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10 Things To Know About Skateboarding and Its Inventor

Skateboarding is an action sport that has its roots in the United States and involves riding a skateboard and pulling off tricks. It is also a form of art, a career in the entertainment business, and a mode of transportation. Over the years, numerous skateboarders have shaped and inspired skateboarding.

According to a 2009 report, there are 11.08 million skateboarders in the world who are actively using the sport, which generates an estimated $4.8 billion in annual revenue. It was announced in 2016 that both male and female skateboarding teams would compete in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.

Skateparks have been built especially for usage by skateboarders, freestyle BMX riders, aggressive skaters, and more recently, scooter riders since the 1970s. Skateboarding, albeit prohibited, has caused damage to curbs, masonry, steps, benches, plazas, and parks, which has caused controversy in certain locations.

The kicktail, or the end of a skateboard that is bent upwards, was created by Richard Lawrence “Larry” Stevenson (December 22, 1930 – March 25, 2012). This invention allowed for the majority of modern skateboarding tricks and practically transformed the activity. In the article are 10 things to know about skateboarding and its inventor.

1. Larry Stevenson served for two years in the Korean War

Korean War Image Village.jpg , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

From 1950 until 1953, North Korea and South Korea engaged in combat. Following border conflicts and rebellions in South Korea, North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, sparking the start of the Korean War. China and the Soviet Union supported North Korea, while the United States and its allies supported South Korea. On July 27, 1953, an armistice put an end to the conflict.

Larry Stevenson enlisted in the US Navy as a fighter mechanic after graduating from high school. He participated in the Korean War for two years.

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2. He attended Santa Monica College where he became a swimmer

Stevenson attended Santa Monica College in California after the Korean War and trained as a swimmer there. He participated in swimming and water polo for Coach John Josephs. Stevenson won the all-American prize for the breaststroke’s quickest time.

He was granted lifetime admission to any Santa Monica College event if he so desired. The record had only recently been broken. Stevenson attended USC on a swimming scholarship after graduating from SMC and majored in business.

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3. He was a beach lifeguard of Vernice when he developed the idea of skateboarding

Stevenson started working as a lifeguard for the city of Los Angeles at Venice Beach in the middle to end of the 1950s. He observed that surfers would skate on unpolished skateboards in the beach parking lots while he was seated and watching them. Particularly when there was no surf, this was true.

Stevenson saw a fantastic surfing beach called “Makaha” when touring Hawaii on his way to Korea during the war. He recalled how much he enjoyed the beach in Hawaii all those years afterwards, but he also cherished the name Makaha.

4. Stevenson started MAKAHA skateboards after he eveloped the idea of skateboarding

Stevenson launched MAKAHA skateboards shortly afterward. He is recognized as the creator of the original top-notch skateboard. He conducted the first skateboard competition in 1963, invented the double kicktail in 1969, and had the first skate team.

In the 1960s, Stevenson also released Surfguide magazine, and in the 1980s and 1990s, Poweredge skateboarding magazine. He worked on Makaha and Poweredge, both of which have undergone rebirths with new editors.

5. He arranged the first skateboarding competition for professionals

The Makaha International Skateboard Championships, usually regarded as the first professional skateboarding competition, were organized by Larry Stevenson in 1963. This occasion helped establish competitive skateboarding as a recognized sport and laid the way for upcoming skateboarding competitions, making it a momentous occasion for skateboarding.

Some of the best skateboarders of the time gathered for the Makaha International Skateboard Championships to participate in slalom, freestyle, and downhill races. It gave skateboarders a stage on which to display their abilities.

This competition was important because it brought skateboarding into the spotlight and generated attention. It contributed to the growth of skateboarding as a sport and to its transformation from a leisure activity to a competitive sport.

6. Skateboarding was born in the late 1940s

Globe Skateboard.jpg , , via Wikimedia Commons

When surfers in California were looking for something to do when the waves weren’t breaking, skateboarding as we know it today most likely developed somewhere in the late 1940s. This was known as “sidewalk surfing” and was a new wave of surfing on the sidewalk as surfing gained enormous popularity.

The original creator of the board is unknown, however it appears that numerous people had related ideas at roughly the same time. A surf store in Los Angeles, California placed the first order for skateboards, intending for surfers to use them during downtime.

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7.  Skateboarding was included in the Olypmic Games

Pedro Barros 1.jpg , , via Wikimedia Commons

A competition including skateboarding took place at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. At the Summer Olympics, skateboarding made its first ever appearance. One of the four new Olympic sports for 2020, skateboarding has also been tentatively authorized for the Summer Olympic Games in 2024. In August 2016, the idea to include skateboarding in the Olympics was approved.

There were 80 skateboarding quota places available. Twenty athletes competed in each event, with three qualifying from the World Championships, 16 from the world rankings, and one from Japan, the Olympics’ host nation. World Skate oversaw the event’s qualification process.

There were four medal events, each with two rounds (prelims and finals). In order to promote equity, the Park and Street activities each had specially created curricula that took these factors into consideration.

8.  Skateboarding was popularized by the 1986 skateboarding cult classic, Thrashin

Flickr – The U.S. Army – Skateboard grinding in Iraq.jpg , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Thrashin’, a skating cult classic from 1986, is credited with popularizing skateboarding. Josh Brolin plays the lead in the David Winters-directed film, which also stars Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi, and Steve Caballero, among other well-known skaters.

Lords of Dogtown director Catherine Hardwicke was hired by Winters to work on Thrashin’ as a production designer, where she met, worked with, and made friends with many prominent skaters including the genuine Alva, Hawk, Hosoi, and Caballero. As a result, Thrashin’ also had a direct influence on Lords of Dogtown.

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9. Certain cities still oppose the building of skate parks in their neighborhoods

Pier 62 Skatepark Pool Looking East.jpg, , via Wikimedia Commons

Some cities continue to be against the construction of skate parks in their neighborhoods out of concern for an uptick in crime and drug use. The gap between the outdated perception of skateboarding and the more recent one is clear: while publications like Thrasher portray skateboarding as filthy, rebellious, and still closely associated with punk, others, like Transworld Skateboarding, present a more varied and controlled view of the sport.

As more professional skaters incorporate hip hop, reggae, or hard rock music into their videos, skateboarding attracts a growing number of urban teenagers as well as hip hop, reggae, and hard rock enthusiasts, further tarnishing the sport’s reputation as being associated with punk.

10. Skateboarding damages urban terrain features 

La Skater Makes Anohter Cool Move (84226085).jpeg, , via Wikimedia Commons

When skateboarders perform “grinds” and other tricks on urban terrain features like curbs, benches, and ledges, it ruins the structures. In order to stop future damage and decrease skating on these surfaces, private sector has developed skate deterrent tools like the Skatestopper as a solution to this issue.

Skateboarding in public places is now frequently discouraged in many cities in order to safeguard pedestrians and property. Ordinances have been passed and signs saying “Skateboarding is not allowed” have grown commonplace. The police frequently issue trespassing and vandalism tickets and make arrests in the street skating community.

To summarize, skateboarding is more than a sport or a recreational activity; it is a thriving culture that embraces creativity, self-expression, and tenacity. Skateboarding continues to evolve, enthralling people of all ages and backgrounds. It develops a sense of community by pushing boundaries and inspiring others to overcome obstacles.

Skateboarding serves as a powerful reminder that with perseverance and enthusiasm, remarkable accomplishments can be accomplished. It teaches important life skills including resilience, determination, and the value of embracing one’s identity. Skateboarding has an impact that extends far beyond the streets and parks—it leaves an unforgettable mark on the hearts and minds of those who dare to ride.

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