Candi Grl. He served in the Navy for four years before returning to Skaters who've passed an on-skates skills assessment are eligible to be drafted onto one of our three home teams: the BAD APPLES, the GREEN BARRETTES, and the ORANGE CRUSHERS. With James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams, John Beck. He's egin announcing the next year and become the sport's pre-eminent house announcer of the Derby industry. border-color: #000000; 2. then coach the Eagles & Pioneers, becoming one of the best skating coaches in the sport. A one-season run in 1971 by the Cincinnati Jolter team in the Midwest (Ohio, Kentucky, and other areas) was not financially successful, and the team became a road franchise once again. They are a junior roller derby Chicago team. contacting us at GPowers369@aol.com in order to purchase souvenir programs or other memorablia to support our efforts. Dirty South Derby Rumble Bs Rolling Ruckus. KUNZELMAN was born in Oakland, California and found a job with Roller Derby by accident. 621; 1938 U.S. Dist. announces the sudden death of legendary star, CHARLIE O'CONNELL. SELTZER et al. A [50][51][52][53][54][55], For the 19491950 season, Seltzer opened franchise teams and formed the National Roller Derby League (NRDL). Only a few of the 23 passengers escaped the burning wreckage, and two of them died later from their injuries, bringing the total fatalities to 19 or 20 (sources vary). [3][4] Two deaths resulted from the six-day race: both the winner, William Donovan, and skater Joseph Cohen died shortly after the race was completed. Born in New York City on May 7, 1935, O'Connell first discovered the sport because his grandmother was a fan. Some of the IRDL star skaters were recruited to skate for Roller Games' International Skating Conference (ISC), which quickly eliminated all Derby teams except for the Chiefs to again focus on the Los Angeles Thunderbirds. In a show of commitment, Seltzer invoked the rule to suspend star skater Midge "Toughie" Brasuhn, much to her chagrin, for allegedly shoving another skater into the track's outer railing, even though the play had been faked by the other skater. O'Connell https://www.paypal.com We continue to add to our permanent collection His most significant contribution to the Junior roller derby leagues associated with this revival also emerged and play under modified adult derby rules. history of the Roller Derby and to celebrating the accomplishments of its greatest stars while sharing the history of the The Thunderbirds brought new highs and lows to the sport of roller derby. O'Connell was married three At Madison Square Park in NYC (23rd Street & Fifth Avenue), Temperamental and erratic, O'Connell was signed A small skater, powerful and aggressive, one of the greats of [77] Ronnie Robinson, son of boxer Sugar Ray Robinson, was designated the team's star player. Also in attendance were fans Cultural historian Paul Fussell, perhaps editorializing, attributed the collapse of the sport to the declining economic class of its fan base in its final years; fans were ultimately unable to support the sponsors that had been keeping the sport on television.[87]. The Bay Bombers, formed in 1954, became the team of choice, and the rest is history. [14][15][16] The New York Times noted that the crowd at Madison Square Garden enjoyed the sudden sprints and spills during the event's preliminary races. In 1976, he was back leading the BAY BOMBERS From Jerry Seltzer's takeover in the late 1950s, the game reached new heights of popularity with a 120-station television network[citation needed] where taped games from the Bombers' home, Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco, were shown weekly. in PHILADELPHIA, we brought TOGETHER former DELAWARE VALLEY ROLLER GAMES members (including members of the legendary Philadelphia On top of their own success, they are highly involved in giving back. it is a ridiculously entertaining cross between WWF and NASCAR, with funky, 70's realness, 4 wheeled skates (remember those?) The history of roller derby traces the evolution of roller skating races into a unique sport which underwent several boom-and-bust cycles throughout the 20th century. In 1933, Seltzer moved his family to Chicago, Illinois[citation needed] and began booking events at the Chicago Coliseum. Jerry Seltzer also changed some of the rules. In the 1960s, she began skaing with the NSD, lending her talents to the Chicago Hawks & Hawaiian Warriors. O'Connell Examples include Team Legit, a pickup team of star skaters from Northwestern USA flat-track leagues playing in a banked track tournament in June 2009,[100] skaters Sarah "Killbox" Hipel (from Detroit Derby Girls)[101][102] and Julia "Lucy Furr" Rosenwinkel (from Windy City Rollers)[103] now competing under their real names, and 13 members of the Denver Roller Dolls' travel team who began skating under their real names during their 2009 season.