Scott Hamilton
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Template:MedalTopPic Template:MedalSport Template:MedalGold Template:MedalBottom Scott Scovell Hamilton (born August 28, 1958 in Toledo, Ohio (USA)) is an American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist known for his originality and engaging on-ice personalities.
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Childhood
Hamilton was adopted at the age of six weeks by Ernest and Dorothy Hamilton of Bowling Green, Ohio. He has two siblings, older sister Susan and younger brother Steven (also adopted). When Scott was two years old he contracted a mysterious illness that caused him to stop growing. After numerous tests and several wrong diagnoses (including a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis that gave him just six months to live), the disease began to correct itself. He was eventually diagnosed as having Swachman-Diamond syndrome, a partial paralysis of the intestinal tract that prevents the body from absorbing nutrients, and a special diet and exercise cured the problem. However, he grew to only 5-foot-2½ and he weighed only 108 pounds during his peak skating years.
He was now passionate about his skating and at age 13 began training with Pierre Brunet, a former Olympic champion. In 1976, however, he was forced to quit skating because the cost of training was too high, and he enrolled in college. However, an anonymous couple stepped in to provide financial support for Scott to continue his training.
Career
In 1980 Hamilton finished third in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, earning him a place on the US Olympic team. He finished in fifth place at the 1980 Winter Olympics, where he also had the honor of carrying the American flag in the opening ceremony. In 1981 he won gold in the World Figure Skating Championships. He won gold again in 1982 and 1983 at the U.S. and World championships, and in the 1984 Winter Olympics took home the gold medal. He won the 1984 World Championships and then turned professional in April 1984.
Image:Scott-Hamilton-Stars-on-Ice.jpgAfter turning professional Scott toured with Ice Capades for two years, and then created "Scott Hamilton's American Tour", which later was renamed Stars on Ice. He co-founded, co-produced and performed in Stars on Ice for fifteen years before retiring from the tour in 2001 (though he still returns for the occasional guest performance).
He has been awarded numerous skating honors, including being the first solo male figure skater to be awarded the Jacques Farvat Award (in 1988). In 1990 he was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
Hamilton was a skating commentator for CBS television for many years, beginning in 1985. He has also worked for NBC television. In 2006, he was the host of the FOX television program "Skating with Celebrities".
Personal
In 1984 he won a gold medal. His record stayed for four years.
In 1990, as the Make-A-Wish Foundation® honored its 10th birthday, Scott Hamilton was recognized as the Foundation's first ever Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year. In 1997 Scott had a much-publicized battle with testicular cancer. He made a return to skating after his treatment and his story was featured in magazines and on television. It was also announced on November 12, 2004 that Scott has a benign brain tumor, which was treated at the Cleveland Clinic.
On November 14 2002 he married Tracie Robinson, a nutritionist. The couple has one child, Aidan McIntosh (born September 16 2003). They live in Los Angeles.
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Categories: 1958 births | Living people | American figure skaters | Figure skaters at the 1980 Winter Olympics | Figure skaters at the 1984 Winter Olympics | American sports announcers | Adoptees | People from Ohio | CBS Sports | NBC Sports | Winter Olympics medalists | Olympic competitors for the United States