Canadian figure skater Winter Olympic Games athlete and sports commentator. Brian was a three-time Canadian national champion (1978-1980) and won the bronze medal at the 1982 World Figure Skating Championships. He was the first to successfully complete a triple one-foot Salchow/double flip combination jump at the world championships. He also skated competitively in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. His professional career included skating the lead opposite Dorothy Hamill in "Romeo and Juliet on Ice" and touring with Stars on Ice. He later served as a sports commentator for CTV and artistic director of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics closing ceremony. In 1989, he was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. According to Brian Orser's affidavit in connection with a palimony lawsuit, Pockar came out during his employment as a commentator, which Orser says led to Pockar being fired. Other than that, the only other public mention of Pockar's sexual orientation has probably been in Scott Hamilton's 1999 autobiography Landing It, in which Pockar is credited as one of the gay people who helped Hamilton reverse some of his homophobia. Scott Hamilton outed Pockar as gay in Hamilton's autobiography, "Landing It". Brian died of AIDS-related complications and was survived by his parents, two sisters and extended family.
Pockar died of AIDS in 1992, after being a pallbearer in Rob McCall's funeral only months earlier. A skating fundraiser in Pockar's memory marked one of the first times that top Olympic skaters lent their names publicly to AIDS activism, forever breaking a taboo within the sport.
Brian Pockar had the following placements at major international championships - Men: 1977 World Championships (14th); 1978 World Championships (10th); 1979 World Championships (13th); 1980 World Championships (9th); 1981 World Championships (8th); 1982 World Championships (3rd).
Brian Pockar was a three-time Canadian national champion, who later served as a sports commentator for CTV and artistic director of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics closing ceremonies. His pro accomplishments included skating the lead opposite Dorothy Hamill in "Romeo and Juliet on Ice" and touring with Stars on Ice.
In Zero Tollerance, Toller Cranston movingly relates what happened when Pockar first told him of having AIDS: "We talked as skater to skater, brother to brother, father to son, human to human, artist to artist. We had to talk, because there wasn't much time left. We talked without emotion. We talked about anything that had to be said. I told him things that went to the grave with him, and he told me certain things that I can never disclose to anyone. We traded notes and confidences. The next day I had to skate again in the freezing little rink, but we vowed to meet a second time. Three nights running, we met at the same restaurant, the same table, had the same drinks, and talked" (p. #320).
Three-time Canadian men's champion Brian Pockar is inducted posthumously into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in the athlete category.
The native of Calgary, Alta., who passed away in 1992 at the age of 32, had six consecutive podium finishes at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships beginning in 1977, including three straight wins from 1978 to 1980.
He won bronze at the 1982 World Figure Skating Championships and placed 12th at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, NY.
Pockar also had a pair of podium finishes at Skate Canada International, claiming bronze in 1978 and silver in 1980. He was presented with an Alberta Achievement Award on five occasions, and was bestowed with the Government of Canada Sports Excellence Award in 1982.
Following his career, Pockar went on to become a respected figure skating commentator and analyst with CTV Sports.
Pockar died of AIDS in 1992, after being a pallbearer in Rob McCall's funeral only months earlier. A skating fundraiser in Pockar's memory marked one of the first times that top Olympic skaters lent their names publicly to AIDS activism, forever breaking a taboo within the sport.
Brian Pockar had the following placements at major international championships - Men: 1977 World Championships (14th); 1978 World Championships (10th); 1979 World Championships (13th); 1980 World Championships (9th); 1981 World Championships (8th); 1982 World Championships (3rd).
Brian Pockar was a three-time Canadian national champion, who later served as a sports commentator for CTV and artistic director of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics closing ceremonies. His pro accomplishments included skating the lead opposite Dorothy Hamill in "Romeo and Juliet on Ice" and touring with Stars on Ice.
In Zero Tollerance, Toller Cranston movingly relates what happened when Pockar first told him of having AIDS: "We talked as skater to skater, brother to brother, father to son, human to human, artist to artist. We had to talk, because there wasn't much time left. We talked without emotion. We talked about anything that had to be said. I told him things that went to the grave with him, and he told me certain things that I can never disclose to anyone. We traded notes and confidences. The next day I had to skate again in the freezing little rink, but we vowed to meet a second time. Three nights running, we met at the same restaurant, the same table, had the same drinks, and talked" (p. #320).
Three-time Canadian men's champion Brian Pockar is inducted posthumously into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in the athlete category.
The native of Calgary, Alta., who passed away in 1992 at the age of 32, had six consecutive podium finishes at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships beginning in 1977, including three straight wins from 1978 to 1980.
He won bronze at the 1982 World Figure Skating Championships and placed 12th at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, NY.
Pockar also had a pair of podium finishes at Skate Canada International, claiming bronze in 1978 and silver in 1980. He was presented with an Alberta Achievement Award on five occasions, and was bestowed with the Government of Canada Sports Excellence Award in 1982.
Following his career, Pockar went on to become a respected figure skating commentator and analyst with CTV Sports.