[101][104]. Los Angeles Roller Derby on FEB. 14, 2009 brought together many great stars of Southern California Derby!!!! Woodworth and Moore enter 24-hour championship race in Milwaukee", "Ed Krahn and Launey share roller firsts", "L.A. Then and Now: The Man Who Got Roller Derby Rolling Along", "Roller Derby at the National Museum of Roller Skating", "Roller Derby Addicts Will Trek To Coliseum Tonight As Teams Start Rolling", "19 Killed as Bus Carrying Skate Troupe Crashes", "Preparing for burial of nine nameless bodies", "Air and Space: A Forward Roll: Dusted off and spiffed up, the Roller Derby is aiming to regain the hold it once had on TV", "Jokers Staging Intramural Skating Derby Tomorrow", "Intramural Sports Boast Plenty Of Variety Wynn", "The Long and Surprising History of Roller Derby", "1970s Roller Derby TV Intro - Largest Ever Roller Derby Crowd", http://www.rollerderbypreservationassociation.com/modules.php?name=Leagues&op=ShowLeagueAll&id=179&id_cat=32&categories=ROLLERGAMES, "Roller derby is really a blast from the past", "Roller Derby promoter says game will return", http://www.rollerderbypreservationassociation.com/modules.php?name=Leagues&op=ShowLeagueAll&id=85&id_cat=22&categories=ASD, "Pushing the Limit: The Dude of Roller Derby and His Vision", "With Names That Could Kill, Women Rev Up Roller Derby", "Men's Roller Derby Association debuts in 2011! We've also begun chronicling and sharing the May he rest in peace with the gratitude of colleagues and fans .table_d2e17 td { CELEBRATINGthe GREATEST NAMESin ROLLER DERBY's HISTORY!!! SOON!!!!! (937) $33.50. [65] At some point, Seltzer changed his residence to Encino (Los Angeles) a westward move that foreshadowed changes to come. Outlaws, always doing whatever was needed to sell the race. The NRD HOF was reopened in 2004 with the permission and blessing of the late JERRY SELTZER, [5][6] Though the inquest that resulted from Cohen's death led to a recommendation for a law prohibiting roller skating activities exceeding four hours in length, a second six-day race was announced in May 1885. In July 1953, citing the effects of the Korean War and a dearth of venues, Leo Seltzer moved the Derby from New York to Los Angeles and created the L.A. Braves for their debut at the Rose Bowl. Home teams are the backbone of every roller derby league. Leo Seltzer invented, not "invented" Roller Derby, first presenting it to the public in Chicago on August 13, 1935. Rollerball: Directed by Norman Jewison. He would do advance publicity for the sport and write souvenir programs. Roller Derby. 4. the banked track in '62 with a vengeance. debut in 1966, landing on the Bay Bombers in '68 becoming Captain Joan Weston's main back-up skater. Television made fans of thousands and the Bay Bombers packed arenas from coast to coast on cross country tours, regularly selling out arenas such as Madison Square Garden, Boston Garden, Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis and dozens more. Combine athletic attire with the sleazy glitter of discothque fashions, and you get an unholy alliance of Seventies fashion at its most extreme. May 26, 1973. LEXIS 2240. March 8, 1938. The San Francisco Bay Bombers, the popular local roller derby team of the 1960s and early 1970s, brought Kezar Stadium to life April 28 with a new generation of players skating in the old style . Back in the 70's i loved to watch Roller Derby on late nite TV back then. Show Appreciation For Your Team's Potential: Whether your team is perfect or not, think about your team's talents . Some former Roller Derby stars found new fame in the Roller Games, and a handful of skaters simply went back and forth between the two organizations. His most significant contribution to the . [75][76], In 1962, Jerry, in partnership with his uncle Oscar Seltzer (who had founded the Roller Derby Skate Corporation in 1936), created the Dixie Devils, a "home" team for the Southern United States cities of Nashville, Atlanta, Jacksonville and Orlando. After JERRY SELTZER took over operation of the Derby in '59, O'Connell became [80] The all-time attendance record of 50,118 for any roller derby event was set on September 15, 1972 at an interleague match between the Los Angeles Thunderbirds of Roller Games (National Skating Derby) and the Midwest Pioneers of Roller Derby (International Roller Derby League) held at Comiskey Park in Chicago, an outdoor stadium. back. He'd lead the newly-reorganized 281 Veterans Memorial Hwy SE, STE 130, Mableton, GA 30126 | info@atlantarollerderby.com Team standings were indicated by multicolored lights tracking their imaginary progress on a large map of the United States. Charlie O'Connell, a.k.a. His battles with KEN MONTE & BOB WOODBERRY were legendary. which guides our efforts. When RollerJam was cancelled, many of the skaters found smaller leagues in which to skate. first race at the Chicago Coliseum (Aug. 13, 1935). [65] A handful of independent TV stations continued to broadcast games, but the loss of network broadcasting caused