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The beginning of a new culture
Skateboarding, was born in the late 1940s, or early 1950s, when surfers in California wanted something to do when the waves were flat and unsurfable. This was later on called "sidewalk surfing". The first skateboards started with wooden boxes, or boards, with roller skate wheels attached to the bottom. The boxes turned into planks, similar to the skateboard decks of today. -
The development
In the early 1970s, Frank Nasworthy started to develop a skateboard wheel made of polyurethane, calling his company "Cadillac Wheels". The popularity of skateboarding started to rise rapidly because of the improvements. -
Vert ramp skating
This period was motivated by skateboard companies that were run by skateboarders. The focus was on vert ramp skateboarding. The invention of the no-hands aerial by Alan Gelfand and the grabbed aerial by George Orton and Tony Alva, made it possible for skaters to perform airs on vertical ramps. -
Street skateboarding
Skateboarding during the 1990s became dominated by street skateboarding. The wheel sizes were relatively small so that the boards are lighter, and the wheels became quicker and making tricks more manageable. -
Popularity
By 2001 skateboarding had gained so much popularity, that more people under the age of 18 rode skateboards than played baseball.