My late aunt Josie used to take my cousin Gilbert and I to see Roller Derby in El Monte California in 1959/60/I think 61. (we lived in La Puente) In the parking lot my cousin Gilbert and I met up with actor/commentator Dick lane! He was so friendly and nice to us kids. And a good-looking older man! My cousin said "Hi Dick" and Mr. Lane cheerfully said "HI kids!". Dick Lane was so cool! Our favorites were Terri Lynch, Julie Patrick, Honey Sanchez, Shirley Hardman (who the audience bugged) as well as Red Smart and Ralphy Valledares. When the games moved to L.A. we stopped attending. And that sucked! Red Smart and Ralphy were extremely athletic and knocked out the audience with the incredible antics! Ralphy used to jump over the Texas skaters! He was something else!
I dont think Shirley was ever the same after that inter-League match game where she suffered that TBI. I was always partial to Joanie Weston being the queen of the bank track. Roller Derby & Roller Games were two distinct different styles. I had a hard time adjusting to Roller Games after Roller Derby folded. I've been doing web searches trying to find Terri Lynch. I have a wild memory of a game where they took out all the guys & she had to skate as a guy. BTW, Happy Birthday Shirley Hardman!
This rare 1967 game along with a 1967 game vs the Chicago Hawks, a 1968 game vs the Devils, and a 1964 game vs the Devils are all the known footage of the great Terri Lynch and Liz Hernandez skating. Wish more games survived.
Totally agree. Growing up in LA watching Dick Lane call the action on KTLA wrestling and roller derby we took him for granted. I didn't realize until years later after watching wrestling in other parts of the country how lame most wrestling announcers are and what a master Dick Lane was in announcing and interviewing.
If I were to guess, I'd say this was from the mid to late 1960s. I lived in L.A. at the time and watched the TV coverage every Tuesday evening on Channel 5 KTLA. Terri Lynch and Danny Reilly were the stars. The T-Birds had quite a following.
Circa 1967-68 on KTLA. Dick Lane on the mike. Sponsored by Reliable Mortgage and a guy named Cal Worthington-before he had "his dog Spot". Of course at the historic Olympic Auditorium at 18th & Grand next to the 10 freeway,one block from Trade Tech. Olympic building is now a Korean-language church.
I was the biggest fan of the Thunderbirds, when Shirley Hardman and Norma Rossner came to town, the Thunderbirds had to wide-awake. These lady’s were tough players and love the game. Such excitement to see them live.
THank you for posting this. I grew up in a household environment that can only be described as what it was, a living H-E-L-L. This one hour of nonsense along with another hour of wrestling was the only outlet that I had and to this day I STILL treasure the relief that it provided.
I used to watch the T-birds every Sunday afternoon during the early 70s but never could figure out how they scored points. My favorite was bad guy Dave Pound. He was a real prick. Then, later on, he became a good guy-- when he joined the T-birds. It was a lot of fun watching all of that nonsense. They had some real crazy fans.
Yep. Folks used to fight in the stands. And on the 9 bus on Grand and Jefferson. We avoided the fights and walked to Broadway and caught the 6 bus to our house on 59th and Vermont. Fun times.
I remember watching these games with my mom whom was a big big Thunderbirds fan. We watched tough Shirley Hardman go from the typical badass until she skated o the side of "good" and jointed the Thunderbirds. She was eventually found dead in her swimming pool fully clothed. Many fans still believe that she was murdered as she had many enemies. Most of the fights we see in these shows are all staged but people really did get physically hurt and held grudges in real life.
Shirley's death was actualy an accidental death as one skater told me at a Derby reunion in Las Vegas last year that Shirley was having back pian and was on a floating raft in her pool without nobody there to look after and unfortanetley she may have tried to move to float but fell from her raft into the water and drown that she couldn't move to attempt to swim out of the pool. If she were to have someone to be there she would still be alive totday.
