Jason Brown becomes the first recipient of the Button-Salchow Award in over 10 years

The story began at the 1947 World Figure Skating Championship in Stockholm, where Dick Button's performance impressed Ulrich Salchow, ten-time winner of the World Figure Skating Championships and inventor of the now-famous Salchow jump. The judges awarded Dick second place, but Salchow thought he deserved the gold. Befriending the young talent, he invited Dick to select a trophy from his own vast collection, and as Dick did, a new tradition was born. Following the 1972 World Championships, Dick passed on the Salchow trophy to Misha Petkevich, and in 2010, Misha passed the trophy to Paul Wylie, the 1992 Olympic silver medalist, all in the spirit of commemorating a passion for excellence, generosity of mentorship, and a love of skating that now spans more than seven decades. Now, more than 10 years later, the Trophy has been passed onto Jason Brown and will now be awarded every four years to a new recipient.
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[@dmp7252]

This is beyond epic. To have Olympic Champion, Brian Boitano, sitting next to Jason, and to NOT have ever received this award, says a lot. And this even after Boitano, at the 1988 Calgary Olympics, skated two of the most iconic programs in skating history. Yet even that wasn't enough for him to be awarded this trophy. But, then again, Brian wasn't always that spectacular. For the 1988 Olympics, Boitano transformed into an other-earthly being. (Sandra Bezic really was a magician.) However, Jason Brown, from the moment he burst onto the scene skating to Riverdance, he has embraced and upheld the tenants of championship level figure skating. He has never allowed his quest for quads to overshadow his overall performance quality. That's what people need to understand, it is overall impact of your body of work that will last. This is why people are still looking at Michelle Kwan TODAY. She produced a body of work that embodied overall excellence. Let us not forget - figure skating is the nearly impossible alchemy of both the artistic and the athletic. 20 years from now, people may not even care if you won the Olympics. Jason Brown is the perfect illustration of the saying: It's not whether you win or not, it's how you play that game.

[@hattiem.7966]

I don't understand why Brian B didn't get it either?!!!!

[@ericachang4752]

So well said. So proud of Jason.

[@dmp7252]

@@hattiem.7966 - you raise a valid question. Brian was a great ambassador for the sport. Many remember his ice specials after winning the Olympics. But at that time, in 1988, John Misha Petkevich still held the award. I suppose Petkevich didn't think the time had come to pass on the trophy just yet. I can only hope Jason will be equally discriminating when passing down the award, given he's so nice. Because WHO you pass the award on to is a reflection of what YOU value in figure skating. So, the fact that John Misha Petkevich chose Paul Wylie, and NOT Scott Hamilton, NOT Brian Boitano, NOT Christopher Bowman, but Paul Wylie (hard to keep a dry eye when you know what that means)! It speaks volumes. For John Misha Petkevich to pick Paul is a direct reflection of what John values in skating. That is why Jason MUST deliberate long and hard on who the next recipient is. My concern now is U.S. Figure Skating wants to pass this award on EVERY 4 YEARS. I say bull. It should be passed on when the holder is moved to do so. If 4 years goes by and Jason says no one, in his eyes, is worthy of the award yet - I stand with Jason, and I also stand ready to petition U.S. Figure Skating if Jason is, IN ANY WAY, pressured to pass on the trophy. I trust Jason Brown's standards. So, even if 16 years has to go by before Jason deems someone else worthy, so be it. Just look at Brian Boitano in the video - he was literally FIGHTING back tears. There's a reason the indisputable living icon, Brian Boitano, a true skating Titan, is shedding tears here.

[@ahsatansrela1633]

Jason is a true artist & talent & never ceases to entrance & captivate when he performs; from River Dance to Schindler’s List he truly is a rare gift worthy of celebrating especially because it’s not something you see every year or even every generation. It would have been interesting to see what he would’ve been capable of winning pre quad revolution

[@bsmith9967]

Brian is a consummate actor. He plays the part. @@dmp7252

[@mytinyjourney]

The definition of class, sportsmanship and skating excellence and just an amazing human. Well deserved.

[@mammac4333]

He is a wonderful role model..kind…humble…caring! So proud of him! He is an amazing man and ambassador of the sport!

[@debbiewahls7672]

Jason Brown is the perfect recipient of this award. Simply no one deserves it more!

[@sheilabloom6735]

So well deserved. He is literally beloved by fans and judges. No quad but his skating is a joy to watch. He makes his jumps look so effortless.

