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| WHERE CAN I GET ONE OF THOSE SWEATERS? February 6, 1952- George Kotlarek winning the first Guy R. Olson Cup at Chester Bowl in Duluth, MN. He was 39 or 40 at the time! |
TOM WEST
President/CEO US Ski and Snowboard
Hall of Fame
Negaunee, MI
It was a delight to
see some notes from Gene Kotlarek who was a great ski jumper
back in the 1960’s and was eventually inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard
Hall of Fame in 1983.
It must have been
very special for him because he was following his father, George
Kotlarek who is also a national hall of famer. George, who
encouraged and coached Gene in the early part of his career, had started ski
jumping in his hometown of Duluth, Minnesota as a child and by the time he was
eleven was able to beat many of the jumpers in his club’s senior class.
He would eventually hold five different National Ski Association titles
starting with winning the Boys title in Denver in 1927, the Class “C” and “B”
titles and the Class “A” title in Red Wing, Minnesota ten years later.
Following the Second World War he won three national Senior titles concluding
his jumping career in 1954. He was regarded as one of the “greats of
American skiing” in his day. He then went on to guide his son Gene to the
Class “A” and Olympic level status. George was inducted in 1968.
Gene of course went
on to encourage skiing and to be involved in the ski industry for years.
He helped start a national ski jumpers reunion every fall at the U.S. Ski and
Snowboard Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, Michigan. The Kotlarek family is
special in the history of our sport.
EDITOR’S NOTES-
The US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame does great work preserving
the history of our sport. Please
consider visiting, becoming a member, or donating. See more- CLICK HERE
George jumped in the 1939 US National Championships held in St.
Paul, MN-to see video- CLICK
HERE
George won the 1936 US National Championships held in Red Wing,
MN- to see Chicago Tribune coverage- CLICK
HERE
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