Montgomery Kaluhiokalani

Montgomery Ernest Thomas Kaluhiokalani (March 30, 1958 – November 2, 2013) was a surfer from Hawaii, known as Buttons.[2] He was an innovator of modern surfing maneuvers and was known for his switch foot surfing and for performing the first backside 360 in a major surf film. Surfer Magazine called him one of the most influential surfers of all time,[3] and he has been described by Surfer Today as a "surf legend."[4]

Montgomery Kaluhiokalani
Personal information
BornMontgomery Ernest Thomas Kaluhiokalani
(1958-03-30)March 30, 1958
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
DiedNovember 2, 2013(2013-11-02) (aged 55)[1]
NicknameButtons
ResidenceHawaii
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life

Born Montgomery Ernest Thomas Kaluhiokalani in Honolulu, his father was an army serviceman and his mother was a bartender. When he was five, his mother moved with him and his two brothers to Waikiki, where his grandmother gave him his nickname, saying that the tight curls of his hair looked like "buttons" attached to his head.[1]


Career

Kaluhiokalani was active from the 1970s onwards.[5] In 1973 he came second in the Boys' Division of the United States Surfing Championship.[6] At the age of 21 he competed in the Pipeline Masters and Sunset World Cup.[5] In 1979 he won the Malibu Pro; he also came third in the 1975 Pro Class Trials, third in the 1981 Pro Class Trials, third in the 1981 Pipeline Masters, and first in the 1981 Peru International.[1]

Drug problems

In 2009, Buttons described himself as a "recovering drug addict" who had been sober for three years.[5] His drug problems began in 1985 with cocaine; he returned to surfing in 1996 but was arrested in 1998, although charges were later dropped.[1] In 2007 he featured on the TV show Dog the Bounty Hunter after being arrested for drug offences. He recovered from his drug problems and started his own surf school on Oahu's North Shore. Buttons also gave lessons to the disabled and made multiple PSA videos encouraging adults and youth alike to stay off of drugs.[7]

Personal life

Buttons was named after actor Montgomery Clift.[5]

He had 8 children and 9 grandchildren.[5]

Kaluhiokalani died on November 2, 2013, due to complications from lung cancer. He was 55 years old.[8]

A memorial service was held at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki on November 29, 2013. This was followed by a 'paddle out' of more than 100 surfers and their boards, from the adjacent beach to the waters where Buttons had practiced his craft.[9]

References
  1. Matt Warshaw (2005). The Encyclopedia of Surfing. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 311. ISBN 978-0-15-603251-3.
  2. Staff (2 November 2013). "RIP Buttons Kaluhiokalani". SURFER Magazine. American Media. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  3. Staff (3 November 2013). "Buttons Kaluhiokalani, 1959 - 2013". SURFER Magazine. American Media. Archived from the original on 7 October 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  4. ""Buttons" Kaluhiokalani: the iconic progressive surfer of the 70s". Surfer Today. June 1, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  5. Glenn Sakamoto (November 12, 2009). "Buttons Kaluhiokalani". Liquid Salt Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  6. Jason Borte. "Buttons Kaluhiokalani (March 30, 1959-)". Surfline. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  7. "Dog the Bounty Hunter Captures Hawaii Surf Legend Buttons". Surfing Today. May 14, 2007. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  8. Coen, Jon. "Surf legend Buttons Kaluhiokalani dies at 54 - X Games". Xgames.espn.go.com. Retrieved 2013-11-05.
  9. [Hawaii News Now|http://www.k5thehometeam.com/story/24100089/memorial-paddle-out-for-revolutionary-hawaii-surfer?clienttype=mobile]
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