Quad Speed Skatings Glory Days (Photos)

[MANY_SkatingDave]

Hi XL,
and RGYoung, RLevine(Splitwoods), Brikkee,

XL, I did a massive re read of all your posts from the beginning to now.

Within me I do sense this one post you graciously gave us.

Yours in Skating, History, Society, MA/NY Dave

[splitwoods]

Originally Posted by xlracer

Thanks Dave Splitwoods and RGYoung were there and saw alot of these great skaters in their prime. I envy them very much. I have seen some great skaters and seen some great races in my time but nothing like these guys.

Tracy:

Reflecting back on the great skaters of the 50's, 60's and 70's we skated with and against, I wont tell you we took anything for granted, but we did know we had many top notch, very competitive athletes in each division!

By the way, I finally was able to contact Charlene, John Drewry's wife on the phone over the weekend. We spoke for quite a while on many topics, first and formost was John of course. I am going to work with her to see if we can rekindle an attempt to see him considered for the HOF, based on his lifetime achievments and contribution to the sport of Quad Speed Skating.

It is a shame that this could not have been installed while he was still with us.
He was a great racer, official and friend of the sport. National and World Champion to boot.

I hope to see Charlene, when she is ready, participate on both websites.

Tracy she got a kick out of this Brooklyn Cowboy, living the ranch life in Texas, while she ,a native Texan has been living in NJ ever since she and John got married in the 60's! Who would have thunk it???

Splitwoods

[wbskates]

Originally Posted by xlracer

The girl at the front of this pack is Jamie London. This little girl dominated the lower divisions. She won National titles 7 years in a row. From 1966 - 1792 in
Primary, Juvenille, Elementary and Freshman Divisions.

It looks like the girl right behind her was Pat Bergin's sister, Lisa. She was a great skater in her own right, both art and speed. She was my dance partner and relay partner as well as my friend. In years following that picture her and Jamie would be teammates as well as rivals. Lisa was killed by a drunk driver in the late 80's.
As mentioned earlier in the reposted article about Pat, our speed workouts at Mid Cities, in Irving, TX, would be like major meets. If you were able to make the second string 4 man relay, you still had a good chance of placing at nationals!

[wbskates]

Ok, not on topic as far as speed skating photos, but here's Lisa and myself in our costumes for a skating show at The Holiday in Ft. Worth, TX. Probably around 1965/'66.



Her and Jamie London paired up to win the Freshman Two Girl Championship in 1972 and she won the Junior Ladies Singles title in 1974.

Here's a link to a scanned Skate Magazine article about Lisa:

http://www.susan-a-miller.com/sm/1975.html#spring

[MANY_SkatingDave]

Hi wbskates,

You guys were quite cute, full of smiles, and very athletic.

Maybe, just maybe, you should start a tread over on the artistic forum with this picture. I don't know what to call it yet use your imagination about child skaters.

Another idea is if you can find another tread on the artistic forum that exists and is old energize it with your memories and energy.

I know many little artistic skating girls and a few boys that are really cute and QUITE good. Two twins I have skated with are in a Disney movie with the "ROCK" from WWF/WWE fame.

Yours in Skating, MA/NY Dave

[unoarm]

Originally Posted by Kathie Fry

From Dick Young: "This is the cover of the May 1946 issue of Skating News. Notice not only the uniforms and skates, but also the pylon. The third skater has a mask on to protect him from breathing the dust from the powder."

Check out that pylon. could you imagine kicking that!! LMAO

[xlracer]

According to someone that raced during that time frame, those pylons were nail kegs and they were full of nails. They weighed about 40 lbs.

[splitwoods]

Tracy:

I remember the first year I skated, an old timer telling me that in his day in the 30's and 40's some of those corner markers were filled with concrete or nails, and sometimes they had them tied down to the floor with a spring, hooked to an eye in the floor!

Either way, a serious accident waiting to happen!!!

Once you hit one of those, the only thing that was going to be hurting was the boob that ran into them!

Splitwoods

[MANY_SkatingDave]

Hi XL, Splitwoods, RGYoung, Brikkee, K,

I hate to say it yet the pylons that wouldn't move were probably designed to make sure skaters had a level known playing field as they went around corners. I guess today we would put some padding around them so one wouldn't get hurt directly on the pylon, yet still hurt from the crash.

Did you notice the skater that had the face handerchief??

Yours in Skating, MA/NY Dave

[splitwoods]

Dave:

Back in the day, it was common for many to use a bandana to cut down on how much plaster of paris they would inhale. Every one of those guys would dive into some water after a race. Now you know what happens when you mix PoP with water dont ya? Well you can imagine what the inside of their lungs looked like...

Splitwoods

[MANY_SkatingDave]

Hi Splitwoods, Tracey(XLracer), RGYoung,

Thanks for the reply R.Levine of Splitwoods fame.

OK, OK By the time you read this it is after memorial day and time for more oldie scanned in pictures from XLRacer or any great contributor.

Yours in Skating, Aging, MA/NY Dave

P.S. At my daughters wedding this weekend, i met two older, young people 1921 / 1926 that both served during WW-II. Both were more fun than most young people now days.