[@jacksonlinik8763]

Jason Brown is a such inspiration ! Personal awesome and stunning artist in your "skates"...He deserves the World 🎉❤

[@MaryWehmeier]

Congratulations Jason. For Dick, Misha and Paul to believe you are deserving of this award, speaks volumes of your dedication to this sport. So very proud of you.

[@ardeladimwit]

He is well-deserving of the award and Dick Button would be very pleased for him to have it.

[@michaeldilsaver9756]

If Anybody deserves this award it's Jason.🎉 Have watchd him for years, so kind, gracious, worked so hard, Never Gave Up! Am thrilled for him.🎉🎉🎉❤

[@michaeldilsaver9756]

that's from kyodeeo, not michael.

[@sunnyshores7520]

Don't ever change. Jason.

[@SonOfAGun1814]

i wish they would have shown and explained the meaning/history behind this award and remind people who ulrich, dick and paul were who had this award as well prior previous. jason is so so so deserved of this. bravo bravo.

[@anka6356]

They did. It's part of the US Nationals gala that aired on NBC.

[@irisrivas6603]

He deserved it! He is awesome. I am happy for him. I love Jason Brown🥰❤️🙂👏👏👏👍

[@louisehancock324]

Could not have made a better choice. Congratulations Jason. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@3l3llala13]

Amazing to hold and own an award that was once held by the legendary Ulrich Salchow and then the great Dick Button. Frankly, I think Mr. Button should've been the last male skater to deserve that honor.

[@cynthiahubbard8039]

Love to know that you are honored in this way

[@conradmartinez4175]

GO! JASON! YOU'RE THE BEST ARTIST ON ICE.

[@user-tb9pc5pl6p]

My 3 favorite male skaters ever: Brian, Paul, & Jason ❤❤❤ They have taken skating to another level & I'm always moved to tears 😢 watching them skate so incredibly, living & feeling the music so perfectly. Congratulations Jason!! Perfect to have Brian & Paul there!

[@amymitz7506]

Love love love this guy!!

[@anka6356]

Jason, the legend!!!!!

[@janetjohnson7279]

Please explain what this award is all about!! Thanks!

[@USFigureSkating]

It's all in the description!

[@dmp7252]

Hi - U.S. Figure Skating could have better explained what all the fuss is about. Just read my comments above, and you will see why this award is so epic. There's so much buzz around this because this trophy is not awarded every year. It's only awarded if the current holder of the award thinks you deserve it. Imagine that. That's why it has been with Paul Wylie for so long. Dick Button gave it to John Misha Petkevich in 1972! Petkevich then only released it to Paul Wylie (20 YEARS LATER) in 1992! And now Wylie has bestowed the award on Jason Brown (12 YEARS LATER) in 2024. They now want to do this every 4 years, which I think is bull. In 4 years, if no one is worthy, the trophy should NOT be awarded. Period. We need some bulwark against trends that threaten the balance of Figure Skating as we know it. Let the jumping-obsessed skaters go win their gold medals. But hands off this trophy. This trophy embodies the idea of perfectly combing art and athleticism, and it demands this unapologetically. So, check out my comment and you'll get a better feel of what this is all about.

[@janetjohnson7279]

@@dmp7252 ✨✨ Thanks! ✨✨

[@primalcritters]

Is this just an American award?

[@chiutwan]

Well, it appears so after Mr. Ulrich Salchow - a Swede - gave the original award to the one he deemed deserving of an Olympic gold medal. I wish a non-American or a female single skater had been considered for this award to truly keep the spirit of this tradition. In the last Olympics, there was a certain someone who deserved the gold medal more than the actual winner IMHO. Jason is excellent in his own right. Is he up there with the other Olympic winners? Not quite, again, IMHO. The other reviewers of this video obviously would disagree with me. For non-American-centric figure skating fans, though, the opinions might be more diverse.

[@bunnynorway]

It was informally passed by Dick Button to 2 Americans (Misha Petkevich and Paul Wylie) for skating excellence. Neither won a world medal but Button was an admirer of both. To honor Dick Button, Misha and Paul decided to now formally award a skater every 4 years the Button-Salchow award, open to skaters from any country.

[@emilyzahora3330]

I might not know the nuances of this award’s history, but from what I understand, it’s awarded to someone who the previous recipient feels is deserving of special recognition and aligns with what they want to see in skating. So, someone like Jason, who hasn’t gotten many medals and is often overlooked when it comes to scores because he doesn’t have quads and the like, this award is appropriate. Of course there could be other worthy contenders, but in this case it was Jason.