Canadian figure skater Winter Olympic Games athlete and sports commentator. Brian was a three-time Canadian national champion (1978-1980) and won the bronze medal at the 1982 World Figure Skating Championships. He was the first to successfully complete a triple one-foot Salchow/double flip combination jump at the world championships. He also skated competitively in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. His professional career included skating the lead opposite Dorothy Hamill in "Romeo and Juliet on Ice" and touring with Stars on Ice. He later served as a sports commentator for CTV and artistic director of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics closing ceremony. In 1989, he was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. According to Brian Orser's affidavit in connection with a palimony lawsuit, Pockar came out during his employment as a commentator, which Orser says led to Pockar being fired. Other than that, the only other public mention of Pockar's sexual orientation has probably been in Scott Hamilton's 1999 autobiography Landing It, in which Pockar is credited as one of the gay people who helped Hamilton reverse some of his homophobia. Scott Hamilton outed Pockar as gay in Hamilton's autobiography, "Landing It". Brian died of AIDS-related complications and was survived by his parents, two sisters and extended family.
Pockar died of AIDS in 1992, after being a pallbearer in Rob McCall's funeral only months earlier. A skating fundraiser in Pockar's memory marked one of the first times that top Olympic skaters lent their names publicly to AIDS activism, forever breaking a taboo within the sport.
Brian Pockar had the following placements at major international championships - Men: 1977 World Championships (14th); 1978 World Championships (10th); 1979 World Championships (13th); 1980 World Championships (9th); 1981 World Championships (8th); 1982 World Championships (3rd).
Brian Pockar was a three-time Canadian national champion, who later served as a sports commentator for CTV and artistic director of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics closing ceremonies. His pro accomplishments included skating the lead opposite Dorothy Hamill in "Romeo and Juliet on Ice" and touring with Stars on Ice.
In Zero Tollerance, Toller Cranston movingly relates what happened when Pockar first told him of having AIDS: "We talked as skater to skater, brother to brother, father to son, human to human, artist to artist. We had to talk, because there wasn't much time left. We talked without emotion. We talked about anything that had to be said. I told him things that went to the grave with him, and he told me certain things that I can never disclose to anyone. We traded notes and confidences. The next day I had to skate again in the freezing little rink, but we vowed to meet a second time. Three nights running, we met at the same restaurant, the same table, had the same drinks, and talked" (p. #320).
Three-time Canadian men's champion Brian Pockar is inducted posthumously into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in the athlete category.
The native of Calgary, Alta., who passed away in 1992 at the age of 32, had six consecutive podium finishes at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships beginning in 1977, including three straight wins from 1978 to 1980.
He won bronze at the 1982 World Figure Skating Championships and placed 12th at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, NY.
Pockar also had a pair of podium finishes at Skate Canada International, claiming bronze in 1978 and silver in 1980. He was presented with an Alberta Achievement Award on five occasions, and was bestowed with the Government of Canada Sports Excellence Award in 1982.
Following his career, Pockar went on to become a respected figure skating commentator and analyst with CTV Sports.
Pockar died of AIDS in 1992, after being a pallbearer in Rob McCall's funeral only months earlier. A skating fundraiser in Pockar's memory marked one of the first times that top Olympic skaters lent their names publicly to AIDS activism, forever breaking a taboo within the sport.
Brian Pockar had the following placements at major international championships - Men: 1977 World Championships (14th); 1978 World Championships (10th); 1979 World Championships (13th); 1980 World Championships (9th); 1981 World Championships (8th); 1982 World Championships (3rd).
Brian Pockar was a three-time Canadian national champion, who later served as a sports commentator for CTV and artistic director of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics closing ceremonies. His pro accomplishments included skating the lead opposite Dorothy Hamill in "Romeo and Juliet on Ice" and touring with Stars on Ice.
In Zero Tollerance, Toller Cranston movingly relates what happened when Pockar first told him of having AIDS: "We talked as skater to skater, brother to brother, father to son, human to human, artist to artist. We had to talk, because there wasn't much time left. We talked without emotion. We talked about anything that had to be said. I told him things that went to the grave with him, and he told me certain things that I can never disclose to anyone. We traded notes and confidences. The next day I had to skate again in the freezing little rink, but we vowed to meet a second time. Three nights running, we met at the same restaurant, the same table, had the same drinks, and talked" (p. #320).
Three-time Canadian men's champion Brian Pockar is inducted posthumously into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in the athlete category.
The native of Calgary, Alta., who passed away in 1992 at the age of 32, had six consecutive podium finishes at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships beginning in 1977, including three straight wins from 1978 to 1980.
He won bronze at the 1982 World Figure Skating Championships and placed 12th at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, NY.
Pockar also had a pair of podium finishes at Skate Canada International, claiming bronze in 1978 and silver in 1980. He was presented with an Alberta Achievement Award on five occasions, and was bestowed with the Government of Canada Sports Excellence Award in 1982.
Following his career, Pockar went on to become a respected figure skating commentator and analyst with CTV Sports.
Bio by: Milou
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