[TONY KISSING]

MR. YOUNG I READ HERE IN THE FORUM THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE SKATE MAGAZINES - I HAVE 1946 TO 1976 - WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO DO IS E-MAIL ME TONYEKISSING@YAHOO.COM
THE SENIOR MEN AND LADIES 1ST - 2ND - 3RD PLACEMENTS FROM THE FOLLOWING YEARS
1937 - 38 - NO MEET IN 39 - 40 - 41 - 42 - 43 - 44 - NO MEET IN 45 -
49 - 50.
IN 1941 RECORDS WERE SET IN EVERY DISTANCE OF SENIOR MEN 440 - 880 - I - 2 - 5 MILE. THE RACER WHO WON WAS WILLIAM HAY FROM CHICAGO
YET HE NEVER SET ONE RECORD. BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE RESULTS OF THESE 10 YEARS (NATIONALS) AND WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COUKLD HELP ME OUT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FILMS OR TAPES OF QUAD RACING FROM THE 60'S - 50'S
OR 40'S??????
SURE HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME OUT.

[xlracer]

Tony!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How the heck are you. I need to send you an email.
How are Kathy and the Cincy Rollergirls doing?
You should recognize most of these pictures I got them from the Skate magazines that we took to Kinko's last June when I came up.
Did that bum Tim ever get back to you?

[xlracer]

This picture is for my friend Tony Kissing. The little girl on the outside next to the wall is Tony's daughter Kathy. Kathy was Primary girls Champion in 1973 and Juvenille girls Champion in 1974.
I could not share these pictures without Tony. Just about every picture I have shared on this site came from him. Thanks Tony.

[TONY KISSING]

XlRACER:
FREDDIE WIRTH AND HIS FOUR SONS (KEITH - KENNY - KERRY - KEVIN)
SKATED ON MY 1970 COLERAIN SKATELAND TEAM - HERE IN CINCINNATI.
FREDDIE WAS 42 YEARS OLD THEN AND HE WON SENIOR MEN AT THE GREAT LAKES REGIONALS. HE IS A HORSE TRAINER AND ONE OF THE HORSES HE TRAINED - MYTHICAL RULER WON THE FIRST JIM BEAM RACE - WHICH GOT THE HORSE INTO THE KENTUCKY DERBY.
I HAVE PICTURES OF FREDDIE AND HIS SONS AND NATURALLY A FEW STORIES. FREDDIE NEVER USED TOE STOPS WAS A FLAT FOOTED STARTER.

[TONY KISSING]

XlRACER:
THE YOUNG LADY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PICTURE WITH #30??
ON HER BACK IS SANDY WARNER FROM CALIFORNIA HER COACH WAS FORMER SENIOR LADY CHAMPION MARY JO KURK FROM DETROIT.
ALSO I SEE MISSY MOSS ON THE INSIDE - AND A RACER FROM OLYMPIA WASH. IF I REMEMBER RIGHT HER LAST NAME WAS CARPENTER.
KATHY (42) SKATES ROLLER DERBY NOW - AND THEY HAVE A BIG BOUT WITH A MINNESOTA TEAM THIS SATURDAY EVENING.

[chuckboucher]

Wow, some great history here. Makes me think of how I got started skating in the mid 70's.

[TONY KISSING]

XlRACER:
WHERE ELSE DID MARY JO COACH AT? AND WHO DID SHE COACH?

[TONY KISSING]

The Racer Pat Bergin Was Talking About Winning The 5 Mile Was Charles Wahlig In 1957 - That Was The First Year Pat Placed At Nationals And In 1958 Pat Won Art And Speed In Diaper Division (then). The 5 Mile Was The Premier Senior Men Raced Andwas Watched By All At State - Regional And National Meets.
Sadly Yards And Miles Was Dropped After The 1976 Nationals.
The Year I Still Feel Roller Speed Skating Indoors Died!!!

[gaveitaway]

Originally Posted by brikkee

I am told these are from around 1963 and my grand dads new skates. wheels are figure-dance command 8
plates Douglass-synder custom
boots Betty lytle from hyde


1940's grandmothers
boot goodyearmely hyde
plate cleavland skatemaster
wheels no clue


1970's moms

Riedell297
synder imperial


For all you in-line skaters i have no clue on the year but i have to say aronund 1500's lol
best ever built BEB skate co.chicago



and also the aggressive in-lines

Zero mfc.



i also have a few more but the camara died ill get them tomarrow

Wow, This is very spooky. Back in the day we always checked out everyones skates. Your grandmom and granddad very rarely skated. I remember seeing your grandma skating in those skates and thought it was odd that she didn't have any toe stops. I saw your great granddad in those skates one time. I saw your granddad on skates only a few times, he skated with your grandmom one day & they were both all smiles. I also remember your mom's skates as not many (maybe 2-3) people had imperials. at that time. Is the second to last skate the one that was on display on the widow sill near the record player (your grandad used the window to change the skate sign) - The Original Riverdale. Great pictures....