(ATR) Bob Beattie is remembered as a pioneer of ski racing, launching the first edition of the Alpine World Cup in 1965. He died April 1 at his home in Colorado.
While a good skier, Beattie made his mark as a coach at the university level, including the University of Colorado.
He coached the U.S. ski team at the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck. The team won a record four medals including the first men's alpine medals for the U.S. at the Winter Games.
"The pressure was severe. We had promised everything - rightfully or wrongfully - we had promised everyone the world. We loved each other. We were a team. They weren’t individuals. We were together as a team," Beattie has said about the 1964 Olympic squad.
By the time the Winter Olympics returned to Innsbruck in 1976, Beattie had joined the staff of ABC Sports. He was a member of the broadcast team for the 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympics, as well as the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
U.S. Ski and Snowboard vice president Tom Kelly says that Beattie made a big impact for the sport in the 1960s by attracting corporate support for the U.S. ski team.
"In his tenure leading up to the 1964 Olympics, Beattie often stirred controversy. But he also pioneered a new era of promotion and fundraising for the fledgling U.S. Ski Team. He partnered with the U.S. ski industry to raise funds and engaged with corporate America to support its national team at previously unheard of levels," writes Kelly.
Kelly calls Beattie "one of the sport's greatest promoters".
Along with journalist Serge Lang and French coach Honorė Bonnet, Beattie was able to schedule the top alpine race fixtures across the world for the first Alpine Ski World Cup in 1966.
In 1970 he formed the World Pro Ski Tour, which lasted until 1982.
"After retiring from his broadcast career, Beattie remained passionately engaged in the sport," says Kelly.
"He was ski racing's biggest, and its most outspoken critic. He continued to be an advocate for change. In recent years his passion led the U.S. Ski Team to create the Bob Beattie Athlete Travel fund, which is now funneling millions of dollars into an endowment to help national team athletes," says Kelly.
Beattie was married four times and is survived by son, Zeno Beattie, daughter Susan, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Kelly says a celebration of Beattie’s life will likely be held in Aspen, Colorado in the fall.
Reported by Ed Hula.
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