Spillane induced in U.S. Ski & Snowboard's Hall of Fame

Seven distinguished individuals from the snowsport community have been announced as inductees to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019. This year’s class of 2019 Inductees were announced at the Hall of Fame Museum in the Upper Peninsula town of Ishpeming, Michigan on Wednesday, August 21, 2019. All new members will be formally inducted next March in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Nordic Combined legend Johnny Spillane has been announced as a member of the 2019 class. Spillane became a World Champion in 2003 at the young age of 23 years old, he was the first American to win an individual title at a Nordic World Ski Championships. This result thrust Spillane to the top of the sport. Over the course of his career, Spillane notched six World Cup podiums, a World Championship gold medal, and three Olympic medals.

Spillane had a knack for peaking at the right events. Of his ten career podiums, four came in World Championship and Olympic events and culminated with his three silver medals at the 2010 games in Vancouver. Spillane was the first American Nordic Combined skier to medal in the original Olympic discipline and still holds the record for most medals won.

Tenacity defined Spillane as he led the Americans to new heights. He often battled injuries (many of which required surgery) that most fans were never aware of. Spillane, a subdued man from Steamboat Springs, believes in walking the walk more than talking the talk. Spillane led a great example for many years, valuing the team as a whole. “I’m so proud of what we accomplished as a team. From no World Championship or Olympic medals to having three World champions and two Olympic medalists, plus a team medal… we accomplished a lot,” says Spillane.

Spillane now joins a small but distinguished group of Nordic Combined skiers who have been inducted into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame since it began in 1956

NORDIC COMBINED SKIERS IN U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD HALL OF FAME

(sorted by induction year, indicated in parentheses).

Karl Magnus Satre, Norway/Salisbury, Conn. (1963) – Norwegian native Karl Magnus Satre was a strong cross country skier, ski jumper and nordic combined skier in the 1930s. He competed for his native Norway at the 1932 Olympics in Lake Placid, and for the USA at the 1936 Winter Games. His brother Paul Ottar is also an honoured member of the Hall of Fame.

John Carleton, Hanover, N.H. (1968) – John Carleton was the only non-Scandinavian native on the 1924 Olympic ski team, finishing 22nd in nordic combined at the first Winter Games in Chamonix. He was an all-around skier, noted for an early descent of the legendary Tuckerman’s Ravine. He passed in 1977.

John Bower, Auburn, Maine (1969) – John Bower had the first truly breakthrough performance among U.S. Nordic Combined skiers, winning the King’s Cup at Holmenkollen in 1968. He went on to become the nordic director for the U.S. Ski Team and helped build what is now the Utah Olympic Park. He died in 2017.

Birger Torrisen, Norway/Salisbury, Conn. (1972) – Birger Torrisen was a noted all-around skier who emigrated from Norway to the USA. He competed for the USA at the 1936 Olympics in Cross Country and Nordic Combined. He went on to become a noted official and sports leader before his passing in 1991. He was the brother-in-law of fellow nordic combined Hall of Famer Ottar Satre.

David Bradley, Madison, Wis. (1985) David Bradley was the 1938 U.S. Nordic Combined Champion and the captain of the 1937-38 Dartmouth Ski Team. He had qualified for the 1940 Olympics, which were never held. He went on to become noted official, coach, and writer before passing in 2008.

Paul Ottar Satre, Norway/Salisbury, Conn. (1971) – Paul Ottar Satre was a talented Norwegian skier who emigrated to America. He was a dominant force in Cross-Country, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined in 1930s to early 40s, and competed in the 1936 Olympic Winter Games. He later became a key figure for sport development in the Salisbury area. His brother Karl Magnus is also an honoured member of the Hall of Fame.

Ted Farwell, Greenfield, Mass. (1992) – Ted Farwell was a three-time Olympian (1952, ‘56, ‘60) who finished 11th in combined at the 1952 Oslo Olympics. Farwell skied at Denver University and went on to a successful career in the ski industry before his passing in 2015.

Johnny Spillane, Steamboat Springs, Colo. (2019; induction in April 2020) – Johnny Spillane ushered in a wave of USA Nordic combined success with his 2003 World Championship gold in Val di Fiemme, Italy. It was the catalyst for the team which won four medals in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, including Spillane’s three silver medals.

Release courtesy of USA Nordic