Background
He was born in New York City on March 29, 1871 as Isaac Irving Brokaw to Isaac Vail Brokaw and Elvira Tuttle Gould. He was a member of a wealthy New York City family, his father having founded the Brokaw Brothers men"s clothing stores.
He was born in New York City on March 29, 1871 as Isaac Irving Brokaw to Isaac Vail Brokaw and Elvira Tuttle Gould. He was a member of a wealthy New York City family, his father having founded the Brokaw Brothers men"s clothing stores.
He represented the United States at the 1908 Summer Olympics in the figure skating competition, becoming the first American to compete in a sport included in the Winter Olympic program His book, "Art of Skating" was known as the figure skater"s bible. He competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in figure skating, where he placed 6th.
The 1908 Olympics were the first Games in which figure skating was contested.
Brokaw became the first American to compete in skating, and by extension any Winter Olympic sport, at the Olympic Games. He was later elected as an honorary president of the United States. Figure Skating Association, and made large contributions to skating techniques.
Brokaw graduated from New York Law School and 1907, but never practiced law as a profession. In the 1910, Brokaw wrote the book "The Art of Skating", which was referred to as the "figure skater"s bible" by Time Magazine.
In 1976, he was posthumously inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
After he won an international prize in Switzerland, he brought the International Style of skating back to the United States. As a figure skater, Brokaw competed in early national championships in the United States that predated the United States. Figure Skating Championships and won the events in 1906 and 1908.
