Sally Deaver Alpine Race

SALLY DEAVER

Sally Deaver was the only daughter of Joshua Montgomery Deaver -  Philadelphia surgeon and son of surgeon John B. Deaver (b.1901), and Priscilla Sparks Sailer. Her parents were married on 16 December 1932, and their daughter was born on December 14, 1933 in Philadelphia.

  *  Sally Deaver Murray. Inducted to Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame: 1978

Sally Deaver Murray learned to ski at age 10 while attending North Country School in Lake Placid, New York.  Her race career started after a ski vacation in Chile, South America.  While skiing in the Andes she caught the "ski bug" and spent three seasons there under the guidance and coaching of Emile Allais, Stein Eriksen, Buddy Werner and Tom Corcoran.  Her most outstanding results came in 1956 when she won the National Women's Giant Slalom Championship and the National Women's Slalom Championship.  She again won the National Women's Giant Slalom Championship in 1957 and captained the U.S. women's team for the 1958 FIS World Alpine Championships.  She turned down a chance to be a part of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team Training Squad to marry Benjamin H. Murray.  Although she never had a serious skiing accident, it was her passion for the sport of equestrian which caused her death after being thrown from her horse while training in 1963. She was 30 years old.

A memorial fund was established at the Camden Snow Bowl by her mother, and a race is held here each year in her honor.