Oh what great, Great, GREAT memories!! I can still hear my mom and grandmother (both proper transplanted mid-west ladies) screaming and cussing at the top of their lungs on Sunday nights watching the games. Ah yes, growing up Angeleno. I wouldn't trade in growing up in this city for anything!
I'm pretty sure they were on Tuesday night on KTLA. Wednesday was wrestling night and Thursday was boxing.. at least in the late 50's and early 60's.My grandpa took me to the Olympic once on a Saturday night. I was in heaven...saw Blassie,Bearcat Wright,Edward Carpantier?..Bobo Brazil and a bunch of others. The place was packed to the rafters...Around 1963.
My grandma did the same. She never missed her "skating" every Tuesday night and "rasslin'" on Wednesday. My mom used to take us to the Olympic. Occasionally to El Monte Legion Stadium and the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Crazy fans.
@@mikebrewer341 We went when mom could get a car to take us there from where we lived in South-Central LA. I think once or twice we took the bus. Which took forever. Probably 3 buses. Mil Mascaras was my favorite wrestler.
Wow, a whole $10 fine on Shirley (at 7:45) You don't see much of the RollerGames clips from the early 70s, I don't know if those videotapes were erased to re-use the stock or not. (It happened a lot back then) I still have audio tapes from 71-73 that were recorded off the TV. (Those were pre-VCR days) Shirley Hardman was a T-Bird manager at that point (playing the babyface role) though she didn't skate much because I think she'd hurt her back, and by '73 she was gone. Thanks for posting!
Patsy Delgado was my favorite. I remember the T-Birds had a little person with a pennant wave them in sometimes. On a good night my parents let me stay up to watch Joe Pyne.
nothing better back in the day than kicking back with a brew 101 and watching wresting and roller derby and friday night fights with old dick lane calling the game
I always somehow looked forward to Sunday nights for two whole hours on KDNL Channel 30 in St. Louis, after that was on it was a teen bowling show, but I can not remember its name.
Actually I would love to see a movie about both Weston and Cavello, since they we rivals for years... Somehow weave a story about the two of them... Quite frankly I prefer a documentary over a movie. Either way there would be pleny material on the two ladies of Roller Derby.....
Its really a damn shame no one has made ANYTHING about that era. I grew up in a HELLISH household in the midwest but that one hour per week provided an excellent escape.
I have the 1966 - 1967 Roller Games Year Book Annual. It has photos of all the skaters in the league & their bios. Many teams featured, Los Angeles T-Birds, Texas Outlaws, Chicago Hawks, Hawaiian Warriors, and the Detroit Devils. If anyone would like to buy it, please email me.
The differences are The Roller Derby League didn't use too much theatrical gags or stunts or hardly even though it was still stage but in Roller Games the gags are used alot and thats why you saw alot of funny stuff in that league such as Ronnie Rains doing his crazy stuff like his bike peddling on the rail or Lester Quarles interfearing the game like throwing his brief case at the skaters and all these other funny stuff taking place while the original Derby didn't use any funny stuff.
I wonder if Jim Croce wrote "Roller Derby Queen" 'bout Hardman! Could be!.....It was either her or Joan Weston.........or even Baby Rocko! WHOOOOOA NELLIE!
The great days of the LA Thunderbirds! Terri Lynch, Liz Hernandez, Sally Ann Vega, Judy Sowinski, the greats of the T-Birds!
We watched them in the early 70's and they were bad ass
My late aunt Josie used to take my cousin Gilbert and I to see Roller Derby in El Monte California in 1959/60/I think 61. (we lived in La Puente) In the parking lot my cousin Gilbert and I met up with actor/commentator Dick lane! He was so friendly and nice to us kids. And a good-looking older man! My cousin said "Hi Dick" and Mr. Lane cheerfully said "HI kids!". Dick Lane was so cool! Our favorites were Terri Lynch, Julie Patrick, Honey Sanchez, Shirley Hardman (who the audience bugged) as well as Red Smart and Ralphy Valledares. When the games moved to L.A. we stopped attending. And that sucked! Red Smart and Ralphy were extremely athletic and knocked out the audience with the incredible antics! Ralphy used to jump over the Texas skaters! He was something else!
