Robert Francis Dineen (July 8, 1937 - February 15, 1961) was an American ice dancer who competed with his wife Patricia Dineen. The duo won Silver (Junior) dance title at the 1960 United States Figure Skating Championships and then the bronze in the senior division at the 1961 United States Figure Skating Championships, earning them the right to compete a month later at the World Championships in Prague. He and his wife died on February 15, 1961, when Sabena Flight 548 crashed en route to the World Championships. They left behind an infant son, Robert Jr., who was adopted by Dineen's brother.
Dineen was a graduate of St. John's University and had plans to return to school to study law. The Dineens lived in New York City where they were trained by Sonya Klopfer. [1]
Ice Dance (with Dineen)
Event | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 |
---|---|---|---|
U.S. Championships | 3rd J. | 1st J. | 3rd |
Laurence Rochon "Laurie" Owen was an American figure skater. She was the 1961 U.S. National Champion and represented the United States at the 1960 Winter Olympics, where she placed 6th. She was the daughter of Maribel Vinson and Guy Owen and the sister of Maribel Owen. Owen died, along with her mother, sister and the entire United States Figure Skating team, in the crash of Sabena Flight 548 en route to the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships. In 2011, on the 50th anniversary of the crash, Owen and the entire team was inducted to the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
Sabena Flight 548 was a Boeing 707-329 flight operated by Sabena that crashed en route from New York City to Brussels, Belgium on 15 February 1961. The flight, which had originated at Idlewild International Airport, crashed on approach to Brussels Airport, killing all 72 people on board and one person on the ground. The fatalities included the entire United States figure skating team, which was traveling to the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The precise cause of the crash remains unknown; the most likely explanation was thought to be a failure of the mechanism that adjusts the tail stabilizer.
U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States. It is recognized as such by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and is the United States member of the International Skating Union (ISU). Although the official name of the organization is "the United States Figure Skating Association," it is now known as and conducts business under the name "U.S. Figure Skating." Founded in 1921, U.S. Figure Skating regulates and governs the sport and defines and maintains the standard of skating proficiency. It specifies the rules for testing, competitions, and all other figure skating related activities. U.S. Figure Skating promotes interest and participation in the sport by assisting member clubs, skaters, and athletes, appointing officials, organizing competitions, exhibitions, and other figure skating pursuits, and offering a wide variety of programs.
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships is a figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals". Medals are currently awarded in four disciplines: men's (boys') singles, ladies' (girls') singles, pair skating, and ice dancing in four colors: gold (first), silver (second), bronze (third), and pewter (fourth) on two levels, senior and junior. Medals were previously given at the novice, intermediate, and juvenile levels. The event is also used to determine the U.S. teams for the World Championships, World Junior Championships, Four Continents Championships, and Winter Olympics, however, U.S. Figure Skating reserves the right to consider other results.
Sergei Vladilenovich Ponomarenko is a Russian former competitive ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union and the Unified team. With skating partner and wife Marina Klimova, he is the 1992 Olympic champion, 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 1984 Olympic bronze medalist, three-time World champion, and four-time European champion.
John Allen Wisden Nicks is a British figure skating coach and former pair skater. With his sister, Jennifer Nicks, he is the 1953 World champion. As a coach, his skating pupils have included Peggy Fleming, pairs team Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, Kristi Yamaguchi, Paul Wylie, Sasha Cohen, Rory Flack and Ashley Wagner.
Maribel Yerxa Owen was an American figure skater.
Ronald Ludington was an American figure skating coach and pair skater. With Nancy Rouillard Ludington, he was the 1960 Olympic bronze medalist, 1959 World bronze medalist, and a four-time U.S. national champion.
Bradley Lord was an American figure skater who competed in men's singles. He finished fourth at the 1960 United States Figure Skating Championships and then placed sixth at that year's World Figure Skating Championships after the top three U.S. skaters skipped the event. The following year, he won the gold medal at the 1961 United States Figure Skating Championships and placed second at the 1961 North American Figure Skating Championships.
Dudley "Dud" Shaw Richards was an American figure skater who competed in men's singles and pairs. In singles, he won the bronze medal at the 1953 United States Figure Skating Championships and finished sixth at that year's World Figure Skating Championships. In pairs, he once skated with future Olympic gold medalist Tenley Albright, before later teaming up with Maribel Owen. After winning the bronze medal at Nationals in 1958 and 1959, the pair captured the silver in 1960 and finished tenth at that year's Winter Olympic Games. In 1961, Owen and Richards won the gold medal at the U.S. Championships and finished second at the North American Figure Skating Championships.
Dallas "Larry" Pierce was an American ice dancer. He was the 1961 U.S. national champion with Diane Sherbloom.
Diane Carol "Dee Dee" Sherbloom was an American figure skater who competed in ice dance. Previously paired with Roger Campbell, she had no intentions of competing at the 1961 United States Figure Skating Championships until she met her partner Larry Pierce. Pierce's previous partner, Marilyn Meeker, suffered an injury shortly before the championships that made her unable to compete, and Pierce persuaded Sherbloom to join him. The newly formed pair went on to win the gold medal at Nationals and followed that up with a fourth-place finish at the North American Figure Skating Championships.
Patricia Major Dineen was an American ice dancer who competed with her husband Robert Dineen. The duo won the Silver (Junior) dance title at the 1960 United States Figure Skating Championships and then the bronze at the senior level at the 1961 United States Figure Skating Championships, earning them the right to compete a month later at the World Championships in Prague. She and her husband died on February 15, 1961, when Sabena Flight 548 crashed en route to the World Championships. They left behind an infant son, Robert Jr., who was adopted by an uncle.
Dona Lee Carrier was an American figure skater who competed in ice dancing with Roger Campbell.
Roger Campbell was an American figure skater who competed in ice dancing.
Ila Ray Hadley, was an American figure skater who competed in pairs and ice dance with her brother Ray Hadley, Jr.
Ray Ellis Hadley Jr. was an American figure skater who competed in pairs and ice dance with his sister Ila Ray Hadley.
The 1962 U.S. Figure Skating Championships was held in Boston, Massachusetts from February 1 to 4, 1962. The compulsory figures and initial round dance events were held at the Skating Club of Boston rink, while the finals were held at the McHugh Forum rink at Boston College. Medals were awarded in three colors: gold (first), silver (second), and bronze (third) in four disciplines – men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing – across three levels: senior, junior, and novice.
Deane McMinn (1916–1961) was a figure skating judge who was serving as team manager for the United States Figure Skating team attending the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships. He was killed along with all other members of the team in the crash of Sabena Flight 548 en route to the competition.
Dineen is an Irish surname. It is derived from the Gaelic ÓDuinnín ‘descendant of Duinnín', a diminutive of Donn 'dark, brown'. The Ó Duinnín were hereditary historians to the MacCarthy Mór. People with the surname include: