Richard Totten Button (July 18, 1929 – January 30, 2025) was an American figure skater and skating analyst. He was a two-time Olympic champion (1948, 1952) and five-time consecutive world champion (1948–1952). He was also the only non-European man to have become 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 – in 1952. He also invented the flying camel spin, which was originally known as the "Button camel". 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.
Early life
Button was born on July 18, 1929, and raised in Englewood, New Jersey. 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.
Career
Amateur
Early competitions
In his first competition, the 1943 Eastern States Novice Championship, Button finished second to Jean-Pierre Brunet. 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; they had two children a son and a daughter, the couple later divorced. Three persons were subsequently convicted of assault. The victims were attacked at random.
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. He recovered and became a national spokesman for the Brain Injury Association of America 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,
Achievements
- First skater to land a double Axel
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