1970’s Era 1 was defined primarily by Freestyle skateboarding in the early 1970’s. That is until Frank Nasworthy came out with the urethane Cadillac Skateboard wheels. This led to skaters trying to do things beyond the flat ground. Just a few years later the first skateparks were opening with ditches and bowls. There was no media or coverage until Skateboarder Magazine came out on its own in 1975. This is where the 1970’s Era 2 begins…
(Nov. 27, 1958 – Dec. 10, 2019) Roy Jamieson is one of the first pro skaters to come out of Hawaii. He is also one of the last of the shoeless pros. His loose surf style influenced the Z-Boys and skaters around the world in the 1970’s. RIP Roy.
Bio coming soon. Wentzl appeared in the following movies: GO FOR ITSUPER SESSIONSSPINNING WHEELSA DAY AT THE POOLDogtown 20th A Look Back Wentzl in print: BooksDogtown-Legend of the Zboys, GEF, CR STECYK III – 2000LIVES ON BOARD. SKATEBOARDERS JOURNAL – 2009THE SKATEBOARD – BEN MARCUS, LUCIA DANIELLA – 2011JAYBOY – KENT SHERWOOD – 2017 Magazine
Paul was born in Canada and moved to the Santa Monica area of Los Angeles when he was ten years old. He eventually fell in with the locals and would surf and skate. He was taught the surfing basics by Jay Adams and the locals. After that, he started skating with Jay and the others.
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(March 21, 1959 – July 28, 2023) RIP Jimmy Plumer. Shredding Kona skatepark in Jacksonville, Florida in November 1979. – Jim Goodrich @jimmy_plumer Rest in Peace. God Speed. Was an incredible skateboarder. At Lakewood contest 1979 riding the end bowl & pumping backside air at the deepest end, no one else was doing it. He was
(1952 – May 21, 2014) Whenever the history of skateboarding is discussed, filmed or written about, the name Skitch Hitchcock is almost always criminally overlooked. His main claim to fame is popularizing the gorilla grip, which was a method of catching air on flat ground or launch ramps (by gripping the nose and tail of
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Follow Denis on Facebook Back in the mid-1970s, Denis Shufeldt was a legendary speed demon, being the first to develop high-speed fairing postures for downhill. He was also known for inventing the shufly christie, which is a one-footed squat turn with the front leg extended forward. “Words like positive, direct, intelligent, responsible. well-spoken, soulful and
A shoeless Samoan with hamburger feet, Chris Yandall was one of the top pro slalom racers of the mid-1970s. Right after graduating from high school in Michigan, Chris started skateboarding and moved to Pacific Beach, San Diego, California, where he became the manager of PB Surf Shop. By 1974, Chris could lay claim to two
Find Ed on Social Media One of the top freestylers of the 1970s, Ed Nadalin was born in Ridgecrest, California in the Mojave Desert in 1955. He began skating in 1968 in Cupertino when he saw the Hobie team on TV. His first board was a Hobie Super Surfer with clay wheels. By 1975, Ed
(April 1, 1957 – Jan. 24, 2013) When most people think about early pool riding, the Dogtown crew immediately comes to mind, despite the fact that skaters in other areas like the Badlands, the San Fernando Valley and San Diego were also doing their part to advance bad-assery in bone-dry backyard basins. Unbeknownst to many,
Follow Kevin on Instagram What becomes a legend most? How about early vertical pioneer Kevin “The Worm” Anderson! Born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1955, Kevin was a military brat whose family moved constantly. Ending up in Hermosa Beach, California, Kevin started skating in 1959 on a 2” x 4” with his sister’s roller skates nailed
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Find Gregg on Social Media Born on January 9, 1961 in San Jose, California, Gregg Weaver aka the Cadillac Kid, was one of the biggest stars during skateboarding’s re-emergence in the mid 1970s. He was featured in some of the very first Cadillac Wheels ads (the urethane wheels responsible for skateboarding’s rebirth), appeared on the
