The Steve Gordon Tony Wise Museum Legacy Fund
The Steve Gordon Tony Wise Museum Legacy Fund will be used to support the operations and expansion of the Tony Wise Museum of the American Birkebeiner celebrating the history and legacy that inspires us to live healthier lifestyles and be active in the outdoors.
After a severe heart attack in 1979, Steve Gordon‘s cardiologist recommended that he stop playing racquetball sports and take up cross country skiing, which became a passion in Steve’s life, and, ultimately, saved his life. Steve went on to become a Birchlegger, a two-time World Loppet Master, and a Global World Loppet Skier. Steve also began to collect cross country ski art and memorabilia as he skied all over the U.S., Canada, Scandinavia, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
In 2017, Steve was well into training for his next Birkie when he experienced a prolonged attack of ventricular tachycardia (VT), with rapid heart rates of 180 – 200 beats per minute. Ordinarily, a VT this severe is fatal in less than a minute. Fortunately for Steve, because of his Birkie training, his heart was conditioned enough to continue pumping enough blood into his circulatory system to maintain life until he got to an ER where the arrhythmia was stabilized.
Steve’s commitment to the sport of cross-country ski touring and racing has taken him around the world. In addition to pieces purchased to commemorate finishing a cross country ski race, the collection includes pieces found at art fairs, galleries, craft shops, boutiques, catalogues, auctions, antique shops, garage sales, as well as pieces of commissioned art.
The collection includes a variety of materials, compositions, and themes. From fine art to humorous souvenirs, cross country skiing is depicted in oil painting and watercolors, batik, blown glass, stained glass, etched glass, lucite and metal. There are mugs made from clay, metal, leather, and etched glass, as well as figures made from wood, ceramic, metal, pinecones, business cards, and even a moose dropping. Small figurines are accompanied by posters, leather and ceramic coasters, pottery serving dishes, hanging mobiles, stamps, a snow globe, luminaries, a nutcracker, door knockers, medals, pins, puppets, a cigarette lighter, trolls, Christmas decorations and tree ornaments, and a revolving ski rack made from an old tire rim and several horseshoes. Smaller pieces are organized in groupings of men, women, couples, animals, Santa’s, Scandinavian mythical creatures, moose, bears, dogs, and mice, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse – all wearing cross country skis.
Steve donated his collection to the Birkie so that it could be shared with and enjoyed by the cross-country ski community and inspire anyone with a physical or mental condition to rethink their limitation and enjoy a better and more active life. Three metal sculptures are displayed along the walkway to the SC Johnson Outdoor Center at the OO Trailhead and a display cabinet with rotating parts of Steve’s collection is on display in the Tony Wise Museum at the Hub Building at Mt. Telemark Village.
Join Steve in ensuring that the history and legacy of the American Birkebeiner will continue to inspire generations of skiers, runners and bikers to be active in the outdoors!