Changes

'''Skateboarding''' is by some considered a [[sport]], by others an art.  

'''Skateboarding''' is by some considered a [[sport]], by others an art.  

Invented in the early 1970's skateboarding became a way to practice [[surfing]] in the off-season. From there, it only progressed to become what it is today.  

Invented in the early 1970s skateboarding became a way to practice [[surfing]] in the off-season. From there, it only progressed to become what it is today.  

In 1998, the [[New York Times]] reported that skateboarding was "the fastest-growing sport in America."<ref>"New England Tries to Adapt to Sound of Skateboards," ''The New York Times,'' October 18, 1998, p. 33</ref>

In 1998, the [[New York Times]] reported that skateboarding was "the fastest-growing sport in America."<ref>"New England Tries to Adapt to Sound of Skateboards," ''The New York Times,'' October 18, 1998, p. 33</ref>

The early skateboard was referred to as a "banana board" for it's shape and bright, yellow plastic deck.  Stacy Peralta was a pioneer of skateboarding in the Cailfornia Bay area in the 70's.  He later teamed up with George Powell to create Powell-Peralta, the legendary skateboarding monolith that cultivated early skating powerhouses such as Mike McGill, inventor of the McTwist (a 540 degree aerial maneuver performed on a vert ramp) and Tony Hawk, who ultimately propelled skateboarding to the commercial success it eventually became.

The early skateboard was referred to as a "banana board" for it's shape and bright, yellow plastic deck.  Stacy Peralta was a pioneer of skateboarding in the Cailfornia Bay area in the 70's.  He later teamed up with George Powell to create Powell-Peralta, the legendary skateboarding monolith that cultivated early skating powerhouses such as Mike McGill, inventor of the McTwist (a 540 degree aerial maneuver performed on a vert ramp) and Tony Hawk, who ultimately propelled skateboarding to the commercial success it eventually became.

Through touring and local "demos," professional skateboarders cultivated a massive following and utlized varying media, including magazines such as Thrasher and Transworld, in addition to SK8 TV (which aired for a brief time in the early 1990s on the cable channel Nickelodeon) and the 1987 cult classic film "Gleaming the Cube," starring christian Slater as a rebellious teen, who uses skateboarding as the vehicle to change himself, while locating his brother's murderer.

Through touring and local "demos," professional skateboarders cultivated a massive following and utilized varying media, including magazines such as Thrasher and Transworld, in addition to SK8 TV (which aired for a brief time in the early 1990s on the cable channel Nickelodeon) and the 1987 cult classic film "Gleaming the Cube," starring Christian Slater as a rebellious teen, who uses skateboarding as the vehicle to change himself, while locating his brother's murderer.

Mike McGill is Mr. Slater's stunt double and Tony Hawk, among several other skaters, makes a cameo appearance as a [[Pizza Hut]] truck driver.

Mike McGill is Mr. Slater's stunt double and Tony Hawk, among several other skaters, makes a cameo appearance as a [[Pizza Hut]] truck driver.

With more amateur skateboarders, there sprang up amateur skateboarding companies, such as Arise, a Christian Skateboarding Company, that enjoyed relatively far-reaching underground success.  But without the distribution capability, Arise faded away.  The youth still clamored for less of a "corporate" approach to skateboarding paving the way a new generation of companies to challenge the status quo.

With more amateur skateboarders, there sprang up amateur skateboarding companies, such as Arise, a Christian Skateboarding Company, that enjoyed relatively far-reaching underground success.  But without the distribution capability, Arise faded away.  The youth still clamored for less of a "corporate" approach to skateboarding paving the way a new generation of companies to challenge the status quo.

From the larger companies sprang subsidiaries and off-shoots such as Blind (a subtle jab at Vision) headed by Mark Gonzalez and Jason Lee as well as Plan B.  In 1992, these two companies arguably changed the face of skateboarding forever with the release of two skate videos entitled "Video Days" and "The Questionable Video".  These videos featured professional skateboarders defying the very laws of physics and popularized the use of music other than punk, hard-core and heavy metal.  Skateboarding then became what the iconoclastic founders feared the most "trendy".

From the larger companies sprang subsidiaries and offshoots such as Blind (a subtle jab at Vision) headed by Mark Gonzalez and Jason Lee as well as Plan B.  In 1992, these two companies arguably changed the face of skateboarding forever with the release of two skate videos entitled "Video Days" and "The Questionable Video".  These videos featured professional skateboarders defying the very laws of physics and popularized the use of music other than punk, hard-core and heavy metal.  Skateboarding then became what the iconoclastic founders feared the most "trendy".

As skateboarding remains no exception to the rules of free market economics, the 1990s saw hundreds of companies enter the trend and subsequently die out.

As skateboarding remains no exception to the rules of free market economics, the 1990s saw hundreds of companies enter the trend and subsequently die out.

===Graffiti===

===Graffiti===

Some skateboarders are known to spray [[graffiti]] in places where they like to frequently skate. Skateparks are sometimes covered on all surfaces by graffiti sometimes depicting satanist or [[antisocial]] imagery or offensive slogans and captions.  This began in the early 1980s and stayed within a tiny minority of the skateboarding population, who listened to heavy metal bands including Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden.  The perception of a link between satanism and cults with skateboarding became so prevalent, it was later mocked by the skateboarding populous in the late 1980s and early 1990s with skateboard graphics featuring Winnie the Pooh with sunglasses, devilish horns and a trident on skateboard company World Industries' owner Steve Rocco's deck and t-shirt.  Other common themes and images included "ending racism" as scrawled on the bottom of professional skateboarder Tommy Guerrero in the 1989 Powell Peralta video "Ban This."  Many abandoned concrete pools were generally painted with spray paint by both frequent skaters and graffiti "artists" who had nothing to do with the sport.  Concrete is generally considered by graffiti artists, taggers and vandals as the best surface on which to spray paint as wood or plastic causes heavy dripping for the thin aerosol-based coloring.

Some skateboarders are known to spray [[graffiti]] in places where they like to frequently skate. Skateparks are sometimes covered on all surfaces by graffiti sometimes depicting satanist or [[antisocial]] imagery or offensive slogans and captions.  This began in the early 1980s and stayed within a tiny minority of the skateboarding population, who listened to heavy metal bands including Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden.  The perception of a link between satanism and cults with skateboarding became so prevalent, it was later mocked by the skateboarding populous in the late 1980s and early 1990s with skateboard graphics featuring Winnie the Pooh with sunglasses, devilish horns and a trident on skateboard company World Industries' owner Steve Rocco's deck and T-shirt.  Other common themes and images included "ending racism" as scrawled on the bottom of professional skateboarder Tommy Guerrero in the 1989 Powell Peralta video "Ban This."  Many abandoned concrete pools were generally painted with spray paint by both frequent skaters and graffiti "artists" who had nothing to do with the sport.  Concrete is generally considered by graffiti artists, taggers and vandals as the best surface on which to spray paint as wood or plastic causes heavy dripping for the thin aerosol-based coloring.

All three of these methods of property destruction can be classified as [[vandalism]], a [[crime]].

All three of these methods of property destruction can be classified as [[vandalism]], a [[crime]].