1959 US Figure Skating Pin: Of Simpler Times.

Last Updated on March 15, 2025 by Netropolitan Museum

When figure skating had a more personal feel and camaraderie often stood above rivalry

History comes to life today at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins with this striking competitor’s ribbon—a close cousin to the classic lapel pin—commemorating the 1959 US Figure Skating Championships in Rochester, New York. More than just a memento of a competition, this ribbon carries a powerful connection to both triumph and tragedy in the sport’s history. It comes from the estate of Bill Hickox, a talented young pair skater who, alongside his sister and skating partner, Laurie, was among the 18 members of the US figure skating team who perished in the crash of Sabena Airlines Flight #548 crash on February 15, 1961. The team was en route to the World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia, when their plane went down near Brussels, Belgium, cutting short the promising careers of many rising stars and leaving an indelible mark on the figure skating community.

Pin Gallery: 1959 US Figure Skating Championships

This beautifully preserved red silk ribbon, still vibrant after more than six and half decades, serves as a window into a different era of figure skating—one before corporate sponsorships, television deals, high-tech training facilities, and the intense scrutiny of social media became the norm. Competitions had a more personal feel, where camaraderie often stood above rivalry, and events like the national championships carried a charm that simply isn’t seen in today’s highly commercialized sports landscape.

The gold foil lettering, which has held up remarkably well over time, denotes the year, event name, and location: “1959 National Figure Skating Championships Rochester, N.Y.” The ribbon was designed for easy wear, featuring a simple safety pin on the reverse. One can imagine skaters, coaches, and event officials pinning it to their heavy winter coats as they made their way from place to place in Rochester, feeling the excitement of competition in the air.

The 1959 US Championships saw some of the greatest names in figure skating take center stage. Carol Heiss, already a dominant force, would go on to win Olympic gold the following year. David Jenkins, another household name in the sport, showcased the power and precision that made him one of the best skaters of his era. The pair team of Nancy and Ron Ludington added to the event’s legacy, displaying the elegance and technique that would earn them a place in skating history.

But beyond the established stars, the 1959 Championships also featured young talents like Bill and Laurie, who were still carving out their place in the sport. Many of these skaters were on the path to future greatness, their potential yet to be fully realized. The tragic loss of the 1961 team remains one of the darkest moments in figure skating history, but it also led to something meaningful—the creation of the U.S. Figure Skating Memorial Fund. Established in honor of the skaters, coaches, and officials lost in the crash, the fund has since supported generations of athletes, helping to ensure that their dreams live on.

Today, this ribbon stands as more than just a collectible—it’s a testament to the sport’s rich history, the talent and dedication of those who came before, and the deep bonds that united the skating community in the era. The Netropolitan is honored to preserve this piece among its US Championships artifacts, keeping the memory of those skaters alive and reminding us of the sport’s enduring legacy.

This blog was originally published at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins on February 27, 2021, and was updated March 26, 2022. It has been updated again with new and expanded information.

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Figure Skating Flashback: 1959

• Peter Carruthers, one half of the renowned brother-sister pairs team from the U.S., was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1959. He and his sister, Caitlyn (“Kitty”) Carruthers, were adopted as infants and later soared to skating success, claiming four national titles in the 1980s and earning Olympic silver in 1984.
• The World Figure Skating Championships made a return to Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1959 for the second time in three years. The event embraced a rodeo-themed atmosphere, offering a distinctly Western welcome to competitors from around the globe.
• Rochester, New York, hosted the U.S. Figure Skating Championships for the first—and only—time in 1959. Co-sponsored by the Genesee Figure Skating Club and the Rochester Junior Chamber of Commerce, the competition ran from January 29 through February 1. Nearly 14,000 spectators watched the event over the three days, doubling any previous attendance record for a U.S. Championship and proving just how much the sport was growing in popularity.
• A glimpse into the pages of the March 1959 issue of Skating magazine reveals a charming letter from a young skater with big dreams—10-year-old Peggy Fleming. In it, she shares that she was in her second year of skating and looking forward to many more, adding that her favorite part was “morning patches.” That early dedication certainly paid off.
• Among the rising stars of the era was Frank Carroll, who finished third in junior men at the 1959 U.S. Championships—a feat he would repeat the following year. Though he never captured a national title himself, Carroll’s impact on figure skating would be legendary. As a coach, he shaped some of the greatest champions the sport has ever seen, proving that success isn’t always measured by the medals you win, but by the ones you help others achieve.

The year 1959 was a fascinating chapter in figure skating history, filled with milestones, rising stars, and glimpses of future legends. From record-breaking crowds in Rochester to a young Peggy Fleming dreaming of the future, the sport was evolving in ways that would shape the decades to come.

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