Rolling Thunder: The Golden Age of Roller Derby & the Rise and Fall of the L.A. T-Birds

Scott Stephens received his first set of roller skates at age six in 1966 - and soon he was staging Roller Derby games in his backyard. Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s, it was impossible not to have heard about Roller Derby and the Los Angeles Thunderbirds, whose games were televised. In fact, many of the T-Birds were just as popular as those on traditional sports teams such as the Dodgers, Lakers, and Rams. When Stephens started training at the new T-Bird Rollerdrome in Pico Rivera, it was mainly because he loved roller skating on a banked track. He had no idea that the Roller Games league was low on skaters. From 1978 to 1981, from his seat on the infield of the track and on the track itself, Stephens was part of everything the games had to offer, including its underground scene of shadowy characters and venues, adrenalin seekers, and alternative lifestyles. He loved it Trace the history of Roller Derby and Los Angeles' flagship team, the T-Birds, with this brilliant account highlighting the sport's booms and busts.

Author: Scott Stephens
Publisher: iUniverse
Published: 10/14/2019
Pages: 382
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.23lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.85d
ISBN13: 9781532084720
ISBN10: 1532084722
BISAC Categories:
- Sports & Recreation | Roller & In-Line Skating
- History | General
- Sports & Recreation | Cultural & Social Aspects

About the Author
Scott Stephens is the CEO of Liquid Blue, Inc., and earned a bachelor's degree from Alaska Pacific University. Since 1996, he has managed the musical group Liquid Blue and was the band's lead vocalist and songwriter for more than fifteen years. The group appeared in more than 120 countries and holds a Guinness World Record. He also spent four years as a Roller Derby skater, including time with the Los Angeles T-Birds. He founded and edited Raw Power magazine in the late 1970s. He splits his time between surfing locales in San Diego, the Philippines, and Costa Rica.

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