THE HISTORY OF SKATEBOARDING
HISTORY The earliest skateboards first appeared in the 1940s and 1950s. Many of the early boards were toy scooters whose handlebars had been removed. Other homemade skateboards were steel-wheeled roller skates nailed onto a piece of wood. The first commercially produced skateboards appeared in the early 1960s, when Makaha Skateboards established a successful business. The Makaha company later developed the kicktail.
By the 1970s, skateboard design had advanced, and the models produced were much safer than those of earlier years. This was because companies were making wheels, trucks, and other parts specially designed for skateboards. For many years skateboard construction varied among manufacturers, as plastic, fiberglass, metal, and wood were tested as deck materials, but by the late 1970s wood had won out as the optimum material. Decks constructed of seven-ply laminated wood tended to be lighter and stronger than those made of other materials.
Curved plywood ramps designed for skateboarding were first used in 1975 in Melbourne Beach, Florida. Florida was the site of several other firsts in the sport, including the first skateboard park: Skatboard City in Port Orange, Florida, which opened in 1976. (The spelling of the word "Skatboard" was an intentional act by the park's builders.)
Skateboarding remained popular in the 1980s and early 1990s, and the mid-1990s saw a fresh appreciation for the activity, especially as a competitive sport. A solid international competition circuit developed, leading to television broadcasts and a strong international market for the skateboard industry. The attention given to skateboarding in extreme sports competitions, such as the X Games, also brought new fans to the sport.
Learning how to skateboard is easy for most people, and the increased media exposure encouraged more people to try the activity. These new beginners joined the millions of people worldwide who already enjoyed the sport.

Contributed By:
Bruce Walker

"Skateboarding," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000. © 1993-1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.