I dont think Shirley was ever the same after that inter-League match game where she suffered that TBI. I was always partial to Joanie Weston being the queen of the bank track. Roller Derby & Roller Games were two distinct different styles. I had a hard time adjusting to Roller Games after Roller Derby folded. I've been doing web searches trying to find Terri Lynch. I have a wild memory of a game where they took out all the guys & she had to skate as a guy. BTW, Happy Birthday Shirley Hardman!
This rare 1967 game along with a 1967 game vs the Chicago Hawks, a 1968 game vs the Devils, and a 1964 game vs the Devils are all the known footage of the great Terri Lynch and Liz Hernandez skating. Wish more games survived.
I agree with you. Dick Lane great us great coverage of the action. After hearing other announcers, I now realize how blessed we were.
Totally agree. Growing up in LA watching Dick Lane call the action on KTLA wrestling and roller derby we took him for granted. I didn't realize until years later after watching wrestling in other parts of the country how lame most wrestling announcers are and what a master Dick Lane was in announcing and interviewing.
If I were to guess, I'd say this was from the mid to late 1960s. I lived in L.A. at the time and watched the TV coverage every Tuesday evening on Channel 5 KTLA. Terri Lynch and Danny Reilly were the stars. The T-Birds had quite a following.
Circa 1967-68 on KTLA. Dick Lane on the mike. Sponsored by Reliable Mortgage and a guy named Cal Worthington-before he had "his dog Spot". Of course at the historic Olympic Auditorium at 18th & Grand next to the 10 freeway,one block from Trade Tech. Olympic building is now a Korean-language church.
Sad to hear that some of my favorite skaters of the late 60's have passed away. Such great memories!
I’m wondering what happened to 747??
I was the biggest fan of the Thunderbirds, when Shirley Hardman and Norma Rossner came to town, the Thunderbirds had to wide-awake. These lady’s were tough players and love the game. Such excitement to see them live.
THank you for posting this. I grew up in a household environment that can only be described as what it was, a living H-E-L-L. This one hour of nonsense along with another hour of wrestling was the only outlet that I had and to this day I STILL treasure the relief that it provided.
I used to watch the T-birds every Sunday afternoon during the early 70s but never could figure out how they scored points. My favorite was bad guy Dave Pound. He was a real prick. Then, later on, he became a good guy-- when he joined the T-birds. It was a lot of fun watching all of that nonsense. They had some real crazy fans.
I remember that time, it was like around in 1972.
Yep. Folks used to fight in the stands. And on the 9 bus on Grand and Jefferson. We avoided the fights and walked to Broadway and caught the 6 bus to our house on 59th and Vermont. Fun times.
No one has posted anyhting about Shirley Hardman but I hope Hollywood does a movie on her.
these were the good ol days!!
🙏🏽😔👍
I remember watching these games with my mom whom was a big big Thunderbirds fan.
We watched tough Shirley Hardman go from the typical badass until she skated o the side of "good" and jointed the Thunderbirds. She was eventually found dead in her swimming pool fully clothed. Many fans still believe that she was murdered as she had many enemies.
Most of the fights we see in these shows are all staged but people really did get physically hurt and held grudges in real life.
Shirley's death was actualy an accidental death as one skater told me at a Derby reunion in Las Vegas last year that Shirley was having back pian and was on a floating raft in her pool without nobody there to look after and unfortanetley she may have tried to move to float but fell from her raft into the water and drown that she couldn't move to attempt to swim out of the pool. If she were to have someone to be there she would still be alive totday.
So much talent in those days- Hardman, Lynch, Syverson, and the late Judy Sowinski...
Oh what great, Great, GREAT memories!! I can still hear my mom and grandmother (both proper transplanted mid-west ladies) screaming and cussing at the top of their lungs on Sunday nights watching the games. Ah yes, growing up Angeleno. I wouldn't trade in growing up in this city for anything!
