34°
Button, a longtime Westchester resident and twice Olympic Champion, died at his North Salem residence at the age of 95, The New York Times reported.
The figure-skating icon won his gold medals in 1948 and 1952 and was also a five-time World Champion. He was the only non-European man to become European Champion.
Button became well-known for being the first skater to successfully land the double axel jump in competition in 1948 and the first triple jump of any kind, a triple loop, in 1952. He is also credited with inventing the flying camel spin, originally called the "Button camel" after him.
In the decades that followed his momentous skating performances, Button frequently made appearances on broadcast television, which began when he gave commentary for CBS's broadcast of the 1960 Winter Olympics.
He eventually won an Emmy Award in 1981 for Outstanding Sports Personality – Analyst.
Button's broadcast career continued into the 2000s, with him providing commentary in the 2006 Winter Olympics. During this, he even had his own recurring segment on USA Network's "Olympic Ice" called "Push Dick's Button." As part of the segment, viewers could send in questions that Button would answer on the air.
Button is remembered as bringing an increased amount of athleticism to figure skating in the years after World War II.
He also had ties to the Hudson Valley, as he lived in North Salem for years. He also went through a less pleasant experience in Westchester, as he suffered a serious brain injury while skating on a rink in the county on New Year's Eve 2000. Following this, he became a spokesman for the Brain Injury Association of America.
Button's death occurred less than a day after an American Airlines plane carrying US Figure Skating athletes, coaches, and family members collided with an Army helicopter over Washington, DC, as Daily Voice reported.
Among the victims were six members of the Skating Club of Boston, where Button skated for much of his life, according to ESPN.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Brentwood and receive free news updates.
