If you’re a regular at Funcity Sk8 and Play, you probably know how to skate backwards and forwards, what roller-skating birthday party is on your wish list this year, and whether you prefer outdoor laser tag or indoor laser tag. But there are some things that even the most dedicated skaters don’t know about their favorite sport. Wow your friends and families with these 4 fun facts about roller-skating.
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Roller skates circa 1898. The first recorded use of roller-skates was in 1760, when John Joseph Merlin unveiled his wheeled invention at a fancy party and promptly crashed into a large mirror. He suffered injuries, but the world had caught the skating bug. Skate design continued to improve until 1863, when James Leonard Plimpton invented quad skates as we know them today. Plimpton’s major contribution to the history of skating was the invention of trucks, which allowed skaters to move their wheels by leaning in the direction they wanted to move. Before then, the only direction skates could move was forward!
- Skates have been been a hit in unlikely places, from music videos to movies. Perhaps the most interesting place you might find roller-skates is a wedding: thousands of couples have said “I do” while wearing roller-skates. The first recorded wedding on skates occurred in 1912 in Milwaukee, as recorded in the National Museum of Roller Skating.
- Speaking of, did you know that there’s a National Museum of Roller Skating in Lincoln, Nebraska? According to their statement, they are “committed to enriching people’s lives by increasing their understanding and enjoyment of roller skating’s past.”
- We’re not joking when we say everyone loves to skate. Amish teens shocked their elders by adopting skating as transportation during the height of the 90’s inline skate craze. Other notable skate lovers include Charlie Chaplin, Cher, and Beyonce.
Want to learn more about the world of roller-skating? Stop by Funcity Sk8 and Play for skating, games, and laser tag.