Mike Tussey: Scooters, roller skates, skateboards, our love of skates thrives today

Turn the time back 100 years to the early 1900’s – young America found away to have fun with the invention of scooters. They were made of wood with usually two to four wheels and scooting found a way on anything smooth. By the 1940’s and 1950’s “crate scooters” were the rage a popular sidewalk vehicle.

However, Sound the trumpets, another rage was the metal simple roller skate that was adjustable with the legendary “skate key.” Kids across America, including me, took the sidewalks like ants and revving up as much speed as we could. If there was a neighborhood nearby that has a slight hill, the challenge was on to scale to the top and the coast down the hill for the ultimate thrill.

However, Skateboarding was a tsunami that lured and attracted skaters in the early 60’s from around the beaches of America. The idea was the everyday surfers would use the boards when they weren’t in the water, thus the terminology “sidewalk surfer” was coined. In fact, during the summer of 1964 a musical group – Jan and Dean performed their hit song “Sidewalk Surfin” on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. This national exposure helped skyrocket skateboarding with mainstream America.

However, by late 1965 the high number of skateboard injuries seen in hospital emergency rooms nationwide led to many cities banning skateboarding. Even back when I was roller skating in the 40’s; we all from time to time fell to the sidewalk on our skates. Sure, there were cuts and scrapes and even a possible a broken bone or two. It was never a real issue. No one ever thought of a helmet, elbow and knee pads, not even parents.

Twenty years later the skateboards were described as public health hazard to the point that stores were urged not to sell them and parents not to buy them. By the end of 1972, America had seen the huge surge that catapulted it all to fame from 1959-1965. Today, here in 2024 you will find that many cities have built public “skate parks” that seemingly attract many skaters with tons of skills and great balance. One of those is located in Florence, Kentucky on Ewing Boulevard.

During all this outdoor skating there was indeed another surging fad that caught America’s eye. This time it was the Roller Rinks. Most of America knew about the Rinks, but not until the post World War II baby boom brought about a tremendous popularity of roller rinks across America.

In fact, growing up in Ashland, Kentucky, I vividly remember one of Ashland’s greatest landmarks – Blacks Roller Rink 35th and Winchester. Like so many back in the 50’s we all made it to Blacks for the fun even when we fell. I was amazed at the people who could skate BACKWARDS.   Having a roller skating birthday party became the “thing to do” for the kids of 1950 through the 1980’s.

Coming quick was the decade of the 70’s. The curtain went up for “Disco Skating” and gone was the mild lighting and old fashioned organ music with the invite “All Skate.” The teenagers and young adults in their 20’s dominated the rinks under mirror balls and special disco lighting.
It’s a good bet that skaters in 1979 were rocking with the huge hit: “Disco Roller Derby Boogie.”

Just like fads, things run their course and disco skating faded away.

So, today rinks have introduced amateur and semi-pro teams forming leagues nationwide as well as roller hockey, speed skating ,and roller figure skating competition.

While all the skating popularity was taking center stage in neighborhoods all over, there was another tsunami coming.

It hit with quite a bang.

This time it caught our attention via the magic of television.

It all began in the 70’s and 80’s when America fell in love watching the rough and tumble – “Women’s Roller Derby.” These ladies donned their helmets and pads and entered into the circular rink with fire in their eyes and a victory in mind. Fans tuned it to watch historic teams such as the BAY BOMBERS vs THE JOLTERS.

The truth of it all, this completion then and even now, required tremendous skill, talent and grit.

Today, the WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association ) boasts great competition such as the “Grand Raggidy” Derby from Grand Rapids, Michigan. There is even WFTDA.TV – an online telecast channel that features as they call it: “One of the fastest growing sports in the world.”

Just in case – if you’re wondering about local venues for skating today, randomly here are a few:

• Beechmont Roller-Rama since 1985
• Jimmie’s Roller Dome – Elsmere, Ky since 1948
• Castle Skateland – Loveland, Ohio.

So, like someone said once upon a time: “Put some fun in your life – try roller skating!”

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