Roller Derby was originally invented by American Leo Seltzer and is now an international sport. The very first roller derby was held in Chicago in 1935 where skaters used a banked skating surface to simulate a cross country roller skating race.
The crowd at the match between the DC DemonCats and Scare Force One of the DC Rollergirls roller derby league held at the National Guard Armory in Washington, DC. by Kevin H.
Roller derby reflected the craze at the time for marathon dance competitions and tested the endurance of the skaters. Other marathon roller skating competitions at this time could last, unbelievably, for months with full time skaters and staff taking part.
Roller marathons expanded to many other cities. The track was transported between cities to stay for several months before moving on. Two teams took part in later competitions consisting of five members with one team member designated as a ‘jammer’ to lap members of the other team. Women played in the roller derby with the same rules as the men for the first time in any team sport. The track was modified during this time with the banked track being elevated to forty five degrees and guard rails and kick rails added for protection of the skaters.
Roller derby was first televised in the 1940’s and were very popular. By the 1960’s the sport had evolved to include more body contact and strategies similar to American football. Women became role models for independent women worldwide. The track changed to be more portable so that it could be accommodated in basketball courts. The sport was increasing in popularity with many full time teams touring in hundreds of cities across America.
After the popularity of roller derby in the 1960’s and 1970’s the sport suffered a decline in the 1970’s after leaving national TV. Full tiome skaters and staff lost their jobs. However roller derby didn’t disappear completely as many part time leagues sprang up and kept the sport alive.
Today the sport has gained the popularity it enjoyed during those early years with leagues throughout the world. There are hundreds of leagues at local rinks, many of which are all girl teams but there are also mixed and all male teams too. Tracks are banked or flat and roller derby is both an amatuer and professional sport.
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