View source for Dick Button

{{Short description|American figure skater (1929–2025)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox figure skater
| name = Dick Button
| image = Dick Button at 1980 Winter Olympics.jpg
| caption = Button as a commentator at the [[1980 Winter Olympics]] in Lake Placid
| full_name = Richard Totten Button
| altname = 
| country = {{USA}}
| formercountry = 
| birth_date = {{birth date|1929|07|18|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Englewood, New Jersey]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|01|30|1929|07|18|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[North Salem, New York]], U.S.
| height = 
<!-- | formercoach = [[Gustave Lussi]] -->
| skating club = [[SC of Boston]]<br />[[Philadelphia SC & HS]]
| retired = 1952
| medals-expand = yes
| medals = <!-- see [[Template:MedalRelatedTemplates]] -->
{{MedalSport|Men's [[figure skating]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Figure skating at the Olympic Games|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1948 Winter Olympics|1948 St. Moritz]]|[[Figure skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics – Men's singles|Men's singles]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1952 Winter Olympics|1952 Oslo]]|[[Figure skating at the 1952 Winter Olympics – Men's singles|Men's singles]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Figure Skating Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1948 World Figure Skating Championships|1948 Davos]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1949 World Figure Skating Championships|1949 Paris]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1950 World Figure Skating Championships|1950 London]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1951 World Figure Skating Championships|1951 Milan]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1952 World Figure Skating Championships|1952 Paris]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1947 World Figure Skating Championships|1947 Stockholm]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[European Figure Skating Championships|European Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1948 European Figure Skating Championships|1948 Prague]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[North American Figure Skating Championships|North American Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1947 North American Figure Skating Championships|1947 Ottawa]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1949 North American Figure Skating Championships|1949 Philadelphia]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1951 North American Figure Skating Championships|1951 Calgary]]|Men's singles}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[U.S. Figure Skating Championships|U.S. Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1946 U.S. Figure Skating Championships|1946 Chicago]]|Men’s Singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1947 U.S. Figure Skating Championships|1947 Berkeley]]|Men’s Singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1948 U.S. Figure Skating Championships|1948 Colorado Springs]]|Men’s Singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1949 U.S. Figure Skating Championships|1949 Colorado Springs]]|Men’s Singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1950 U.S. Figure Skating Championships|1950 Washington D.C.]]|Men’s Singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1951 U.S. Figure Skating Championships|1951 Seattle]]|Men’s Singles}}
{{MedalGold|[[1952 U.S. Figure Skating Championships|1952 Colorado Springs]]|Men’s Singles}}
}}

'''Richard Totten Button''' (July 18, 1929 – January 30, 2025) was an American [[figure skater]] and skating analyst. He was a two-time [[Figure Skating at the Olympic Games|Olympic champion]] (1948, 1952) and five-time consecutive [[World Figure Skating Championships|world champion]] (1948–1952). He was also the only non-European man to have become [[European Figure Skating Championships|European champion]]. Button is credited as having been the first skater to successfully land the double [[Axel jump]] in competition in 1948, as well as the first triple jump of any kind – a triple [[loop jump|loop]] – in 1952. He also invented the flying [[camel spin]], which was originally known as the "Button camel".<ref name="onskates" /> He "brought increased athleticism" to figure skating in the years following [[World War II]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kestnbaum |first=Ellyn |title=Culture on Ice: Figure Skating and Cultural Meaning |publisher=Wesleyan Publishing Press |year=2003 |isbn=0-8195-6641-1 |location=Middleton, Connecticut |pages=108}}</ref> According to figure skating historian James R. Hines, Button represented the "American School" of figure skating, which was a more athletic style than skaters from Europe.{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}}