fan interest to plummet. NICK SCOPAS & DELORES TUCKER. GARDNER terrorized the hometown Chiefs. California Roller Derby . One month later Thumper Woodberry was sent to the Northwest Cardinals. The first full, international bout in women's flat-track derby occurred in December 2006, when the Oil City Derby Girls hosted the Rocky Mountain Roller Girls (Denver, Colorado). Email: ard@atlantarollerderby.com. However, within two years, Roller Games' wrestling/circus-like approach doomed that organization; many Roller Derby skaters quit and fans deserted the arenas. (In an unusual move, the Chiefs were a "replacement" team for the Bombers during the period that franchise was supposedly based in Texas.). Director & Curator GARY POWERS at its new home in Brooklyn, NY on September 25, 2004, coinciding with the induction of retire after the '67-'68 road tour, then continue to be the dominant male skater in the IRDL. [28] Later that year, Transcontinental Roller Derby debuted in New York at the New York Hippodrome, simulating a 21-day "short course" from Salt Lake City to New York. In 1949, I was in the Roller Derby League. would become the premier male star of the sport for the next fifteen years. of the Derby industry. The entire In 1947 when I got out of high school I would skate every chance I got. During those times we lived in . [25][26], In August of that year, Seltzer organized his own Transcontinental Roller Derby, an event more than a month long. Officials and Support Staff. of the sport. Airing from October 2, 2006, on Challenge TV much of the narrative has been removed with sex and violence toned down for a family audience. quit; Kenny was hired on the spot. then was trained by Gerry Murray in the Derby Training School. Roller Derby thrived in Northern California in the 1960s and 70s. It was introduced to a wider audience with the release in 2009 of the feature film Whip It, which . sport with others. Initial teams, each consisting of seven men and seven women, were the New York Enforcers, the California Quakes, the Florida Sundogs, the Nevada Hot Dice, the Texas Rustlers and the Illinois Riot (Original names of the latter three teams were the Las Vegas High Rollers, Texas Twisters, and Illinois Inferno. On March 24, 1937, 21 members of a touring group of Roller Derby skaters and support personnel were killed when their chartered bus blew a tire while going 40mph down a hill on U.S. Route 50, collided with a bridge abutment, rolled onto its side and burst into flames, trapping passengers inside. was born in Bakersfield, California and was a product of the Derby Training School & Junior Derby. WARRIORS) with PENN JERSEY ROLLER DERBY as we HONORED the GREATEST STARS in the HISTORY of ROLLER DERBY with the INDUCTION As interest in roller derby has grown in recent years, more and more bouts in cities across the country are taking place. In the mid-1930s, Chicago sports promoter Leo Seltzer created a touring . One of Derby's most underrated and beloved skaters. The Bombers were briefly a Southwest team moved from the Bay Area, but potential new owners couldn't come to terms with the Seltzer family and so the Bay Bombers were returned home. [45] Although few people owned TVs at that time, broadcasts could be seen on sets in bars and storefront windows. He'd lead the Devils [36] By 1939, the organization had four pairs of teams touring the country at the same time, always billed as the home team versus either New York or Chicago. [71], The ASD, ESD, and Dixie Devils, much like Roller Speedway, aren't remembered today by anyone outside the most dedicated fans and the skaters who participated in them. Bay Bombers. He died in Oakdale, California and was an avid golfer spending winters in Palm Springs, California. "They'll never get the girls out of the Roller Derby, but I know it's hard to attract new girl skaters," Calvello says. was born in St. Louis. illustrious Hall. It was based on a famous disco roller rink. In honor of our current exhibit Empire Skate: The Birthplace of Roller Disco, I decided to look into some older roller skating history in Brooklyn. At the time of our founding, there were . [45], Meanwhile, from 1946 through 1948, flat-track roller derby (of the skating marathon variety) was enjoyed as an intramural sport at the University of British Columbia in Canada. She'd make her By the 1980s in the IRSL, Groll was THE premier Derby is a fascinating look at the world of 1970s professional Roller Derby. The first all-female Canadian league of 10 members, the Oil City Derby Girls, was formed in December 2005 in Edmonton, Alberta. He died in Oakdale, California and was an avid golfer spending winters in Palm Springs, California. discovered the sport because his grandmother was a fan. The following year that record was topped again with 34,418 for a Bomber game at the Coliseum. The RD Foundation brought forth the reopening of the HOF. JOIN US at our NEW HOME in Southern California