Sunday, June 16, 2013

Skate Days

"I still have this board" - R Sandman

Rich Sandman was a member of the Pepsi Skateboard team back in the 70’s on the East Coast of North America. The team put on shows in various locations in New England and surrounding areas.

Some info on his 70's skate days from Rich himself...

“We went to New York a few times for a few parades including the Macy’s parade, where we skated with Tony Alva during his heyday. Shawn Mulhulland and Steve Ellis AKA Woody Woodflow and later known as Cholo (of Hawaii) were also on the team.  We would end the show jumping the team and then we would pull kids in from the crowds and add them in the middle. We would get up to 12 for the show if we had enough room to get the speed.”  (pictured in the set below)

“Some of the great parks we skated in this era were Cherryhill in NJ, Shooting Star in Mass, Vernon in CT, Centrifical Force in RI and of coarse Yawgoo Valley Ski resort of RI (our roots).
These photographs are mine from the 70’s doing what was the most enjoyable thing we could do back then. Besides skiing, party’s, girls and cars : ).  Some were taken by me, others by my friends, but most by my girlfriend and future wife of 35 years.”


Here's a few of my fave shots from Rich's 'Skate Days' set, along with their original captions by Rich.
You can view more fantastic photographs from the 'Skate Days' set on Flickr here.

Huge thank you to Rich Sandman for allowing me to share his photographs here, 
and for being so easy going and an absolute pleasure to deal with.


 Life in the 70's.


Pepsi board jump practice


 R Sandman/D Gladstone - David doing the flange as I jumped over him in front of his house.


Nose wheelie on stacked boards.

 1977 Pepsi team


 Steve Ellis aka Woody Woodflow


A local at Shoot Star Skate Park, Mass.


Houston Pipeline 1980


9 comments:

  1. Oh wow, that's so incredibly cool!!! What a wonderful flashback to those days. We didn't have a Pepsi skating team, but we had a Coca Cola yoyo team in the late 70s. Those guys weren't quite as cool...
    My youngest doesn't go anywhere without the board under his arm, I'll show him this, he'll love it!! So do I:-)

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    1. Thanks Tove. So glad you enjoyed the pics! A Coca Cola yo yo team sounds pretty cool! I can barely get a yo yo to snap back up, let along do any tricks. Hope your son enjoys the pics. : )

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  2. I love these pics Donna.
    Anth still has his childhood skateboard. It is at least thirty years old. His best friend bought it for him from the states, so it was right up there at the time. When we lived in Melbourne he would skate down Chapel St to meet me at my tram stop on my way home from work. The first time he did it I couldn't believe it! I looked out the window and saw him skating down the road and had to look twice. Very cute.

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    1. So cool Kylie!! Skating down Chapel St to meet his girl - I love it.
      One of my brothers bought a board when we visited the States in 84. He treasured it like it was gold.

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  3. Donna...hubby and I have been trawling through your blog tonight and laughing and loving all of your treasure! Please keep posting all the good stuff, these Skate Days pictures are cool.

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    1. Yey! Thanks so much Jane. Glad you enjoyed these pics.

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  4. I was a little old for the skateboarding craze, but I've always been fascinated by the amazing athleticism of the great skateboarders. Thanks for these photos!

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  5. LOL.. Just stumbled back over these old pics. They were great times. Note: 5th Picture from top. "Nose wheelie on stacked boards". LOL Ripped my shorts right up the backside.. Even that didn't stop me from skating...

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