Whitey Sandeen

KZimm  Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 4

Whitey Sandeen I have known Whitey since the early seventies. I was a sales rep for Beconta at this point in time and Whitey was one of my customers. He had a very intersting life. He arrived in America from Norway shortly after WW II on a freighter and jumped ship in New York. He had a variety of jobs until he founded Olympic Ski Shop on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn. He then expanded his operations to Manhasset and Huntington NY. He also had the concession at the Ski Shop at Mount Snow for a number of years. Although a skiing and jumping enthusiast he was never part of the Norwegion ski team. He was a good jumper and organized many events at Bear Mountain in NY. His children Donald and Sylvia are - to the best of my knowlegde - still on Long Island. He was a character and a driving force of the Metro NY retail trade. Klaus Zimmermann Quote: Originally Posted by Vassily  Greetings to all! Is there anyone out there who might have a quick historical reference to the 1932 Olympics held at Lake Placid, New York? I'm looking for a list of the Norwegian Team members. I used to work for a gentleman by the name of Asmund Sandeen, who jumped for Norway. Can anyone tell me about how he did? I believe that he may have been a Bronze Medalist, and I am really curious to find out. While I am but a humble amateur skiier, I did learn a few things from, "Whitey", (as he was called by his friends), and I would be most grateful for any information on Asmund Sandeen, Olympic Ski Jumper for Norway, 1932. Thanks! Vassily

#7            03-17-2009, 03:33 PM

ingski  Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1

Hello. Though you say "There was never any site in California under consideration" for the 1932 Winter Olympics, in the late 1920s the California State Chamber of Commerce did lobby to have the Winter Olympics in California, because LA was hosting the Summer Games. Big Pines, Yosemite, and Lake Tahoe were discussed as possible locations. Ingrid

#6            01-14-2009, 10:32 AM

TGoodwin  Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Keene, NY Posts: 2

The 1932 Olympics were secured by Godfrey Dewey for Lake Placid. There was never any site in California under consideration. There was definitely a snow drought, and snow for the ski jump was brought in from Canada via rail car. The cross-country races were held on a modified course high in the Sentinel Range where there was enough snow in the woods to shovel onto the trail and make it skiable. The mention of moving the cross-country events to Rumford comes from the 1950 World Nordic Championships when again there was a snow drought. The jump was again snowed with snow from Canada, but rumford picked up enough snow from a coastal storm that the races could be held there.

#5            01-16-2007, 10:45 AM

Old Jumper  Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 6

More on Whitey I passed the question along to Art Tokle Jr, who responded: "Norway took a clean sweep in the 1932 Jumping event (only one hill in those days) Gold: Birger Ruud Silver: Hans Beck Bronze: Kaare Wahlberg "Asmund 'Whitey' Sandeen was the owner of the Scandinavian Ski Shop, located next door to the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Manhattan, with two other locations on Long Island. He jumped at Bear Mountain for many years in the late thirties and early forties before becoming an Eastern Judge. I believe he was a past president of the Scandinavian Ski Club, who hosted many jumping events at Bear Mountain over the years. As far as being a member of the 1932 Norwegian Olympic Team, I kind of doubt it, as there were many outstanding jumpers in Norway at the time, and I'm sure that someone would have said something about him being on the team during the Bear Mountain Days."

#4            01-15-2007, 09:27 AM

Old Jumper  Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 6

Nope, Lake Placid's hosting of the 1932 games was arranged by Godfrey Dewey in the usual way. Lake Placid itself suffered a snow draught in 1932 and the cross country ski races were moved to Rumford Maine. Old Jumper (all from memory)

#3            12-26-2006, 05:16 PM

briland  Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: North Carolina "Yikes" Posts: 1

1932 Jump Record and 32 Olympics. I think the 32 Olympic Games was to be held in Southern California at Big Pines near Wrightwood. I maybe wrong about this but I think a record jump was made at this location. The lack of snow forced the games to Lake Placid. I don't know who made the jump.

#2            06-20-2006, 12:47 PM

skimus  Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ottawa Ontario Posts: 3

Not a Norwegian Jumper... Hello, I have had a look in a book titled "III Olympic Winter Games Lake Placid 1932" published by the III Olympic Games Committee in 1932, Compiled by George M Lattimer There is no mention of your skier, in any of the skiing events.

#1            03-31-2006, 04:32 PM

Vassily  Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 2

1932 Olympics - Lake Placid Greetings to all! Is there anyone out there who might have a quick historical reference to the 1932 Olympics held at Lake Placid, New York? I'm looking for a list of the Norwegian Team members. I used to work for a gentleman by the name of Asmund Sandeen, who jumped for Norway. Can anyone tell me about how he did? I believe that he may have been a Bronze Medalist, and I am really curious to find out. While I am but a humble amateur skiier, I did learn a few things from, "Whitey", (as he was called by his friends), and I would be most grateful for any information on Asmund Sandeen, Olympic Ski Jumper for Norway, 1932. Thanks! Vassily