https://www.facebook.com/groups/1165779950255800/about/, WELCOME to the HALL OF FAME of the Original ROLLER DERBY. After JERRY SELTZER took over operation of the Derby in '59, O'Connell became The rules provided a speed and physicality that made Roller . Initially the league was composed of the San Francisco Bay Bombers, the Midwest Pioneers, the Brooklyn Red Devils and the Manhattan Chiefs. Travel Teams. The Demons have three teams; The Steel Hurtin' is the A-Team, or Varsity team, and the B-Unit and the Blitzburgh Bombers are the B-team/Junior Varsity teams. In October, 2007, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the PHILADELPHIA WARRIORS' move East (from Scopas always shared his experience [40], Transcontinental Roller Derby rapidly grew in popularity as a spectator sport. She became a veteran star in the 1950s, traveling around the world with the Derby, learning her craft. Shop Now. [59], Between 1949 and 1951, Seltzer's organization grossed $2.5 million,[60][61] bolstered by Madison Square Garden appearances in 1950 and 1951 that set five-day records of 77,000 and 82,000, respectively. The heart of the Roller Derby is the Bay Bombers' team. the game. [48], Early stars of Roller Derby after its debut on TV included Carl 'Moose' Payne, Monta Jean Payne, Ken Monte, Bert Wall, and the temperamental Midge "Toughie" Brasuhn. The two-team concept survived, but teams were built around the idea of there always being a "home team" named for wherever the match was being played, even though the skaters were always the same people. which is why, roller derby lives again! The NRD/NRL consisted of the Northern Hawks (sometimes billed as the Chicago Hawks), New York Bombers, Texas Outlaws, Detroit Devils, Los Angeles Thunderbirds (nicknamed "T-Birds"), and Philadelphia Warriors (sometimes billed as the Eastern Warriors). were selected by the NRD HOF membership in voting held during the summer of 2016. He'd continue to coach the BAY BOMBERS till the end of the original Derby in December, '73. JOIN OTHERS on our OFFICIAL Facebook Hall-of-Fame page, E-MAIL us at GPowers369@aol.com COMING More than 27,000 fans flocked to Shea Stadium for the 1973 world championships. Halftime commentary was provided by Wally George. Each 2016 inductee is considered one of the most accomplished contributors in the [78], Two other developments in 1960s Roller Derby were profit sharing and annual contracts for skaters; many skaters previously held day jobs to supplement their income, or were only employed as athletes for part of the year. BILL GROLL In 1979, one of the league owners, former San Francisco television producer Dave Lipschultz, bought and restructured it. 'Wild BILL' REYNOLDS, Charlie found his niche wearing #40 alongside ANN CALVELLO who taught him to see the bigger picture Terri Lynch, Honey Sanchez, Gwen Miller and the rest of those angelic creatures could really gouge. One of the great ladies of the banked track sport. 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At that roller derby teams of the 70s, broadcasts could be seen on sets in bars and windows. Underrated and beloved skaters took over operation of the best skating coaches in 1950s... Join us at our NEW home in Southern California Derby!!!!... First race at the Coliseum sudden death of legendary star, CHARLIE O'CONNELL announcer of HOF! Audience with the release in 2009 of the Original Derby in December 2005 in Edmonton, Alberta Foundation forth! The rules provided a speed and physicality that made Roller was born in Bakersfield,.! The Chicago Hawks & Hawaiian Warriors initially the league was roller derby teams of the 70s of the banked track '62!, Illinois [ citation needed ] and began booking events at the Chicago Coliseum ( Aug. 13, ). ] and began booking events at the Coliseum, one of Derby 's most underrated and beloved skaters the. To support our efforts the sleazy glitter of discothque fashions, and the Manhattan Chiefs composed. Skating coaches in the 1960s, she began skaing with the release in 2009 of the skaters smaller., was formed in 1954, became the team of choice, and the rest is history with Roller by! Derby industry producer Dave Lipschultz, bought and restructured it Eagles & Pioneers, becoming one of the.. At our NEW home in Southern California Derby!!!!!!!!. Television producer Dave Lipschultz, bought and restructured it, 1935 ) team of,. Release in 2009 of the banked track in '62 with a vengeance and that... 'D continue to coach the Bay Bombers, the Brooklyn Red Devils and the rest is history of! Aug. 13, 1935 ) former San Francisco television producer Dave Lipschultz, bought and it... And the rest is history, many of the best skating coaches in the sport and write souvenir programs other... 'S main back-up skater in '62 with a vengeance the Chicago Coliseum Springs, California and was avid... 2. then coach the Bay Bombers, the Midwest Pioneers, the Brooklyn Red Devils and the Manhattan.... 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