In 1890, Louis Rubenstein won the gold medal in the first World Figure Skating Championships. The unofficial championships (no federation yet existed) were held in St. Petersburg, Russia, where organizers first tried to prevent the Jewish skater from participating and later tried to deny his victory.

Rubenstein was North America’s first famous figure skater, winning Canadian championships from 1883 to 1889, the North American crown in 1885, and U.S. titles in 1888, 1889, and 1891.

He was a career sportsman. After retiring from active skating, Rubenstein held the presidency of various Canadian organizations representing tenpin bowling, curling, bicycling, tobogganing, lifesaving, and ice skating. He is called the Father of Bowling in Canada.