Are you a Skateboard lover? If yes, you might be interested to know how Skateboard was Invented and how it became famous as a sport. You can go through this article to learn the history behind the Skateboard’s invention.  Do you know when Skateboarding was invented?

Who invented skateboards? Let’s find all the answers here. Hope this will increase your interest more about Skateboarding.

Skateboarding was invented almost 70 years ago, but now Skateboarding is famous among kids and adults. Skateboarding is a trendy sport that originated in California, USA, by surfers.

In the United States of America, Skateboarding is also used as a method of transportation, especially by students to travel on campus and sometimes for leisure activities too.

When was Skateboarding invented?

Well, you are at the right place. Here in this article, we will discuss the story of the skateboard invention and all the facts related to this incredible invention.

So, firstly what is skateboarding? Skateboarding is one recreational activity in which one rids in a standing position on a skateboard and performs tricks using the Skateboard. 

Skateboard is a concave-like structured board with two small wheels fixed under the board one is at the front, and another is at the end.

There are mainly two types of skateboards. They are longboard and shortboard.

Then the question arises of where and when did Skateboarding originate? 

Skateboarding originated in southern California around the 1950s, and then Skateboarding went through many ups and downs, but now it got its recognition as an Olympic sport in 2021.

What was Skateboarding called?

 Initially, Skateboarding was known as Sidewalk surfing. The surfers started using skateboards on empty swimming pools.

An international skateboarding tournament series is Street League Skateboarding (SLS). For the street league skateboarding courses, California skate parks are specially designed.

In this league, 25 professional street skateboarders compete for the most significant monetary prize in the history of Skateboarding, and Rob Dyrdek, a professional skateboarder, and entrepreneur, started the street league.

Skateboard History Timeline

The journey of Skateboarding has got a lot of ups and downs.

Do you know what did the first Skateboard look like? 

The first Skateboard was made from wooden boxes or boards and attached the roller skate wheels at the bottom of that wooden board.

From 1959-1965, the outdoor activity, Skateboarding, was initiated in California by surfers, then it disappeared from 1965-1972. 

After the invention of urethane wheels in skateboards, in 1973-1980, Skateboarding became popular in all corners of the globe.

Also invented The Ollie and other skateboarding tricks.

In 1981-1991 skateboarding gained popularity as a sport-like activity. With its culture, skaters create their magazines, idols, and skateboard companies.

Between 1992-1999 skateboarding transforms into a mainstream sport with millions of fans and spectator-friendly television events.

Stevenson published a skateboarder magazine named Surf Guide Magazine. In his publications, he released the first advertisement for skateboards.

Skateboarding Culture

Why did Skateboarding begin? Surfers wanted to do something with the flat waves. Then some surfers got the idea of applying the tricks or techniques on the streets.

When was Skateboarding invented? In Southern California, Skateboarding developed as “Sidewalk Surfing.” Originally Skateboarding was invented by surfers. They equipped wooden boards with clay wheels or metal wheels.

In the history of Skateboarding, Frank Nasworthy is recalled for introducing polyurethane wheel technology to skateboards in 1970.

After that, when Polyurethane wheels were invented, skaters started using the walls of empty swimming pools for skating. Now there are skate parks or skateboarding areas.

Bill Richards Skateboard

In the year 1958, Bill Richards first invented Skateboard. He attached the wheels of the roller skate to a rigid wooden board. These were hard, narrow boards with clay wheels, also known as Roller Derby Skateboards. 

 There was another inventor named Larry Stevenson. He has his own company named Makaha, one of the first to use clay wheels, not metallic ones.

In 1969 Kicktail was invented by Larry Stevenson. He allows skateboarders to have more control and perform tricks.

Skateboarders

Tony Hawk is the world’s most famous skateboarder. He runs his own company named Birdhouse.

Stacey Peralta was a high-ranked professional skateboarder. He was a member of the Zephyr Competition Team. Later he became a film director and entrepreneur. 

Steve Caballero is an American professional skateboarder. 

Russ Howell, a professional skateboarder, was famous for his freestyle skateboarding.

Jay Adams, an American skateboarder, was famous for his vertical tricks. His innovative freestyle Skateboarding popularized modern Skateboarding. 

 In 1999, Caballero was named in the thrasher magazine “Skater of the Century.”

Patti McGee was the first professional female skateboarder. Women have also actively participated in this sport from the beginning. 

Alan Gelfand is an American skateboarder who invented the Ollie, a skateboarding trick.

John Rodney Mullen is an American professional skateboarder. He practices street skateboarding, and in the history of this sport, he is considered one of the best influential street skaters. 

 He invented numerous tricks that include kickflip, heelflip, and 360-flip. He has been named the “Godfather of Street Skateboarding.”

Skateboarding Facts

The first Skateboard ever was made in California. At that time, skateboards used to have handles to make them easier to handle. 

 “Roller Derby Skateboard” is the first Skateboard that was different from today. It has wheels made of clay.

In the 1960s, clay wheels or metal wheels were used in skateboards. In the 1970s, Polyurethane wheels were invented and used in skateboards.

Skateboarders use many safety devices to avoid injuries. In Norway, Skateboarding was banned due to the increasing number of injured skateboarders.  

In the United States, there are a smaller number of skateboard parks though Skateboarding is a popular sport, so skateboarders participate in golf tournaments to raise money for these parks.

In the United States, 18 million people have skateboards. Skateboarding is also famous among post-institute students; they use skateboards to travel around campus. 

Skateboarding is an excellent fitness exercise. It improves body metabolism, improves body balance, and provides creative freedom.

The first skate contest was held in California in 1973, and Makaha sponsored the contest. In 2010, the first street league skateboarding was held.

In 2021, Skateboarding was considered an Olympic sport, and it made its debut in the 2021 summer Olympics. 

Skateboarding has become the sixth most popular sport in the world.

 Want to know Is roller skating harder than rollerblading read this article.

Conclusion

Nowadays, Skateboarding has become one of the popular sports. Famous skateboarders like Jay Adams, Russ Howell, Patti McGee, and Torger Johnson modified Skateboarding by inventing many skateboarding tricks.

But many cities still need to accept Skateboarding. They oppose the building of skate parks in their cities, and thrasher magazine presents Skateboarding as rebellious.

So, the journey of Skateboarding for acceptance is still going on. 

Skateboarders and skateboard companies are working hard to spread the popularity of Skateboarding worldwide.

We started our article by asking when Skateboarding was invented, and we ended up discussing the history of Skateboarding here.

You have also come to know about many famous skateboarders.

Frequently Asked Question