==Early life==
Button was born on July 18, 1929, and raised in [[Englewood, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2019/07/18/Famous-birthdays-for-July-18-Vin-Diesel-Kristen-Bell/8771563155558/ |title=Famous birthdays for July 18: Vin Diesel, Kristen Bell |work=[[United Press International]] |date=July 18, 2019 |access-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-date=July 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719181941/https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2019/07/18/Famous-birthdays-for-July-18-Vin-Diesel-Kristen-Bell/8771563155558/ |url-status=live |quote=Gold medal ice skater Dick Button in 1929 (age 90)}}</ref><ref name=Encyclopedia /><ref name=SR /> He graduated in 1947 from the Englewood School for Boys (now [[Dwight-Englewood School]]).<ref>[http://www.d-e125.org/alumni/richard-button.html Richard "Dick" Button], [[Dwight-Englewood School]]. He attended [[Harvard College]] graduating in 1952, then also from [[Harvard Law School]] in 1956.  Accessed June 14, 2018.</ref> He began skating at an early age but did not begin training seriously until the age of 12, after his father overheard him being told he would never be a good skater.<ref name=onskates /> Button's father sent him to [[Lake Placid, New York]], to train with coach [[Gustave Lussi|Gus Lussi]], who coached him throughout his competitive career.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sausa |first=Christie |title=Lake Placid Figure Skating. A History |publisher=History Press |year=2012 |publication-date=2012 |pages=42–43}}</ref>{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=49}}

==Career==
===Amateur===
{{for|jump abbreviations|Figure skating jumps}}

====Early competitions====
In his first competition, the 1943 Eastern States Novice Championship, Button finished second to [[Jean-Pierre Brunet]].<ref name=onskates /> In 1944, he won the Eastern States junior title which earned him the opportunity to compete at the National Novice Championships. He won the event. In 1945, his third year of serious skating, he won the Eastern States senior title and the national junior title.{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}} He was also skating [[pair skating|pairs]], and competed with Barbara Jones in junior pairs at the 1946 Eastern States Championships. They performed Button's singles program side-by-side with minor modifications and won.<ref name=onskates /> This competition, where Button also competed as a single skater, led into the 1946 [[United States Figure Skating Championships|U.S. Championships]]. At age 16, Button won the 1946 U.S. Championships by a unanimous vote.{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}} According to Button, this was the first time anyone had won the men's novice, junior, and senior titles in three consecutive years.<ref name=onskates /> Button went on to win six more national championships (1947–1951), tying the record set by [[Roger Turner (figure skater)|Roger Turner]], who won seven U.S. Nationals between 1928 and 1934.{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}} This win earned Button a spot at the [[1947 World Figure Skating Championships|1947 World Championships]].

====1947 World Championships====
At the 1947 World Championships, Button was second behind rival [[Hans Gerschwiler]] following the [[compulsory figures]] part of the competition, with 34.9 points separating them.<ref name="onskates" /> He won the [[free skating]] portion, but Gerschwiler had the majority of first places from the judges, three to Button's two.<ref name=onskates />{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}} Button won the silver medal at his first World Championships. It was the last time he placed lower than first in competition. At the competition, Button was befriended by [[Ulrich Salchow]]. Salchow, who was disappointed when Button did not win, presented him with the first International Cup Salchow had won in 1901.<ref name=onskates /> Button later passed on this trophy to [[John Misha Petkevich]] following the [[1972 Winter Olympics|1972 Olympics]] and [[1972 World Figure Skating Championships|World Championships]].<ref name=Petkevich /> Acknowledging that Gerschwiler had a better understanding of outdoor ice, Button decided to spend some time training outdoors on the Lake Placid club tennis courts.<ref name=TUSA180205 />

====1948 European Championships====
Button faced Gerschwiler again at the [[1948 European Figure Skating Championships|1948 European Championships]]. Button led after figures in points, having 749 points to Gerschwiler's 747.8, but Gerschwiler led in placings, with 14 to Button's 15.<ref name=onskates /> During the free skating, Button performed his Olympic program for the first time. He won, with 11 placings to Gerschwiler's 18.<ref name=onskates /> Following this year, when North Americans took home the men's and ladies' titles, non-Europeans were no longer allowed to enter into the European Championships. Button is the only American to have won the European Championships.<ref name="onskates" />

