Picture Archive - 1970's

Skateboarder Magazine Cover - April 1978

Who's Hot - Skateboarder Magazine 1974

I got this picture from IOWASK8ER. That is me in the front row, left. I like this picture because it shows more Dogtown skaters than earlier photos...like

the infamous "Del Mar" picture below. Essentially, if you were not at the Del Mar competition, and in this photo, you

were somewhat more of an outsider in the Dogtown world. Oh well, that's the way it goes!

This is the most defining and famous photos of the Z-Boys. I really admire every one of these people (and the photographer, Craig Stycyk).

However, you have to remember that this was not really a "team". Each one of these people was an individualist with a very different

style (notice the lack of closeness, like it was REALLY hard to get everyone to stand together. Notice that TA is the farthest away...very

telling of things to come).

When this picture was shot in 74, most other skaters who were not on the Zephyr had somewhat similar styles...it was like a bunch of

Olympic gymnastics before the Zephyr team; i.e. does any gymnast really look that much different from the next gymnast? Well, this is

what skateboarding was like...until the the Zephyr team.

Hobie Ad - Circa 1979?

Lakewood Skatepark, California - Circa 1979

This is a Bubble Gum Card from around 1977 - I think the Skatepark is the original "Concrete Wave" in Upland. CA...but I could be wrong.

That is me...last on the right. Stacy Peralta is third from the right and Henry Hester is second from the left (and I believe that is Mike Williams third f

rom the left). I am not sure who the other two guys are. In any case, this had to be the all time ugliest uniform of any skateboard team...ever!

This was taken at Anaheim Skate Park in April of 1978. The elbow and knee pads really sucked back then. If you fell on your knees, the pads

would come right off.

This was from a Pepsi "Hand Out" sometime around 1979. It had a bunch of other team riders in it, but for some egotistical reason I only saved myself!

Leroy Neiman the famous painter copied this photo for some original art and lithographs...I never got a cent for this or even a copy of the painting!

There were a lot of crooks back then. My advice to any pro skater now is "watch your back"!

This was the "really big" Pepsi Skateboard team ramp. The Ford Pinto station wagon in the background was my first car. That is Greg Ayres and

Wallly Inouye sitting on the grass waiting their turn on the ramp. The ramp is outside of "360" Sportswear in San Diego (the defunct maker of the

Pepsi Team uniforms). These images were published in Skateboarder Magazine, December 1977.

Warren Bolster's shot of me through the Plexiglas. Notice the Tracker "Mid Tracks", "YO-YO" wheels and only two bolts holding the rear trucks on!

There is a Pepsi Sticker covering up the G&S Logo on the bottom of the board.

Here is the same ramp, same day with Greg Ayres on the cover of Skateboarder Mag!

Hmmm...I wonder who's phone number is on this handout?

Spring Valley Skatepark, California around 1979

My parents were divorced in 1978. My mother and I moved to Redondo Beach, CA in 1979 and therefore I was no longer a "Dogtowner" from

Santa Monica / Venice, CA; I was now a South Bay kicked back surfer type. Eventually, my mother remarried and we moved to Manhattan Beach,

CA, but I spent most of my time in Hermosa Beach (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach are all right next to each other in SoCal).

I skated every day at the Hermosa Beach Pier where I would draw a huge crowd on the weekends with other skaters like Steve Rocco, Per Werlinder

and Per Holknect (the transplanted Swedes, I have pictures of them under 1980's). Needless to say, this was the best that I had ever skated freestyle

in my life. Unfortunately, most professional skaters were no longer getting paid for anything that had to do with skateboarding because by 1980, all of

the sponsors had dried up. Even though we could not make money other than some change that tourists threw into a hat, we could always impress the

girls and we usually got a lot of them! Now days, this area of the pier is somewhat off limits to skating...like it was then.  Kids still skate here against

the law, but they are usually off to the side sliding down the stair railing. Gone are the days when we would bring our freestyle "circus" to town and

would draw the crowds of tourists without ramps, railings and curbs of any kind. No offense to the skaters now, they are hot, but the headstands and

the 360's in 1978 really impressed the hell out of the tourists.

PS. That is the infamous "Mermaid" Restaurant in the background and it is still there. The Mermaid has the best mixed drinks in town. I don't skate

here anymore, but I drop by ever once in a while to imbibe at the Mermaid!

Pepsi Demo (1975?) Loni Toft on his infamous "eight wheeler". That is Gordy Linman and Alan Scott in the background. If you ever saw Fast Times

at Ridgemont High...I lived that movie real life in the back of Loni's '67 VW van pictured here!

Gordy the inventor of the "G-Turn" and all around great skater, clown and very decent person. Here he is around 1976. He is doing great today.

He lives in Ventura (always has) with his lovely wife and son (who is learning to skate). Gordy does not go near a skateboard very much anymore,

but we are trying to change that! The guy with his back to us is Waldo Autry...I wish I had more pictures of him. He was an awesome pool and pipe rider.

Here is the cool 70's dude in his Jerry Lopez "Lighting Bolt" shirt with the groovy big collar. I also had a genuine disco outfit with the Saturday

Night Fever white vest, pants and coat. Sorry, not shown here...I digress.

Jay Adams, Bobby Piercy and me watching "Baby" Paul Cullen shred Montebello skatepark in 1978. If it looks like we are in awe of Paul; we are. "Baby"

Paul was a natural talent who just shredded up anything you put him in. To make Jay stop and watch you had to be really good because Jay would not

sit still for very long...for anything.

This is me at Kenter Canyon school in 1974...yes, I am wearing one of the original blue Zephyr skateboard team shirts which I disgraced with my

really stupid nose wheelie tricks on the banks of Brentwood California! No wonder the rest of the team thought I was a dork. However, it was not

my fault. I witnessed the great Ty Page doing this trick in a movie and I wanted to do it also.