Skateboarding: it’s a new generation
Skateboarding and the birth of the skateboard have been around since the 1920s – where it all began. Skateboarding was slow to start; But when it did, it spread like wildflowers. Throughout the time span from 1920 to 2012, the skate industry has made a comeback. Every time the industry came back, it got more extreme. Now is the time for the new generation to enter.
The first known skateboard was in the 1920s. A three-wheeled metal device was created between the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1940s, the first four-wheel aluminum skateboard was made. In the 1950s, skaters placed wheels and trucks on a wooden board – homemade. In the 1960s the first manufactured skateboard was introduced. The Southern California Surf Shop; Val Surf, began manufacturing its own complete skateboards – the first known retail store to sell skateboards. Children began to refer to skating as “sidewalk surfing.” Sidewalk surfing influenced everything from maneuvering and style to fashion and attitude. The era really began. Skateboarding becomes very popular and widespread – companies struggle to keep up with demand. Skate magazines like: Surf magazine and SKATEBOARDER magazine appeared. During the 1960s, the first known organized contest, sponsored by Makaha, was held in Hermosa, California. The first professional model skateboard ever produced (Makaha) was the fiberflex – the first laminated deck created for skaters. During this time, Anaheim, California, had the first skate shoe factory and the first known Skate Park. There was also a madness in Montreal, Quebec. Although skateboarding was very popular everywhere, a lot of people didn’t like it and were trying to ban it.
By the time the 1970s rolled around, skateboarding had exploded. The first urethane wheels were made exclusively for skateboarding: Frank Nasworthy’s Cadillac Wheels. Two years later, the Road Rider skateboard wheels released their first skateboard wheels that used precision bearings; and that was the end of Cadillac Wheels. The first skate trucks we made specifically for skateboarding: Bennett Trucks by Ron Bennett. Many more skateboard accessories were created: Gull Wing Trucks, Stoker Trucks (for downhill skating) and Tunnel Products. The first safety equipment was designed, especially for skaters. Some skateboard companies also emerged: Sims Skateboards and Dogtown Skates. Skateboard teams began to form: Zephyr Skateboard Team – Santa Monica, California, and associations associated with skateboarding also began to form: the American Skateboard Association (USSA) and the World Skateboard Association (WSA). The team building and associations had the idea that it would bring the skaters together, and they were right. During the 1980s a few more skate magazines were developed: Thrasher and Trans-World Skateboarding. Even the skating apparel industry had sprung up: Vision Street Wear. Skateboard tricks had gotten very technical and more difficult, making it difficult for beginners to do them.
In the early 1990s; The entire skateboard industry was deeply affected by a global recession. Skaters had rediscovered their roots in street skating and companies began to reevaluate the industry. By the mid-1990s, skateboarding had made a comeback. This sport began to gain great exposure at the “Extreme Games” and is now known as the X-Games. Old school skaters made a comeback and skateboarding remains a street-oriented style. 2000 had a huge impact on media coverage. It has gone from an underground sport to a more conventional spectator sport. By 2004, more than 2,000 skate parks have been built. 2010 had world speed records for downhill tackling at speeds of up to nearly 81 mph compared to 6.6 mph in the 1920s. 2011 in Southern California, where skateboarding was born, had banned downhill riding For this reason, it put skateboarding in danger in that area. This sport hasn’t made it to the Olympics yet, maybe it will in 2016.
The new generations of skaters are coming and times are changing. Skateboarding is still a very strong sport and it will continue to grow. History has shown the ups and downs. Every time it comes back, it is stronger. So let’s welcome the new generation to this amazing sport. Health!