The Billboard 1911-09-16: Vol 23 Iss 37 (1911-09-16)

The Bi llboard SEPTEMBER 16, 1911. SKATERS AND RINKS Interviews with Skate Manufacturers Disclose Certain Facts Pointing to a Prosperous Season—General Review of Skating and a Forecast for the Coming Season FITZGERALD land, Grand Rapids, of the larger cities. and a few of the smaller towns in between. In each one of these places I learned that the skating game was good, and that they expected the same results the coming as they experienced the past season. Many of the rink managers wko have held on for a year or two, are getting wise to the fact that they must keep the ball a-rolling by supplying their patrons with a trifle more than a floor to skate on. They are coming to the front as up-todate managers, and looking ahead for something in the amuse ment line that will pull another big night. These are the ones will prosper and keep the By JULIAN T. Inquiring into the prospects for roller skating for the coming season, I find that the skate Manufacturers huve made great preparations to bandle a vast amount of business, both in this country and the foreign trade. Mr. Lee Richerdson, of the Richardson Ball-Bearing Skate Co., bad the following to say: Indications are that the roller skating game will be more popular throughout the country the coming season than during the past two or three years, although the domestic business the past season Was in excess of that of the previous year. We are receiving numerous inquiries regarding new rink equipment for rinks which were in operation previous to two years ago, but which | life in the game for an indefinite period. One have done little during the lest two seasons. | of the good attractions to be used as a drawOur inguiries from foreign countries are bum| ing card, is a good race once in awhile. But erous, and we are booking large orders for | then this does not need to be run to death, rinks in the Far East, South America and | unless the size of the city or town will warAustralia, and we anticipate an active demand | rant the running of races often. One of the for sk:tes during the coming season. best in the racing line is a handicap race, if The Chicago Roller Skate Co. sold on August you can get enough skaters to make it exciting 29, to the Sans Souci Rink, Chicago. an eyquip enough. Still another is a half-hour or hour ment of 1,000 pairs of skates. This rink haS | team race. These races have been known to been equipped with Chicago Roller skates, | pack other popular rinks who cater to ractny which were sold to them five years ago. Albion, | as an attraction, There are many other kinds Mich., has also been equipped with a full line | of races and parties that can be put of Chicago skates. President Walter Ware of | on ag an attraction anu a great many ot the Chicago Roller Skate Co., says there seem» | these local events can be run successfully, and to be a good demand for skates in general, and | at a very moderate expense. Something special mest we believe the skating game this fall will be | certainly be done to keep life in this great geod. We have shipped skates of different | healthful exercise Now when I express my rades all over the country and abroad. The | opinion as I have in these lines agvove, ana argest rink we equipped abroad was the Col| speak ef roller skating as the most plersing iseum Rink at Sydney, Australia, managed by | and healthful exercise in all this world. I James C. Bendroth. Two thousand pairs of | hope my readers will not form the impression our skates were purchased. To me the skating | that 1 consider myself authority on tue life ame looks as prosperous as any season we | of skating. as I know no more about the dura ave had the past two years. tion of this sport than anv one else; but the prospecta look very bright at the present In order to convey to the readers of The | ORIGIN OF THE ROLLER SKATE Billboard, many of whom are anxious to know | Few among roller skaters of the present day the life of roller skating, I have berewith | know anything of the history of this grat GENERAL REVIEW OF SKATING, time. HONESDALE RINK, HONESDALE, PA, A crowd of 865 people gathered at the Rink, August 26, to witness a skating exhibition given by The Vernons. YOUNG’S HY-SPEDE SKATES LEAD THEM ALL: Young's Model 999 is Used by More than 500 leading Amateur and Profes Young's Model 999 Lightest, Strongest and Fastest Skate Made sionalSkaters 4 = WILLIE BLACKBURN, Champion of New York. SEND FOR CATALOGUE. JOHN JAY YOUNG, Maker, New York City, N. Y. WUuRLIIZER Established 1856. 