Dorothy Hamill is an American figure skater who was born July 26, 1956 at Chicago, Illinois, here parents moved to Riverside, Connecticut shortly after she was born, where she spent the rest of her childhood. She had a brother and a sister.
She first started ice skating when she was 8. She began skating in her grandparent's backyard on the pond. Her ice skates were too big so her grandmother put stuffing in the toe to make them fit. She asked her mother if she could have lessons so she could learn to skate backwards. Her mother said yes and she learned to be a professional. When she was older she won an Olympic gold medal and the world championship in 1976.
The U. S. champion from 1974 through 1976, Hamill developed a new move, a spin that turns into a sit-spin , which became known as the "Hamill camel ." The bobbed hairstyle that she wore during her Olympic performance started a brief fad. Mostly everyone loved it.
She was an Ice Capades headliner from 1977-84; she bought the financially-strapped Ice Capades in 1993 and sold it several years later.
A doll was made of her in 1977. She has written her own book, "On and Off the Ice". She was married to Dean Paul Martin.
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Last updated: 10-17-2005 15:26:32
Last updated: 10-29-2005 02:13:46
