Buffalo Ice Hockey Research Paper

There are two sports that are most associated with the city of Buffalo, ice hockey and football. Perpetuated and made popular by professional organizations like the NFL and NHL, hockey and football have major advantages over less publicized sports. As a result, Buffalonians overlook some of our best athletes because they are not playing one of the mainstream sports. In this city, a city many people would call a hockey town, Buffalo has committed a great injustice by forgetting our history of speedskating and figure skating. Multiple people who were born and raised in the city of Buffalo went on to win national titles and even skate for our nation in the Olympics in speedskating or figure skating. With a history that predates not just the Bills

Joseph Druar, a Buffalo native, was a member of the Buffalo Skating Club and went on to skate in the Olympics in 1988, and was the US Champion for singles from 1988 to 1990 when he won two straight national championships. Formally organized in 1928, the Buffalo Skating Club today has grown to such a large size that it is an official member of U.S. Figure Skating. Despite this prestigious accolade, it caters to not only professionals and peoples who are extremely skilled, but also armatures who are out there to learn and have fun. Today the Club is still a thriving organization, currently holding sessions at the Buffalo State College Ice Arena, and North Buffalo Ice Rink for people of all ages and skill

Katherine “Kit” Klein was born in Buffalo, New York in 1910 and by the time she was 22 years old, she was competing for her nation in the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. The 1932 Winter Olympics were the first to offer Women’s Speedskating as an event, and in their first year Kit took first place in the 1500 meter event, and third in the 500 meter event. Unfortunately for her, the sport had not yet been given full recognition by the Olympic Committee and at the time it was only a “demonstration event” deigned to determine whether or not it was deserving of becoming an official event for the games. Although it would be another twenty eight years until women’s speedskating would become an official event in the Winter Games, it cannot be attributed to Kit’s effort or