From Publishers Weekly
"Why do the Olympics exclude roller skating?" asks Lewis (Behind the Big Top) in his history of the sport, including speed skating, hockey and dancing on skates. Skates were developed in England in 1760, and ball-bearing wheels were introduced in the U.S. in the 1880s. Roller hockey began soon thereafter in the Midwest, speed skating started just before WWI and roller dancing arrived on the scene in the 1930s. Originally a pastime for the rich, roller skating fell into disfavor as roller rinks proliferated in seedy areas. The most damaging blow to its prestige, however, was the so-called Roller Derby, begun in Chicago in 1935, which turned violent after WWII and was put on TV. Lewis almost answers his own question about Olympic exclusion when he shows how inept the governing body of the U.S. Amateur Confederation of Roller Skating is. Given the book's narrow focus, it is unlikely to hold much interest for a general audience. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Product Description
Given the popularity of all types of skating--on the ice, on the boards, and on the streets--why isn't roller skating an Olympic event? Author David H. Lewis sought out people involved in every aspect of the sport in an attempt to answer this question. He talked to competition judges and coaches, rink operators and rink organists, and scores of skaters from around the world. The answers he found--and there are many--are likely to anger and astound readers in turn. Those answers, along with a wealth of information on the world of roller skating past, present and future, are detailed Whether you skate for the love of it, or have higher aspirations in the world on wheels, "Roller Skating for Gold" is fascinating and illuminating reading.