I'm pretty sure they were on Tuesday night on KTLA. Wednesday was wrestling night and Thursday was boxing.. at least in the late 50's and early 60's.My grandpa took me to the Olympic once on a Saturday night. I was in heaven...saw Blassie,Bearcat Wright,Edward Carpantier?..Bobo Brazil and a bunch of others. The place was packed to the rafters...Around 1963.
My grandma did the same. She never missed her "skating" every Tuesday night and "rasslin'" on Wednesday. My mom used to take us to the Olympic. Occasionally to El Monte Legion Stadium and the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Crazy fans.
wnt to the El Monte once..maybe around 1969.While we were waiting to get in up drives Mil Mascaras..mask and all in a white Cadillac
@@mikebrewer341 We went when mom could get a car to take us there from where we lived in South-Central LA. I think once or twice we took the bus. Which took forever. Probably 3 buses. Mil Mascaras was my favorite wrestler.
My grandma HATED Mr. Moto..still lots of anti-Japanese sentiments still back then.We lived in West Adams area in the 50's then Whittier
Wow, a whole $10 fine on Shirley (at 7:45)
You don't see much of the RollerGames clips from the early 70s, I don't know if those videotapes were erased to re-use the stock or not. (It happened a lot back then)
I still have audio tapes from 71-73 that were recorded off the TV. (Those were pre-VCR days) Shirley Hardman was a T-Bird manager at that point (playing the babyface role) though she didn't skate much because I think she'd hurt her back, and by '73 she was gone. Thanks for posting!
Patsy Delgado was my favorite. I remember the T-Birds had a little person with a pennant wave them in sometimes. On a good night my parents let me stay up to watch Joe Pyne.
nothing better back in the day than kicking back with a brew 101 and watching wresting and roller derby and friday night fights with old dick lane calling the game
Terri Lynch has pass away either 2014 or 2015 RIP Terri
She passed away last year in 2016 in Hawaii.
How old was Terri Lynch and what did she died of ?
+Ken Rozmislowicz Not sure what age she passed away but i believe she died of alhzeimers disease.
I always somehow looked forward to Sunday nights for two whole hours on KDNL Channel 30 in St. Louis, after that was on it was a teen bowling show, but I can not remember its name.
Actually I would love to see a movie about both Weston and Cavello, since they we rivals for years... Somehow weave a story about the two of them... Quite frankly I prefer a documentary over a movie. Either way there would be pleny material on the two ladies of Roller Derby.....
Its really a damn shame no one has made ANYTHING about that era. I grew up in a HELLISH household in the midwest but that one hour per week provided an excellent escape.
I have the 1966 - 1967 Roller Games Year Book Annual. It has photos of all the skaters in the league & their bios. Many teams featured, Los Angeles T-Birds, Texas Outlaws, Chicago Hawks, Hawaiian Warriors, and the Detroit Devils. If anyone would like to buy it, please email me.
Can anyone explain to me the difference in styles between Roller Derby and Roller Games?
The differences are The Roller Derby League didn't use too much theatrical gags or stunts or hardly even though it was still stage but in Roller Games the gags are used alot and thats why you saw alot of funny stuff in that league such as Ronnie Rains doing his crazy stuff like his bike peddling on the rail or Lester Quarles interfearing the game like throwing his brief case at the skaters and all these other funny stuff taking place while the original Derby didn't use any funny stuff.
Kinda weird how they have the scoreboard in the middle of the track. Guess this predated the days of electronic graphics.
These girls could take some bumps, and this was before helmets being used!
love it
I wonder if Jim Croce wrote "Roller Derby Queen" 'bout Hardman! Could be!.....It was either her or Joan Weston.........or even Baby Rocko! WHOOOOOA NELLIE!
Does anyone know what ever happened to Terri Lynch?
"Terrible" Terry Lynch sadly passed away in 2015.
Does any one remember Punky Gradner?
Yes. I believe she skated for the NY Chiefs for a while. I don't recall seeing her in Games.
"Ha ha."