Women in the Roller Derby: Groundbreaking Athletes or Entertaining Celebrities?

By Colleen English In the 1960s and 1970s, Jerry Seltzer led his father’s invention, roller derby, to renewed success. Formerly a Depression Era endurance sport (I have discussed the early origins of roller derby here), roller derby became an entertainment spectacle that featured drama, feuds, and athletic talent. Journalist Jack Fincher credited Seltzer with making…

The Roller Derby Origin Story

By Colleen English, Guest Contributor Colleen English is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Marshall University. She received a B.S. in Kinesiology from Penn State University (2009) and is working on completing her Ph.D. in Kinesiology (History and Philosophy of Sport) under Dr. Scott Kretchmar at Penn State. Her research interests center mainly…

Sport in American History

Tag Archives: roller derby

Women in the Roller Derby: Groundbreaking Athletes or Entertaining Celebrities?

The Roller Derby Origin Story