I remember watching Roller Derby with Chet Coppock calling the action. Before becoming a very popular Sports figure for NBC Chicago, he was the play by play announcer for The Midwest Pioneers of Roller Derby on Channel 32. I once remember him saying, if you have any questions regarding Roller Derby, send your questions to him but if it regarded Roller Games and the L.A. Thunderbirds, he didn’t want to hear it! If you watch the games and compare Roller Derby to Roller Games, the Roller Derby skaters appeared to be better, faster with more serious matches! Roller Games was more like Pro Wrestling with showmanship and arrogant interviews by the skaters!
Great stuff. I went to the game at Mt. Prospect, one of the games they promoted on air. Front row. Best games were at the Amphitheater on the south side of Chicago. Packed houses. 10,000 in that old barn.
Fans in the Midwest & East Coast were so fortunate to catch interleague games where sadly after catching the bug, much too late to view any in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last interleague games in the mid 60's. I caught the bug in 1969.
@@fredforscher7991 Might had floated between teams. Remember Reily's role often as a red shirt too. Also Bill Griffiths owned all the teams in Games as Seltzer did Derby.
They where pulling in big crowds in the mid 70s. I saw a Chiefs game as a kid it was a sellout at Madison Square Garden against the Bombers. Surprised they never tried to bring it back in the 70s form
Agreed! The crowds were big back then. If todays roller derby was like it originally was back then, they’d probably have larger crowds & more interest in roller derby.
There are too many sports competing for attention and too many channels nowadays. The Derby should never have folded into Roller Games, which was a travesty of the sport. Theatrics over skating...a terrible decision. And Games mistreated the Derby skaters terribly. Joannie was relegated to being a side show and eventually just walked away from the sport, out of embarrassment at what she had to do and what was done to her.
Would had loved to view more interleague games especially with my favorite Bay Bombers taking on Roller Games teams to see how they would had faired. Only team I noticed the Bombers skated against during the 70's was the Philadelphia Warriors. Believe that was the only interleague game performed by them.
Yes the Northern Hawks with John Parker, Georgie Adams, & Jennifer Richards comes into mind Louden. A Boston television station I forgot which has a old news clip in it's archives. Forgot the station identification letters or channel number sorry,. Though if you dig far enough on the internet you might be able to find it! Other teams I've read the Chiefs did interleague battle with prior to the merger with the ISC was yes the Philadelphia Warriors. That must had been quite a match up Arnold vs Dunn. Trevino vs Moreland. Ogbin vs McGwire. Groll vs Atkinson Jr. Gammon vs Brown.
In '73 or '74, can't remember exactly which year the Bomber came to L.A. and did a two week series against the Tbirds. They pretty much whooped the Bird's butts.
One season, can't recall which but I'll say 1970, the Bay Bombers played series against two teams made up of Roller Games stars. The New Yorkers were pretty much the New York Bombers of that season with Raines, Porky Parker, Ken 'The Killer' Willis, Judy Swenski and the Southern Mustangs that featured Jan Vallow and Nick Scopas--before they returned to the Derby--with several Texas Outlaws and Chicago Hawks. Short series both. A week each.
Moot point though no you aren't correct. Tony Smith for example didn't skate Fall of '73. Nick Scopas was no longer a Pioneer. Went to the Jolters. Darlene Forbes also didn't skate Fall of '73. I make this late '72 perhaps Winter "73. Tony Smith never skated on the Pioneers either for that matter Summer of '73 in San Francisco Bay Area
It wouldn't be long. By the beginning of 1974 the ISC (Internaitonal Skating Conference) was formed. Joan Weston was a T-Brird as was Ronnie Robinson. Bob Hein was a Warrior. The Chiefs remained intact and were added to the Warriors, Cats , Tokyo, Latin Libs, and a Canadian team. The Renegades also were added but didn't last long.
This game was from January of 1973. Lots of interleague games that year. While the Pioneers were skating against the Renegades in the Chicago area, the NY Chiefs were skating against the Hawks, the Bay Bombers were skating the Los Angeles T-Birds and the Jolters were skating the Warriors in Philly. I hated Roller Games so I really didn't enjoy these interleague games.
NASCAR, Boxing, Roller Derby, Bowling. 70's had the best sports!
Bringing back good memories from my childhood 😅
I remember watching Roller Derby with Chet Coppock calling the action. Before becoming a very popular Sports figure for NBC Chicago, he was the play by play announcer for The Midwest Pioneers of Roller Derby on Channel 32. I once remember him saying, if you have any questions regarding Roller Derby, send your questions to him but if it regarded Roller Games and the L.A. Thunderbirds, he didn’t want to hear it! If you watch the games and compare Roller Derby to Roller Games, the Roller Derby skaters appeared to be better, faster with more serious matches! Roller Games was more like Pro Wrestling with showmanship and arrogant interviews by the skaters!
Great stuff. I went to the game at Mt. Prospect, one of the games they promoted on air.
Front row.
Best games were at the Amphitheater on the south side of Chicago. Packed houses.
10,000 in that old barn.
