Howard Wright, 94, moved to Boothbay in 1975, and loves reading the Boothbay Register. A recent article about the 2024 Summer Olympics rekindled his memories about meeting two-time men’s figure skating Olympic champion Dick Button. Both men appeared in a winter carnival ice show in Philadelphia. In 1948, Wright was a high school sophomore who just completed his first season as a starter on the high school football team. 

As his football teammates began preparing for basketball season, Wright had other ideas. He was tired and decided to skip basketball. A friend urged him to consider performing in the annual ice show. Despite being a novice skater, Wright was convinced the ice show had merit. “He talked about the show, and added that many students from the all-girls school participated. After he said that, I was in,” Wright said.

The annual ice show was sponsored by Philadelphia Skating Club and broadcast on local television station WIP-TV. The show included club members and a few special guests like competitive skating champions. In 1948, Button won his first of two Olympic gold medals, this one in St. Moritz, Switzerland. “Dick was from New Jersey and our club was like his home training base,” Wright said. “Our show had several well-known skaters and a lot of local talent. It was a great time and a lot of fun.”

Wright participated in four shows during his high school years. Wright was limited in his skating skills. He owned a pair of hockey skates and little natural ability. So he joined a group of friends who formed a comedy troupe. Wright and a friend performed as two halves of a skating cow. This led to Wright upstaging the Olympic champion during Button’s skate. 

“Dick was doing his solo number so we (the skating cow) galloped in front of the camera blocking him from the shot,” he said. “Later, he returned the favor. We were about to perform our act when Dick blew cigar smoke into the cow’s head opening.  I was the head. So, I went on the ice coughing and wheezing. The audience must’ve thought it was a comedy bit, but it was a prank.”

A national ice show would arrive in Philadelphia each winter featuring prominent ice skaters. During an off-day, the skating club would host a party for the touring skaters. One year, the Scotvold sisters performed. The twins skated as a pair in the Ice Follies. Wright was dancing with Joanne Scotvold, and later decided to dance with Joyce, her sister. While dancing, he told his new dance partner he could tell them apart. “I told ‘Joyce’  I can tell by the placement of your bobby pins.” His dance partner responded, “I changed my pins after we danced. I’m Joanne.”

A member of Wright’s comedy team became an artist. At the Nuremburg trial. Joe Krush sketched the German defendants. “Joe did that. Later, he was part of the team that designed the United Nations logo,” Wright said.

In 1954. Wright was living in New York City. One day, a young man in a full black beard walked toward him. Wright tried to avoid the ominous looking man until the man spoke. “Hey Howie! Don’t you talk to your old friends anymore?” Button asked. Wright explained he didn’t recognize Button because in those days most people sported “Ivy League” haircuts with no facial hair. A brief conversation ensued where Button explained why, as a Harvard law student, he had a full beard. “A friend bet me $50 I wouldn’t grow a full beard. And now, I’m $50 richer.”

After reading the Boothbay Register article about Bryon Cortez’s and Elliot Schwartz’s 2024 Olympic experience, Wright said the story reminded him of those fun high school days in Philadelphia. “It was a fun time, and they were all great people. No one acted like they were a big deal. They acted like really nice people who liked to have fun,” he said.