Skippy Baxter

{{short description|Canadian-born American figure skater}} {{For|the American football player|Lloyd Baxter}} {{more citations needed|date=March 2016}} {{Infobox figure skater | name = Skippy Baxter | image = | alt = | caption = | fullname = Lloyd Valdemar Baxter | altname = | birth_date = {{birth date|1919|12|06}} | birth_place = Saskatchewan, Canada | death_date = {{death date and age|2012|12|18|1919|12|06}} | death_place = United States | hometown = | height =  | country = {{USA}} | discipline = Men's singles, Pairs | partner = Hedy Stenuf | coach = | skating club = | beganskating = | retired = | show-medals =  | medaltemplates =  }}

'''Lloyd Valdemar '''"'''Skippy'''"''' Baxter''' (December 6, 1919 – December 18, 2012)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121218/ARTICLES/121219538|title=World class skater, gracious instructor Skippy Baxter dies at 93|publisher=pressdemocrat.com|date=2012-12-18|accessdate=2012-12-18|archive-date=2012-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230181242/http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121218/ARTICLES/121219538|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Skates to Rebuild Leg, Baxter Now Ice Star|date=September 21, 1942|work=The Milwaukee Journal|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19420921&id=q-4ZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6SIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1689,2593002|accessdate=14 February 2010}}</ref> was an American figure skater. Born in Saskatchewan, Canada, his family moved to Oakland, California when he was 1 year of age.<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. HALL OF FAME PRESENTS CLASS OF 2003|url=http://www.usfigureskating.org/event_story.asp?id=905|work=usfigureskating.org|accessdate=21 December 2012}}</ref> Skippy started his skating career as a speed skater. Often winning awards as a youth Speed skater in Oakland, California.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} Then later, he won two medals at the 1940 United States Figure Skating Championships: a bronze in men's singles and a silver in pair skating with Hedy Stenuf. Baxter went on to skate professionally with the Ice Capades, working with Sonja Henie in her shows.<ref name="JDBTI">{{Cite book |last=du Bief |first=Jacqueline |title=Thin Ice|publisher=Cassell and Company Ltd, p. 182|year=1956|location=London }}</ref> Baxter was famous for the backflip that he regularly performed during shows.<ref name="JDBTI"/>

Skippy and his brother Meryl Baxter owned an ice rink in Santa Rosa, California on Summerfield Road, where the famous cartoonist Charles Schulz would take his family for skating lessons. It was there that Charles and Skippy Baxter formed a close friendship that lasted until the death of Charles Schulz. Baxter choreographed a segment for the 1969 animated film ''A Boy Named Charlie Brown'', in which Snoopy skates.

He later coached figure skating in Northern California at the Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa, California. Charles Schulz built the rink while Skippy and his brother Meryl Baxter helped run and operate the rink.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20091123/news/911231002?p=1&tc=pg|publisher=The Press Democrat|date=November 23, 2009|accessdate=February 14, 2010|first=Chris|last=Smith|title=Skippy Baxter still skating 80 years on}}</ref> Skippy was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usfigureskating.org/event_story.asp?id=905|title=U.S. Hall of Fame Presents Class of 2003|publisher=U.S. Figure Skating|accessdate=14 February 2010}}</ref>

==Results== (men's singles) {| class="wikitable" |- ! Event ! 1940 |- | U.S. Championships || align="center" bgcolor="cc9966" | 3rd |}

(pairs with Stenuf) {| class="wikitable" |- ! Event ! 1940 |- | U.S. Championships || align="center" bgcolor="silver" | 2nd |}

==Early life== Lloyd Baxter, having endured an accident as a youth with a tractor, which almost resulted in a leg amputation, began skating at the urging of his mother to strengthen his leg to avoid amputation. In turn, began his career as a champion youth speed skater.

Baxter enlisted in the United States army in 1943 and served in Northern Italy during World War II with the 10th Mountain Division, along with his brother Meryl Baxter. They were granted leave on weekends to continue performing in Ice Shows. Baxter was on the United States Olympic Figure Skating team, but because of the war and his enlistment, the Winter Olympics were cancelled that year.

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baxter, Skippy}} Category:1919 births Category:2012 deaths Category:American male single skaters Category:American male pair skaters Category:Sportspeople from Saskatchewan Category:Sportspeople from Oakland, California Category:United States Army personnel of World War II Category:United States Army soldiers Category:20th-century American sportsmen