By 1950, roller skating had emerged as the number-one participatory sport in America. Ironically, the war years launched the Golden Age of Roller Skating. Soldiers serving overseas pleaded for skates along with their usual requests for cigarettes and letters from home. Stateside, skating uplifted morale and kept war factory workers exercising. By the end of the decade, five thousand rinks operated across the country. Its epicenter: Chicago! And no one was left behind! The Blink Bats, a group of Braille Center skaters, held their own at the huge Broadway Armory rink. Meanwhile, the Swank drew South Side crowds to its knee-action floor and stocked jukebox. Eighteen celebrated rinks are now gone, but rinks that remain honor the traditions of the sport's glory years. Author Tom Russo scoured newspaper archives and interviewed skaters of the roller capital's heyday to reveal the enduring legacy of Chicago's rink rats.
1126808928
Chicago Rink Rats: The Roller Capital in Its Heyday
By 1950, roller skating had emerged as the number-one participatory sport in America. Ironically, the war years launched the Golden Age of Roller Skating. Soldiers serving overseas pleaded for skates along with their usual requests for cigarettes and letters from home. Stateside, skating uplifted morale and kept war factory workers exercising. By the end of the decade, five thousand rinks operated across the country. Its epicenter: Chicago! And no one was left behind! The Blink Bats, a group of Braille Center skaters, held their own at the huge Broadway Armory rink. Meanwhile, the Swank drew South Side crowds to its knee-action floor and stocked jukebox. Eighteen celebrated rinks are now gone, but rinks that remain honor the traditions of the sport's glory years. Author Tom Russo scoured newspaper archives and interviewed skaters of the roller capital's heyday to reveal the enduring legacy of Chicago's rink rats.
11.49
In Stock
5
1
Chicago Rink Rats: The Roller Capital in Its Heyday
240Chicago Rink Rats: The Roller Capital in Its Heyday
240eBook
$11.49
$12.99
Save 12%
Current price is $11.49, Original price is $12.99. You Save 12%.
Related collections and offers
11.49
In Stock
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781439663745 |
---|---|
Publisher: | The History Press |
Publication date: | 11/13/2017 |
Series: | Sports |
Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
Format: | eBook |
Pages: | 240 |
File size: | 4 MB |
About the Author
From the B&N Reads Blog