Remember only able to see a few games from the old Amphitheater on television where I resided in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Outside the L A T-Birds, Midwest Pioneers my other favorite Roller Derby Team, would have loved to see them as a kis
Fans in the Midwest & East Coast were so fortunate to catch interleague games where sadly after catching the bug, much too late to view any in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last interleague games in the mid 60's. I caught the bug in 1969.
Roller Derby features some amazing athletes. Cool !
Didnt riley skate with la than
@@fredforscher7991 Might had floated between teams. Remember Reily's role often as a red shirt too. Also Bill Griffiths owned all the teams in Games as Seltzer did Derby.
Loved roller derby.Was vice president of John Early's fan club.
1973 - sapphire blue.
God bless everyone.
The beginning of the end for ROLLER DERBY!!!
Sadly agree though those inter league games were interesting!
Joan Weston R.I. P
They where pulling in big crowds in the mid 70s. I saw a Chiefs game as a kid it was a sellout at Madison Square Garden against the Bombers. Surprised they never tried to bring it back in the 70s form
Agreed! The crowds were big back then. If todays roller derby was like it originally was back then, they’d probably have larger crowds & more interest in roller derby.
@@Melissa-SC73 Yep; pretty sad when it's only women skaters; they skate on a banked track, and STILL cannot stand upright.
@@donniehagy5125 Agreed with you.
There are too many sports competing for attention and too many channels nowadays. The Derby should never have folded into Roller Games, which was a travesty of the sport. Theatrics over skating...a terrible decision. And Games mistreated the Derby skaters terribly. Joannie was relegated to being a side show and eventually just walked away from the sport, out of embarrassment at what she had to do and what was done to her.
Loyal fan of the LA & Australian Thunderbirds
Much better picture that the DVD I have of this game.
we want to see the philadelphia warriors
This is obviously pro-wrestling on wheels.
Would had loved to view more interleague games especially with my favorite Bay Bombers taking on Roller Games teams to see how they would had faired. Only team I noticed the Bombers skated against during the 70's was the Philadelphia Warriors. Believe that was the only interleague game performed by them.
Do you know if the Chiefs--the third of the main three home teams--ever play inter-league games? Chiefs/Warriors perhaps? Before the ISC, I mean.
Yes the Northern Hawks with John Parker, Georgie Adams, & Jennifer Richards comes into mind Louden. A Boston television station I forgot which has a old news clip in it's archives. Forgot the station identification letters or channel number sorry,. Though if you dig far enough on the internet you might be able to find it! Other teams I've read the Chiefs did interleague battle with prior to the merger with the ISC was yes the Philadelphia Warriors. That must had been quite a match up Arnold vs Dunn. Trevino vs Moreland. Ogbin vs McGwire. Groll vs Atkinson Jr. Gammon vs Brown.
In '73 or '74, can't remember exactly which year the Bomber came to L.A. and did a two week series against the Tbirds. They pretty much whooped the Bird's butts.
The two interleague games I know of with the Chiefs besides th Hawks was the Warriors and Reilly's Renegades.
One season, can't recall which but I'll say 1970, the Bay Bombers played series against two teams made up of Roller Games stars. The New Yorkers were pretty much the New York Bombers of that season with Raines, Porky Parker, Ken 'The Killer' Willis, Judy Swenski and the Southern Mustangs that featured Jan Vallow and Nick Scopas--before they returned to the Derby--with several Texas Outlaws and Chicago Hawks. Short series both. A week each.
"spunky hunk of ebony stardom." Only Chet could come up with that.
I couldn't believe he said that.
RENEGADES!
love it
what is the name of the song that plays at the beginning
what happened to bob hein?
William Tucker He had died..
Too bad the ones against the T-Birds don't exist.
Or the Hawks
I used to goto the Santa's village too watch the pioneers
which skaters have passed away.
Sadly quite a few! :(
If my time frame is correct, Jerry Seltzer shut down the Roller Derby within two months of this broadcast...
Moot point though no you aren't correct. Tony Smith for example didn't skate Fall of '73. Nick Scopas was no longer a Pioneer. Went to the Jolters. Darlene Forbes also didn't skate Fall of '73. I make this late '72 perhaps Winter "73. Tony Smith never skated on the Pioneers either for that matter Summer of '73 in San Francisco Bay Area
Also Johnny Wrice wasn't even a Pioneer in this lineup if it was Fall ';73 within that time period you mentioned. Just crossed my mind!
It wouldn't be long. By the beginning of 1974 the ISC (Internaitonal Skating Conference) was formed. Joan Weston was a T-Brird as was Ronnie Robinson. Bob Hein was a Warrior. The Chiefs remained intact and were added to the Warriors, Cats , Tokyo, Latin Libs, and a Canadian team. The Renegades also were added but didn't last long.
This game was from January of 1973. Lots of interleague games that year. While the Pioneers were skating against the Renegades in the Chicago area, the NY Chiefs were skating against the Hawks, the Bay Bombers were skating the Los Angeles T-Birds and the Jolters were skating the Warriors in Philly. I hated Roller Games so I really didn't enjoy these interleague games.