====1948 Olympics====
At the [[Figure skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics|1948 Winter Olympics]], Button led Gerschwiler by a 29.6 point lead following the figures portion of the competition, having won four of the five figures.<ref name="onskates" /> Button had been attempting the double [[Axel jump]] in practice but had never landed it. In practice on the day before the free skating event, Button landed one in practice for the first time. He decided to put it into his free skating for the next day. Button landed it in competition,<ref name=2Axelvid /> becoming the first skater in the world to do so.{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}} Button received eight firsts and two seconds, for a total of 10 places. Gerschwiler had 23.<ref name=onskates /> That combined with the figures results gave Button the gold medal.<ref name=SR /><ref name=SkatingM200901 /><ref name=Olybio /> At the age of 18 he became, and remains, the youngest man to win the Olympic gold in figure skating.<ref name=usoc />

====1948 World Championships====
Button went on to win the [[1948 World Figure Skating Championships|1948 World Championships]], where he faced Gerschwiler for the last time. Button won the event. At the time, the U.S. Championships were held after the World Championships, and Button finished his season by defending his national title. In February 1948, Button, his coach, and his mother were in [[Prague]] to perform an exhibition. They were stranded there after the [[Communism|Communist]] uprising and had to be extracted by the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]].<ref name=onskates /> In 1949, Button won the [[James E. Sullivan Award|Sullivan Award]] as the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. He is one of only two male figure skaters to win this award. [[Evan Lysacek]] is the other.<ref name="usoc" />

====College years====
Button had intended to attend [[Yale University]] beginning in the fall of 1947, but deferred a year due to the Olympics.<ref name="onskates" /> Although he had originally been assured that his skating would not be a problem as long as his grades were good, he was later informed that he could not continue competing if he wanted to attend Yale. On advice from people from the [[Skating Club of Boston]], Button applied to, and was accepted at, [[Harvard College]]. Button was a full-time student at Harvard while skating competitively and graduated in 1952 and was a member of The [[Delphic Club]], one of the University's select "[[Final Clubs]]".{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} He went on to win every international competition he entered for the next four years.{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}}

As reigning and defending champion, as well as being the first skater to perform a double Axel and a flying camel, Button was under pressure to perform a new jump or spin every season. In 1949, he performed a 2Lo-2Lo combination. He was the winner of the [[James E. Sullivan Award]] as the top U.S. amateur athlete of 1949, becoming the first figure skater to win the award. In 1950, he performed the 2Lo-2Lo-2Lo. In 1951, he performed a 2A-2Lo combination and a 2A-2A sequence.<ref name="onskates" /> For the [[1952 Winter Olympics]], Button and Lussi began working on a triple jump. They settled on training the triple loop. Button landed it for the first time in practice in December 1951 at the Skating Club of Boston, and for the first time in exhibition in [[Vienna]] following the European Championships.<ref name="onskates" />

====1952 Olympics====
At the [[Figure skating at the 1952 Winter Olympics|1952 Winter Olympics]], Button had the lead after figures, with nine first places, over [[Helmut Seibt]].<ref name=SR /> Button's point total was 1,000.2 to Seibt's 957.7.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} During his free skate program, Button successfully landed the triple loop, becoming the first person to complete a triple jump in competition{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=xxv}} He became the third male figure skater to win two Olympic gold medals after [[Gillis Grafström]] and [[Karl Schäfer (figure skater)|Karl Schäfer]]. He was the last man to defend his Olympic title in figure skating until [[Yuzuru Hanyu]] won his second Olympic gold in [[Figure skating at the 2018 Winter Olympics – Men's singles|2018]]. He repeated as Gold medalist, then went on to defend his titles at the [[1952 World Figure Skating Championships]] and U.S. Championships.<ref name="onskates" />

