Name/Title
Print, PhotographicEntry/Object ID
1928Description
Gretchen Kunigk Fraser of Tacoma skis while modeling Jantzen Knitting Mills clothing in this 1949 photo. Gretchen, known for her signature braids on the slopes, was the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in skiing, finishing first in the women's slalom in the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. She took the silver medal that year in the women's combined event. Gretchen Fraser was born in 1919 to parents who were German and Norwegian immigrants. Her mother taught her to ski at age 13 and she excelled under the tutelage of Otto Lang, later competing on the University of Puget Sound ski team. She met 1936 Olympian Donald Fraser in 1938 and the two married the following year. Both Frasers were members of the U.S. Olympic team in 1940, when the Games were cancelled due to World War II. Following her Olympic victory, Kunigk Fraser retired from competitive skiing but continued volunteer efforts with disabled skiers. She was inducted into the National Ski Hall of Fame in 1960, the same year she was tabbed for the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame, and is also a member of the University of Puget Sound Hall of Fame. She died at age 75 in February of 1994, one month after Donald, her husband of 54 years, had passed away.Lexicon
Search Terms
Skiing, Women's Skiing, OlympicsRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Kunigk Fraser, Gretchen