USASJ Story Project- Nov 11 WAKEFIELD

Wally Wakefield with Art Knudsen

Story No. 20

WALLY WAKEFIELD

Age 82

Maplewood, MN

St. Paul Ski Club

One never knows how many paths one crosses over the span of something close to 50-plus years of ski jumping.   One very unique aspect to ski jumping is the people who come from all walks of life.  The fact is, it doesn’t matter where you come from when you stand in the box at the top of ski slide.  Guys may be from a certain club. They may be a good skier or they may be mediocre. Once they make their way to the top of a slide, they have just one thing in mind. The takeoff.

No matter who they are, it is all the same.

When one thinks of Madison, WI the first club that comes to mind is Blackhawk.  But for a few years there was a club at the UW-Madison called the “Hoofers Ski Club".  They had a small hill — if I remember right, about 25 or 30 meters — right on the campus. The outrun went onto the flats and then down onto Lake Mendota.   The Hoofers held a tournament that was on the “Central” circuit.   One day while practicing on the Saturday before the Sunday tournament I was at the top of the slide. Remember this was an era when — I’m sure it hasn’t changed much — where one knew just about everyone who was in a Central Division Club. You ran into the same people week after week during the winter ski jumping season.

Well, there I was, when up to the top of the slide came a guy I didn’t recognize.   It was unusual that I didn't know the guy, but he was very conspicuous in a few other ways.  This guy had brand new jumping skis.  A rarity in the days of buying something as special as skis.   Not only did he have new skis but he had new ski pants, a new sweater and I think they were shiny new Bass boots.  He was conspicuous all right!

I went down and later I asked someone from the Blackhawk Ski Club about the guy.   “Who was that guy with all the new equipment,” I asked. The reply was, “I don’t know. I think he’s some rich guy from down east.”  Some who remember skiing at the Hoofers Ski Club tournaments may well have guessed who the “. . . rich guy from down east.” turned out to be.   Remember, at the top of the slide, when you step into the track the only thing that matters is that you must be a ski jumper.



Ted Kennedy- former ski jumper

The end of the story is that the “. . . rich guy from down east.” turned out to be none other than the late Ted Kennedy.   He’s the same guy from Massachusetts who became famous for a lot more things than wearing a number while competing in a ski jumping tournament!