===Professional===
Button decided to enter [[Harvard Law School]] in the fall of 1952. Because of the time commitments, Button retired from amateur skating that year to focus on law school.<ref name="onskates" /> He completed a [[Bachelor of Laws]] (LL.B.) degree in 1956<ref name="abc" /> and was [[Bar association|admitted to the bar]] in the [[District of Columbia]].<ref name="usoc" />

Following his retirement from competition, Button had a short career performing in [[ice show]]s.{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=49}} He signed on to skate with the [[Ice Capades]] during his law school vacations. He toured with [[Holiday on Ice]]. He co-produced "Dick Button's Ice-Travaganza" for the [[1964 New York World's Fair]], starring 1963 World Champion [[Donald McPherson (figure skater)|Donald McPherson]], but the ice show lost money and closed after a few months.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

As founder of '''Candid Productions''', he created a variety of made-for-television sports events, including the ''[[World Professional Figure Skating Championships]]'', ''[[Challenge of Champions]]'', and [[Dorothy Hamill]] specials for [[HBO]].<ref name="abc" /> As an actor, Button performed in such films as ''[[The Young Doctors]]'' and ''[[The Bad News Bears Go to Japan]]'' starring [[Tony Curtis]]. He appeared in television roles, including ''[[Hans Brinker]]'' and ''[[Mr. Broadway (TV series)|Mr. Broadway]]'', as well as appearing in a 1995 episode of ''[[Animaniacs]]'', voicing himself in the three-part segment "All the Words in the English Language".{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Figure skating historian James R. Hines said that it was in roles other than as a skater in which Button has had the greatest influence on the sport. As Hines states, "Perhaps no name is better known in figure skating, a result of his visibility for more than 40 years as a commentator. ...Through that forum, he had the opportunity to champion the sport more than any other person".{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=49}} Hines also says that Button's commentating career gave him a 40-year long historical perspective.{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=49}} Button provided commentary for [[CBS]]'s broadcast of the [[Figure skating at the 1960 Winter Olympics|1960 Winter Olympics]], launching a decades-long career in television [[broadcast journalism]]. He did commentary for CBS's broadcast of the [[1961 United States Figure Skating Championships]]. Beginning in 1962, he worked as a figure skating analyst for [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC Sports]], which had acquired the rights to the [[United States Figure Skating Championships]] as well as the [[1962 World Figure Skating Championships]]. During ABC's coverage of figure skating events in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Button became the sport's best-known analyst, well known for his frank and often caustic appraisal of skaters' performances. He won an [[Emmy Award]] in 1981 for Outstanding Sports Personality – Analyst.<ref name="abc" /> Although other U.S. television networks aired the Winter Olympics from the 1990s onward, Button still appeared on ABC's broadcasts of the [[United States Figure Skating Championships|U.S.]] and [[World Figure Skating Championships]] until ABC quit televising them in 2008.

According to writer and figure skating historian Ellyn Kestnbaum, for viewers who had never viewed the sport live before seeing it on television, Button "in effect educated [an] entire generation in how to watch skating".{{Sfn|Kestnbaum|2003|p=109}}

During the [[Figure skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics|2006 Winter Olympics]], Button appeared on [[NBC]] on loan from ABC to once again provide commentary on the Olympics. Also during the [[2006 Winter Olympics]], [[USA Network]] ran a show called ''[[Olympic Ice]]''. A recurring segment, called "Push Dick's Button," invited viewers to send in questions which Button answered on the air. The segment proved very popular so ABC and [[ESPN]] put it into various broadcasts, most notably the [[2006 Skate America]], the [[2007 United States Figure Skating Championships]], and the [[2007 World Figure Skating Championships]]. In late 2010, he was lead judge on ''[[Skating with the Stars]]'', produced by [[BBC]] Worldwide, producers of ''[[Dancing with the Stars]]''. In 2009, Button served as a judge on the CBC's ''[[Battle of the Blades]]'' reality show. He again appeared on NBC to do commentary for [[Figure skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics|2010 Games]].<ref name = Goldstein />