55th Year. “eS a "hy en F ~ ~ int © ~~ . . a THI mu Utes a ~= THE NEW WURLITZER FACTORY—FROM A PHOTOGRAPH. Automatic Musical Instruments for every purpose. The world’s largest and only complete line. 30 different styles, including Pian Orchestra. Pianiso, Flate Piano, (Automatic 0 ) tre 65-note Player Piano Mandolin Quartet |] Skadag Ktok Bands. %8-note Player Piano Mandolin Sextet Aatomatic Military Beads, Violin Piano, Automatic Herp Ete. Wur'itger was the pioneer in the electric musical instrument field and is todag the worid’s largest manufacturer. Branches in most large cities. Write for big %4-pag catalog, picturing the entire Wurlitzer line. {7 We supply the U. S. Government with Musical Instruments. THE RUDOLPH WURLITZER CO. CINCINNATI (117 to 121 E. 4th); NEW YORK (25 & 27 W. 82d, bet. B’way and 5th Ave.); CHICAG) (266 & 268 Wabash); PHILADELPHIA (1835 Chestnut); EAST . LOUIS (912 Pine); CLEVELAND (26 Prospect Ave., S E.); COLUMBUS, 0. (57 E. Main): LONDON. ENGLAND (New Polyphone Supply Co., Agents, 2 Newman St., Oxford St.). conumpiled a little history and the possibilities | pastime or ite origin. It may seem to most of for the future. The subject having been up the younger generation that the ro.Jer skate for discussion so often lately: ‘“‘How long is ig an invention of comparatively recent date, roller skating going to last? The same quesHowever, such is not the case. There is retion has been asker thousands far the last | corded, under date of 1819, a patent issued to three years. Of « no one can tell exa Frenchman for a device on the principle of actly how long th “ereze,’’ as it is often | the modern roller skate. About the same time cabled, will live: probably from two to four | an Englishnjan invented a skate with five years more, but roller skating in a moderate |narrow wheels in a row, so arranged that but way will live for many years to come. I find |two of them were on at floor at the same that although there is little difference, if any, | time. The next skate, so far as can be learned, in the majority of large rinks. a few of the | was made in 1828, and was patented in France. smaller rinks have fallen off in attendance, About 1850 Samuel E. Winslow, the great Amr but not enough to cause any great stir. Still ican skate manufacturer, tried to perfect the it seems as though there is always another new roller skate. The great difficulty with all pre rink to take the place of the one that has | vious roller skates was that the curved move gone out of business. At any rate, there are ments, which lend so much added charm to reports of new rinks opening up in different |the present skating, could not be performed parts of the United States, and the new ones Mr. Winsiow solved the riddle, and this patent seem to offset the closed ones. I spent ten | Was issued in the United States in 1863. The days of my vacation this July learning facts first public rink in the world, so far as I am about the roller situation. and visited Buf(able to learn, was opened in 1866 in Newport, falo, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Detroit, CleveN. Y., and was a great success The next was at Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1882 the largest rink in the world at that time was opened up in Boston, Mass. The Sea Beach Palace Skat ing Rink was opened at Coney Island, N. Y., in 1884. And I remember of the first ro’ er rink that was opened at Grand Rapids, Mich., |the following year, for I was one of the first youngsters to strap on a pair of skates at | the new rink. Then came the craze that America saw over twenty-five years ago. Now look at the wonderful skate we have at the presjent time. And does it look as though someone will be telling us, twenty-five years hence, {what a great craze they had in these days, or |do you think that roller skating will. always be popular? There may be a lot more history connected with the roller game, and if those who | possess any of it will care to send it to me, I will in time publish a book on skating that will be interesting to all. In conelusion, I |wish to state that I have every reason in the | world to believe that the prospects for another | good season is in store for all of the wide|awake managers. The subject of this sketch, R. R. Coburn, | KRUEGER MAKES GOOD. won his honors in the early 70’s, and later; Al Krueger, the latest addition to the large skated exhibitions in all the large cities | field of professional skaters now performing throughout the United States and Canada in| st Riverview Rink, Chicago, put one over on M TCobt yey BI st one and | 2 professional stars when he won the final ‘s urn is » ‘ Is still enthusiastic about skating. He resides |°f ‘he one-mile race skated August 27. ene in Chicago, and is an officer of the Lincoln Park |°f the most exciting races witnessed at the Skating Club, and an active member of the big rink In some time. This being Krueger's Western Skating Association. third professional race, the interest was all R. R. COBURN. Henley Roller Skates KY SPECIAL: dition for sale, cheap. Henley Racing Skates Used and endorsed by speed skaters everywhere, and are also desirable > for individual use, where the finest and moet ry» complete skate in the market is desired. <--¥ | 2 & POLO GOODS and OUTFITS Send for Skate Catalogue, FREE. Official Polo Guide ...... TTTTT). * Foot-plate sprin steel will neither =72 M. C. HENLEY, "sizes THE DEMAND FOR OUR NON-SLIP ROLL Has been so great that we have found it necessary to make them for every make of Skate. BALTO. SKATE MFG. CO., Baltimore, Md. WANTED, cance Haut as Me mem ship. rink. M. F., care The way, New York City, ——WILL BUY ROLLER SKATES—— 50 to 800 pairs (Richardson's only), if in A-1 condition and price is right. State sizes, how a and lowest poseible figure. A. M. RITT, N. E. Corner Fourteenth and Race Sts., Cincinnati, Ohio. Will lease or enter partner. ition for high-class liiboard, 1440 Broad If you see it in The Billboard, tell them so. * “ee * oe me ee 2a —-—@ mm «6 4b en GO 2b eheee eee © @