Skateboarding from past to present at KMA

The Knoxville Museum of Art is the central locale for the art scene in Knoxville, as most art enthusiasts are aware. The museum is full of priceless works. It is not, however, a place where one would typically expect to find information about the history of skateboarding, but such is the case until December 14.

The Museum currently has an interesting exhibit that explores the history of skateboarding. Among the antiques displayed are old skateboards dating back to the 1950s.

The Pattison Forbes "Hot Dogger" was among the earliest of skateboards. First appearing during the 1950s, it was essentially only wheels nailed to a rectangular piece of wood.

As a sport, skateboarding became popular during the mid 1960s. The appearances of the Roller Derby Safari and the Nash Goofy Foot boards reflected this trend. The boom did not last long however, as by the late 1960s, skateboarding began to fade from popularity.

The popularity of Skateboarding surged again during the 1970s, due in part to the appearance of Z-Boys, who are the subjects of a documentary being shown at the Museum. This is the fascinating true story of a group of twelve friends from Santa Monica who revolutionized skateboarding. This movie was shown on October 19, November 23, and will be shown again December 7.

The movie chronicles the twelve skaters, whom referred to themselves as the Z-Boys (even though there was one girl among them), as they competed and enjoyed the unique sport of skating. The Z-Boys had previously been surfers, and incorporated many surfing moves into skating.

These twelve developed an interest in the sport, and revitalized skateboarding during its rebirth in the 1970s. Interestingly enough, one of the key factors in the revolution was a brutal drought in Southern California, which led to many swimming pools being drained. The Z-Boys used the empty pools to hone their skills.

Skateboarding became very competitive, and in 1975 the Delmar Nationals contest was held. The Z-Boys competed and used very different styles from the other competitors. They did well in the competition, especially Peggy Oki (the lone female member) who came in first place in women's freestyle.

Over the years, the Z-Boys went their separate ways. Many led rock star style lives, which took their toll. Many of them also dropped out of school. Some are financially well off today, others were not. One member, Chris Cahill, seems to be lost, as the video informs us he was "last seen in Mexico." Another member, Jay Adams, denounced the commercialization of the sport.

The skateboarding exhibit, along with the movie, really make skateboarding's ascent to the mainstream come alive. Prior to the 1970s, it was seen as generally a rouge activity, but today it is mainstream, with such competitors as Tony Hawk being household names.

Aside from the competitiveness, the movie and exhibit capture the fun of the sport. As Bill Dohm, a skateboarding fan, puts it, "I thought it was interesting to see how skateboarding has evolved and the people who have been part of it."

It certainly is. Anyone interested in extreme sports should definitely check out this exhibit.

- John Brown is a senior in political science and history at the University of Tennessee @ Knoxville. Contact him at johnnyb325@aol.com, or visit www.johnnorrisbrown.com. This article originally ran in the December 4-10, 2003 edition of The East Tennessee Scene.