==Personal life and death==
Button's television skating debut came on ''[[We the People (American TV series)|We the People]]'' on April 11, 1952, when he skated on the rink at [[Rockefeller Center]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stretch |first1=Bjud |title=Air Waves |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104397042/courier-post/ |access-date=October 31, 2022 |work=Courier-Post |date=April 11, 1952 |location=New Jersey, Camden |page=22 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> He was a guest on the TV show ''[[I've Got A Secret]]'' as one of five former Olympic champions which aired October 13, 1954. In 1975, Button married figure skating coach [[Slavka Kohout]]; a son Edward and a daughter Emily were born to the couple, who later divorced.<ref name=LandingIt /> Button was a resident of [[North Salem, New York]].<ref name=WP060211 /><ref name=Lohud130906 /> He was inducted into the [[World Figure Skating Hall of Fame]] in 1976, the same year it was founded.<ref name=WHOF />{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=49}}

Button suffered a serious head injury on July 5, 1978,<ref name="Ireland1978" /> when he was one of several men assaulted in [[Central Park]] by a gang of youths armed with baseball bats.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/07/13/archives/new-jersey-pages-5-are-arrested-in-club-attack-in-central-park-came.html |title=5 Are Arrested in Club Attack in Central Park |first=Donald G. Jr. |last=McNeil |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 13, 1978 |page=A1 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712001919/http://nytimes.com/1978/07/13/archives/new-jersey-pages-5-are-arrested-in-club-attack-in-central-park-came.html |archive-date=July 12, 2018}}</ref> Three persons were subsequently convicted of assault for the attacks. News accounts and trial testimony indicated the assailants were intending to target gay people, but the victims were attacked at random, and that because of the random nature of the attacks "... the police said there was no reason to believe the victims were homosexual."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/17/archives/3-sentenced-in-attack-using-bats-against-6-in-central-park-in-78.html |title=3 Sentenced in Attack Using Bats Against 6 In Central Park in '78 |first=Charles |last=Kaiser |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 17, 1979 |page=B2 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241130115249/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/17/archives/3-sentenced-in-attack-using-bats-against-6-in-central-park-in-78.html |archive-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref>

On December 31, 2000, Button was skating at a public rink in [[Westchester County, New York]], when he fell, fracturing his skull and causing a serious brain injury.<ref name=NYT060215 /><ref name=Goldstein>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/sports/dick-button-dead.html |title=Dick Button, Figure Skating Champion and Commentator, Dies at 95 |date=January 30, 2025 |accessdate=January 31, 2025 |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url-access=registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250131181525/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/sports/dick-button-dead.html |archive-date=January 31, 2025}}</ref> He recovered and became a national spokesman for the Brain Injury Association of America<ref name=BIAUSA /> as well as continuing his Emmy Award–winning commentary on broadcasts of the Olympic Games and on various figure-skating television shows.

Button died in North Salem on January 30, 2025, at the age of 95.<ref name=Goldstein /><ref name="espn-ap2025">{{cite news |title=Olympic figure skater, commentator Dick Button dies at 95 |url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/figureskating/story/_/id/43631465/olympic-figure-skater-commentator-dick-button-dies-95 |access-date=31 January 2025 |agency=The Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |date=30 January 2025}}</ref> His death occurred less than a day after several participants in the [[2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships]], including skaters and coaches from the Skating Club of Boston with which Button had a life-long association,<ref name="espn-ap2025" /> were killed in a [[2025 Potomac River mid-air collision|mid-air collision over the Potomac River]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/dick-button-olympic-great-voice-skating-dies-95-118292366 |title=Dick Button, Olympic great and voice of skating, dies at 95 |publisher=ABC News |date=January 30, 2025}}</ref>

