena was fuller.

The central logo on the 1982 US Figure Skating pin is an elegant design featuring four skate boots and blades arranged in an octagonal pattern. Where the blades meet, a circular area with a red dot at its center serves as a subtle homage to Monument Circle, the iconic landmark in downtown Indianapolis where several roads converge into a roundabout. This thoughtful detail ties the pin to its host city in a simple yet clever way. The pin is crafted from gold-colored base metal. Above and below the logo, the text “Indianapolis, ’82 Nationals” is displayed, a nod to the colloquial term used in the 1980s in place of the formal name, the US Figure Skating Championships.

Shivers the Penguin debuted to great success at the 1982 US Championships and appeared on ice between events and at other times during the week. The pin, on a gold-colored base metal, shows the flightless bird dressed in a cozy ski cap (which more resembles Santa’s cap) and a warm scarf emblazoned with “’82 Nationals.” His skates allow him to glide effortlessly along. Shivers was the first in a series of mascots (or characters) that would mark the US Championships over the next few years.

That’s today’s figure skating pins blog: 1982 US Figure Skating Pins: Tiny Treasures.

This blog was originally published at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins on April 3, 2021, and has been updated with new and expanded information.

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Figure Skating Flashback: 1982

• The International Skating Union (ISU) celebrated its 90th anniversary in 1982, marking nine decades since its formation in the Netherlands in 1892. As the governing body of the sport, the ISU’s role in unifying skating nations and setting global standards was crucial to its growth and international recognition.
• At the 1982 World Figure Skating Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, U.S. skater Elaine Zayak dazzled audiences with her mastery of multiple triple jumps, especially the toe loop. Her groundbreaking performance, however, sparked change—prompting the introduction of the “Zayak Rule,” which essentially stripped skaters of a competitive advantage by limiting the number of times a triple jump could be repeated in a program.
• Meanwhile, just three months after the 1982 World Championships, a future star of the sport entered the scene. Tara Lipinski, who would go on to capture U.S., World, and Olympic titles, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in June.
• In Lake Placid, New York, the spirit of Olympic skating returned to the Adirondacks as the village, famous for hosting the 1932 Winter Games, welcomed the 1982 Skate America event.
• And for those attending the 1982 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the experience was a bargain by today’s standards—all-event tickets, including the Exhibition of Champions, fell in the $45 to $65 range. It’s a reminder of how much the sport has changed, perhaps not entirely for the better. Back in 1982, the arena was packed with fans, buzzing with excitement. In stark contrast, the recent 2025 U.S. Championships saw dozens—if not hundreds—of empty seats for every event, reflecting a shifting dynamic in the sport’s popularity.

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