A Short History of Skateboarding

Crude attempts of skateboarding were made in the 1920s when a three-wheeled pedal-car device was fashioned to move around on wheels. For the next three decades, several improvements and modifications were made to skateboards in the US. The later versions had removable handles and steering axles called 'trucks' which allowed the riders to turn and direct their skates. Such innovations finally led to the elementary form of skateboards, as we know them today.

Skateboard Evolution
Peter Parken, a surfing enthusiast from San Diego, is the first known person to have skateboarded on a wooden plank mounted with roller skate trucks. In the 1950s, skateboards were mostly homemade by kids by nailing the roller-skates to planks. In 1958, a person named Bill Richards, who owned a surf shop in North Hollywood, California saw some boys using skateboards. He decided to make some by attaching wheels procured from a roller skate company, to surf boards. They were known as 'sidewalk surfboards'. Popular artists Jan and Dean recorded a song "sidewalk surfing" which was a big hit. The song made this concept highly popular in the whole country. But the concept didn't flourish as one would have thought. Its craze faded away and skateboarding became a sporadic activity.

The first national skateboard championship was held in 1965 and a summary of the tournament was shown by the ABC channel. 50 million skateboards were manufactured until that time and the sport began to earn recognition.

In 1971, a gentleman named Larry Stevenson designed a skateboard with a kicktail, an upward curve at the back, which made maneuvering comfortable. Similarly in 1973, a man named Richard Nasworthy designed the polyurethane wheels which were used in skateboards giving excellent traction. The sale of skateboards began increasing steadily.

In 1974, James O' Mahoney created the US Skateboard Association (USSA) and later, founded the World Skateboard Association (WSA), creating one global family for skateboarders. Later, the game was a subject of movies and magazines and was promoted through concerts and shows across the world.

In North America, a number of skateboard parks, skateboard manufacturing companies, obstacle courses and ramps for skateboarding sprung up at many places. An individual named, Alan 'Ollie' Gelfand, discovered that one could go airborne using a skateboard by simply stamping down on it. This maneuver was known as 'Ollie' in his honor and became a rage in the country. It encouraged the development of many ramps, benches, curbs and rails in all the cities.

The game suffered a temporary setback due to the risks involved in it and a lot of liabilities associated with skate parks made it expensive for insurance. However in the 1980s, a number of periodicals like the skate-only 'Thrasher' magazine, 'Transworld Skateboarding Magazine', skating videos and competitions promoted a more positive image of this game.

The late 1990s saw a big turnaround in the fortune of this sport, with a lot of refinement in the game equipment and huge popularity due to media exposure. The inclusion of skateboarding in Extreme Games broadcasted on ESPN, brought more mainstream attention for the game. Skating shoes' manufacturers and other soft equipment sellers made a lot of profits due to the growing sales.

In 1997, skateboarding was included as a Winter X game, giving it a much needed recognition. The US Government provided new incentives to relax the liabilities on skate parks. By 2004, more than 2000 parks had come up across the United States. The popularity of skateboarding brought a high degree of professionalism and money into the game. Professional skateboarding athletes fetch as much money as any other competitive sport in the world.

Skateboarding is a thrilling experience and the adrenaline rush experienced in zooming past the obstacles is a source of great fun and excitement.