==Achievements==
* First skater to land a [[Axel jump|double Axel]]<ref name="usoc" />{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}}
* First skater to land a triple jump (the [[Loop jump|triple loop]])<ref name="usoc" />{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}}
* First skater to land a [[Glossary of figure skating terms#jump combination|combination jump]] of three doubles{{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=48}} 
* First male skater to perform the [[camel spin]] and inventor of the [[Glossary of figure skating terms#flying spin|flying]] camel spin (also known, after him, as the "Button Camel"){{Sfn|Hines|2011|p=49}}
* Only American to win the [[European Figure Skating Championships|European title]]<ref name="onskates" />
* First American to become [[World Figure Skating Championships|World Champion]]
* First American to win the Olympic title in figure skating
* First, and only, American back-to-back Olympic champion in figure skating<ref name="usoc" />
* First, and only, male skater to simultaneously hold all the following titles: [[United States Figure Skating Championships|National]], [[North American Figure Skating Championships|North American]], [[European Figure Skating Championships|European]], [[World Figure Skating Championships|Worlds]], and [[Figure skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics|Olympics]]<ref name="usoc" />
* Youngest man to win the Olympic title in figure skating (aged 18)<ref name="usoc" />

==Results==
{{refimprove|section|date=January 2025}}
{{Figure skating competitive highlights
|season1=1944|season2=1945|season3=1946|season4=1947|season5=1948|season6=1949|season7=1950|season8=1951|season9=1952
|{{FS placements|9|[[Winter Olympic Games|Winter Olympics]]|p5=1st|p9=1st}}
|{{FS placements|9|[[World Figure Skating Championships|World Championships]]|p4=2nd|p5=1st|p6=1st|p7=1st|p8=1st|p9=1st}}
|{{FS placements|9|[[European Figure Skating Championships|European Championships]]|p5=1st}}
|{{FS placements|9|[[North American Figure Skating Championships|North American Championships]]|p4=1st|p6=1st|p8=1st}}
|{{FS placements|9|[[U.S. Figure Skating Championships|U.S. Championships]]|p1=1st|lv1=N|p2=1st|lv2=J|p3=1st|p4=1st|p5=1st|p6=1st|p7=1st|p8=1st|p9=1st}}
}}

==See also==
* [[Canadian Professional Figure Skating Championships]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name=Petkevich>{{cite book |last=Petkevich |first=John Misha |author-link=John Misha Petkevich |title=Figure Skating: Championship Techniques |url=https://archive.org/details/sportsillustrate00petk |url-access=registration |year=1989 |publisher=Sports Illustrated |isbn=1-56800-070-7}}</ref>

<ref name="abc">{{cite web |url=http://www.abcmedianet.com/shows05/sports/commentators/button.shtml |title=ABC SPORTS COMMENTATOR: Dick Button |access-date=September 6, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070404154807/http://www.abcmedianet.com/shows05/sports/commentators/button.shtml |archive-date=April 4, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=usoc>{{cite web |url=http://www.usoc.org/26_597.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928005756/http://www.usoc.org/26_597.htm |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |title=United States Olympic Committee – Button, Richard T. (Dick) |access-date=September 6, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=onskates>{{cite book |last=Button |first=Dick |title=Dick Button on Skates |year=1955 |publisher=Prentice-Hall |location=Englewood Cliffs, NJ |id=Catalog Card No. 55-12069 |pages=40–41}}</ref>

<ref name=SkatingM200901>{{cite magazine |last=Wright |first=Benjamin T. |title=Button Brings It |magazine=Skating |date=January 2009 |pages=32–33}}</ref>

<!--<ref name=Biography>{{cite web |url=http://www.biography.com/people/dick-button-21309071#competitive-career |title=Dick Button |website=Biography.com |access-date=December 29, 2014}}</ref>-->

<ref name=LandingIt>{{cite book |first=Scott |last=Hamilton |author-link=Scott Hamilton (figure skater) |title=Landing It |url=https://archive.org/details/landingitmylifeo00hami |url-access=registration |isbn=1-57566-466-6 |year=1999|publisher=Kensington Books }}<!-- page(s)?? --></ref>

