Last night (December 4, 2010) on the top floor of downtown Los Angeles’ iconic Cooper Building the International Association of Skateboard Companies brought the skateboard industry together to honor six skateboarders and two industry titans in their second annual Skateboarding Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Those honored included: Torger Johnson, Stacy Peralta, Steve Caballero, Eric Koston, Bob Burnquist, Patti McGee, CR Stecyk, and Larry Stevenson.
For everyone who has grown up in skateboarding this night was packed with emotion. It would be easy for those who were not in the room to be cynical about a group of old skateboarders getting all dewey eyed over each other, but as we looked around and saw a room filled with skate heros, living legends, and those most responsible for making skateboarding what it is today we were dumb-founded.
For the rest of the speeches follow the jump (or click here for a photo gallery). If you only have time for one, we suggest Steve Caballero’s. Rarely has the professional skateboarding life been so eloquently explained.The award for Torger Johnson, who died in a 1983 car accident, was accepted by his brother Bay. He didn’t not make any comments.
Steve Caballero’s acceptance speech is something every skateboarder to listen to. Few in skateboarding have more experience from all sides of the industry that Cab. This wisdom showed in the depth of his feelings as he said thanks.
Eric Koston’s smooth, funny “abduction” speech.
Bob Burnquist flew back from Brazil just in time to accept his award.
Patti McGee is most famous for being the blonde girl doing the handstand on a skateboard for the May 14, 1965 cover of Life Magazine but she did much, much more for skateboarding as the first female professional skateboarder.
When we look back it becomes obvious that more than anyone else CR Stecyk created what we all know of as skateboarding. Through his Dogtown stories in Skateboarder Magazine in the 70s he created the mythology that captured the minds of an entire generation.
Larry Stevenson is the founder of Makaha Skateboards and the originator of the kicktail. If could be argued that next to Urethane wheels the kicktail was responsible for more skateboarding progression than almost any other technology. Mr. Stevenson was too ill to attend so his award was accepted by his son Curtis Stevenson.
No Alan Gelfand? Whats up with that??? The dude invented the Fargin’ Ollie!!!!
Calm down, Carlos. They only inducted 6 people (all of whom certainly deserved it). They’ll do this ceremony again, and I am sure Ollie will have his day in the hot sun. They can’t do ’em all on the same night.
pretty kool i guess
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