I used to go to Festival Hall in the mid-late 60s and early 70s with my brother to watch the Roller Derby - who could forget Adeline Hocker and Ralphie Valaderez (Valladeres) of the LA T'birds... I loved it!!!!
Australian Action 1966
Ann Calvello assists Adeline Hocker of the T-Birds to score on the Detroit Devils' Midge "Toughie' Brasuhn and Jan Vallow
ahhh, some good old gratuitous violence... entertainment for the masses... it was grouse... they were so skillful, graceful and downright dirty and nasty on skates - I was enthralled - I wanted to be able to skate like that...
but it was never going to happen with the mass produced, crappy, dangerous 'adjustable' skates that were available at the time, and that working class families could afford... but to have a pair of the boot style skates... how you could 'fly' around the rink in those (of course, the nice smooth rink probably made a difference too... footpaths and uneven school playgrounds weren't really conducive to skating well - hence my broken arm!!!)... and now they're even more streamlined... the evolution of skates!!! (Check out the first picture below of 'skating wheels' from 1870 Germany - if you're interested you can click on the pic and read the 'history' of roller skating!!!)
This was exciting entertainment and women were proving they were good at contact sports - they could 'give it and take it'... they were sassy, strong women and strong role models!!!
There's been a 'resurgence' in the last few years - here's a video trailer of the Roller Derby Dolls programme... young women searching for empowerment and identity - the right to be themselves - that age-old dilemma... enjoy...
If you want to watch the whole programme you can view it at ABC iView until September 24th (it takes a lot of bandwidth though!!!)
and Festival Hall - what a 'dive' it was... and it was the 'premier' live entertainment venue at the time...
It was used in the 1956 Olympics for gymnastics and wrestling, it also became the venue for the World Championship Wrestling (and I went to a lot of wrestling matches with my brother too!!!! so sad... but it was fun!!!) The Beatles played here in 1964... we didn't have a lot in the way of large venues in the 60s!!!!
I remember the streets surrounding the hall on any live venue night in the late 60s and 70s being totally jam packed with people... it was an amazing sight and the atmosphere was electric - my how times have changed and I've aged!!!! Dare I say "ahh, they were the good old days"!!!!
more 60s 'stuff' to come soon... (but I'm on holidays for a couple of weeks and I'm going to Malmsbury to stay with a friend for a few days !!)
iremember it all as jack little would have said wooowww we wouln't have missed it for all the rice in china
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ReplyDeleteDid a girl named Hughes from Brisbane, Australia, skate for the T-Birds; her brother was in the Cannon Hill Scout troop and said that she was a skater - I haven't seen her name mentioned as a skater.
Yes Robyn Hughes did skate for the T-Birds in Australia and America She also skated in the movie called The Kansas City Bomber
ReplyDeleteRegards Diane Hall
Yes, her name is Robyn Hughes and she lived next to my grandfather in Cannon Hill in Brisbane. She skated for the T-Birds in Brisbane....I loved watching her on television. My grandfather lived at 17 Duke Street, Cannon Hill, and Robyn Hughes and her brother and parents lived at 19 Duke Street in Cannon Hill. I use to play with her brother (aeroplanes.... the one's you wound up the propeller attached to an elastic band) and flew them off the balcony in front of their house. Robyn use to come and go off to skating practice quiet often.
ReplyDeleteRobyn also had a part (as an extra) in a movie which starred Raquel Welch in 1972 movie called Kansas City Bomber. I remember she told me that she had to teach Raquel Welch some of her moves for the movie. I had a crush on Robyn....I was 12 when Robyn did the movie and I still wonder what happened to her.... if she is still alive and still skating.... if her brother is still alive and what he is doing these days.
I use to love going to the roller game with mum in the late 60 s, mum told me Robyn was a hair dresser in the valley and use to go to work with bruises, I have always wondered what happened to her,....
Deletethanks for sharing that Alan... it's fascinating 'delving into the past'...
ReplyDeleteWisewomon - I have the identical memories as you... except it was called Roller Game (not Derby as it was in the US). Sunday night at Festival Hall. I was in love with Ann Calvello (at 16 years of age)! Very precious memories for me.
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