Roller skating has been a beloved pastime enjoyed by generations of kids and adults alike. It’s hard to believe that the first use of roller skates was in a London stage performance way back in 1743!
John Joseph Merlin, a London resident in 1760, deserves the credit for inventing the first skates. Roller skates have certainly come a long way since then!
In the United States, roller skating gained popularity as a pastime in 1935. But it wasn’t until the introduction of skating rinks playing disco music in the 1970s that roller skating became a huge trend. It seemed like everyone wanted to hit the rinks and groove to the music!
Speaking of roller skating, let’s take a trip down memory lane. Do you remember those heavy metal skates that you could attach to your shoes? They were quite the fashion statement back in the day. But there’s something else that you might remember if you were a skater before the 1970s – the iconic skate key.
This copper-colored object was an essential accessory for anyone with roller skates. At first glance, it may look like a bottle opener or some kind of tool, but it is actually a skate key. With the skate key, you could adjust the size of your skates by fitting it into the back of the pair. And to make sure they didn’t get lost while skating, most people wore the key around their necks. It was a small but significant part of the roller skating experience.
Skate keys were such an integral part of roller skating that there have even been songs written about them! They symbolize a time when roller skating was a cherished activity, filled with fun and memories.
So, do you remember skate keys? We’d love to hear your skating stories on our Facebook page. Let’s share this delightful blast from the past with others who may have fond memories of roller skating and skate keys too!
1-Month-Old Twin Brothers Found Dead Alongside Their Mother Amidst Hurricane Helene’s Devastation
Kobe Williams, 27, tragically lost her father after making a serious vow to shield her newborn twins, Khyzier and Khazmir, from Hurricane Helene’s fury. Kobe, who was hoping to protect her one-month-old sons from the storm’s destructive force, sought shelter in her home in Thomson, Georgia, but fate had other ideas.
Kobe and her twins were the youngest known victims of Hurricane Helene, which ripped through Georgia, killing 33 people and leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Their family was devastated by the storm, which had already wreaked havoc over the Southeast of the United States.
She had a conversation with Obie Williams, Kobe’s father, mere moments prior to the unfortunate event. Kobe told him that she would heed his instructions and take cover in the toilet with her babies when the storm grew stronger. However, Obie received no response when he attempted to reach her again after a short while.
Later, after navigating over broken power lines and fallen trees, Kobe’s brother arrived at her house. When he got there, he discovered an unbelievable sight of destruction—a big tree had fallen through the roof, right where Kobe and her pups had taken refuge. Not one of them made it.
Kobe, a devoted and resilient mother, had postponed her aspirations to become a nurse assistant in order to focus on raising her sons. Her family is now forced to mourn the premature deaths of a mother and two innocent people due to one of the deadliest storms in American history.
Leave a Reply