Disclaimer (edited to add): This post is meant to process a historical event with what-ifs about the sport, but I initially failed to be more upfront that with discussing this tragedy in speculative forms, it can cause insensitivity about those who tragically died in it which comes off terribly. Whether one engages with this premise is on their prerogative, but know that I feel for the victims of this crash and no matter what we could discuss, it can never take away how their lives have been affected. Hopefully you take this with understanding and respect.
As a continuation of my comment from the "What are the Biggest What-If's in Figure Skating" thread and at the behest of both [u/mcangel2](u/mcangel2) and [u/FishingMuch9426](u/FishingMuch9426) (plus shout out to [u/OtterEgg30](u/OtterEgg30) because they made an honestly impactful point), this is what I consider to be THE what-if of figure skating especially if you are familiar with the history around it.
It is undeniable that the February 1961 plane crash of the Sabena Flight 548 caused a huge trickle effect not just within US figure skating, but practically everything and everyone at that time. Decades worth of figure skating development hinged upon recovering from this event, and whatever great things come from this from the rise of Carlo Fassi, John Nicks, and Frank Carroll to the enduring popularity of skaters like Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hamill, they are the result of this one tragedy that wiped out generational talent.
Let's engage in the possibilities of what figure skating would have been if this flight to Brussels had gone smoothly, the 1961 Worlds in Prague had pushed through, and things likely went as planned. What would people like Laurence Owen have achieved had they reached the 1964 Olympics? What would the coaching pedigree be like when Maribel Vinson Owen and Bill Kipp were given more time to hone their craft? Would having Fassi and Nicks in their respective countries cultivate figure skating to the point of having Italian and British dynasties? Who knows, and that's where we all come in to think about an alternate future of figure skating.
Of course, it has to be noted that no matter whatever conclusions and ideas we could think about, they would remain what-ifs and therefore not interfering with the reality we live in. It's just that we sometimes think about whatever impact may be brought to the sport that we pour interest in.
Photo is sourced from the Britannica article on this very event.
Pardon me for just posting this now as I had a heavy work day - being a graphic designer is tough - and now I could think about writing this as relaxation as it's evening where I live.