<ref name=NYT060215>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Sandomir |title=Dick Button Now Back on the Stage He Loves |date=February 15, 2006 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/15/sports/olympics/15button.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 15, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name=BIAUSA>{{cite web |url=http://www.biausa.org/spokespersons.htm |title=Brain Injury Awareness Month |access-date=February 15, 2010 |work=Brain Injury Association of America |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128140222/http://www.biausa.org/spokespersons.htm |archive-date=January 28, 2010 }}</ref>

<ref name=WHOF>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldskatingmuseum.org/Museum_HOF_Inductees.htm |title=Official Site World Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame: Hall of Fame Members |access-date=September 6, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070905174119/http://www.worldskatingmuseum.org/Museum_HOF_Inductees.htm |archive-date=September 5, 2007 }}</ref>

<ref name=Lohud130906>{{cite web |last=Cary |first=Bill |title=Dick Button's garden glory: Open Days opened over weekend |url=http://www.lohud.com/article/20130906/LIFESTYLE01/309060066/Dick-Button-s-garden-glory?nclick_check=1 |website=[[Lohud.com]] |publisher=Gannett |access-date=September 10, 2013 |date=September 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712173136/http://www.lohud.com/article/20130906/LIFESTYLE01/309060066/Dick-Button-s-garden-glory?nclick_check=1 |archive-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=TUSA180205>{{cite news |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2018/February/05/Dick-Button-Reflects-On-First-Olympic-Gold-Medal-70-Years-Later-And-State-Of-Figure-Skating-Today |title=Dick Button Reflects On First Olympic Gold Medal 70 Years Later And State Of Figure Skating Today |first=Karen |last=Rosen |website=teamusa.org |date=February 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207061627/https://www.teamusa.org/News/2018/February/05/Dick-Button-Reflects-On-First-Olympic-Gold-Medal-70-Years-Later-And-State-Of-Figure-Skating-Today |archive-date=February 7, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name=Encyclopedia>{{cite web |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Dick_Button.aspx |title=Dick Button |website=encyclopedia.com}}</ref>

<ref name=Olybio>{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org/richard-button |title=Richard Button |website=Olympic.org}}</ref>

<ref name="Ireland1978">{{cite magazine |author=Doug Ireland |author-link=Doug Ireland |title=Rendezvous in the Ramble |date=July 24, 1978 |magazine=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |url=https://nymag.com/news/features/47179/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118092552/https://nymag.com/news/features/47179/ |archive-date=November 18, 2011 |access-date=February 1, 2025}}</ref>

<ref name=2Axelvid>{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org/multimedia-player/all-video/1900-1950/1948/01/30/lot4-button-1948-wm-cio-high/ |title=St.Moritz 1948 Figure skating men individual |website=Olympic.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111212231909/http://www.olympic.org/multimedia-player/all-video/1900-1950/1948/01/30/lot4-button-1948-wm-cio-high/ |archive-date=December 12, 2011 |quote=Richard Button landed the double axel jump in his free skate programme, becoming the first figure skater to do so and winning the gold medal.}}</ref>

<ref name=WP060211>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/11/AR2006021101460.html |title=Ranking the Rink |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=February 12, 2006 |last=Copeland |first=Libby |url-status=live |archive-date=February 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217123953/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/11/AR2006021101460.html}}</ref>

<ref name=SR>{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bu/dick-button-1.html |title=Dick Button |website=[[Sports Reference]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702100005/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bu/dick-button-1.html |archive-date=July 2, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

}}

== Works cited ==
* {{cite book |last=Hines |first=James R. |year=2011 |url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio0000hine |title=Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating |location=Lanham, Maryland |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-6859-5}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Dick Button}}
* {{Team USA Hall of Fame|new_id=dick-button|old_id=Dick-Button|archive=20230720073202}}
* {{Olympics.com profile}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{Discogs artist|Dick Button}}

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