TO SKATEBOARD AFICIANADOS,
tneir sport is more than just a passing
fad. At right, Sloane Chen, proud owner
of five boards, demonstrates his talents
on the Diag. At center and below, John
Seals practices one of his favorite stun-
ts - jumping from the steps of the
Graduate Library and sailing onto the
Diag.
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Daily Photos
by JOHN KNOX
They've flipped over
skateboarding craze
By R. J. SMITH the boards and related equipment, and
"It takes a certain amount of guts many indicate sales this year were at
to get on a skateboard, and it an all-time high. "It's a fad, and
doesn't take very much to hit a ball. everybody follows a fad," explained an
It's a lot better feeling." employee from the Kiddie Korner toy
-John'Beals, skateboarder store in downtown Ann Arbor.
SSSHroooom! It is a gusty Tuesday BUT FOR BEING A "fad" largely
afternoon, and on the steps of the aimed at children, skateboarding is
Graduate Library John and his friends quite expensive. To purchase an ef-
are "freestyling", using their lightest ficient, quality board, price estimates
boards with the softest wheels. Unable range from $80 to over $120. And the
to display their talents on a larger sur- true skateboarder rarely is content
face, the sidewalk surfers must content with one board. "I would say most kids
themselves with doing "nose will end up with two to five boards,"
wheelies", "moonwalks" and "tick- said Alice Plotner, from Campus Bike
tacks", "walking the dog", and similar and Toy. "They won't stop with one."
confined-area stunts. For the consummate concrete
But despite the accomplished conqueror, boards are not assembled
maneuverings of his friends, it is when purchased but are put together by
clearly John who grabs the attention. the owner after the components have
AND WHEN HE crouches down on been painstakingly selected.
his board and jumps six feet down from There are many brands and styles of
the Graduate Library's steps - over a skateboard parts to choose from. Cam-
concrete garbage bin - to land with a pus Bike and Toy, for instance, curren-
bang on the Diag, or when he leaps tly carries 18 types of "decks", the
from his board and flies in the air at board itself. They sell over 11 types of
least ten feet over the center of the Diag "trucks," the brace which mounts the
to land on another board, the effects are wheels to the deck, and over 26 different
simply breathtaking. styles of wheels.
Plain and simple, even though sum- IT IS THE cost of wheels that hits the
mer is winding down, Ann Arbor is still rider hardest, running from $6.50 to
slightly skateboard-crazy. $8.00 apiece. Called such things as
Numerous toy, hobby and bicycle "blue UFO's", 'wonkers", "yo-yo's",
shops in the area report large sales of See THEY'VE, Page 10
The AnnArbor Film Cooperative
presents at Aud A-Thursday, August 10
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL
(Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, 1975) 7 & 10:20-Aud A
Monty Python's first film was so deliciously silly, even Anita Bryant liked it.
Now the lads of the Circus mess about with King Arthur and the Knights of
the Round Table. Side-splitting visual spoof of chivalry, courtly love, Ingmar
Bergman, and the Hollywood epic.
JABBERWOCKY
(Terry Gilliam, 1977) 8:410-Aud A
Starring Python Michael Palin andLewis Carroll's well-known monster, this
satire (directed by Python Terry Gilliam) lampoons everything from medieval
chivalry to very up-to-dote young men with very up-to-date marketing tech-
niques. Incisive brilliant, aesthetique due grime, brillig, slithey, mimsey, and
frumious.
Tomorrow: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTUIS SHOW