DECADE · 1930–1939
The 1930s
VerifiedPre-1935: walkathons and endurance spectacles. 1935-1939: Leo Seltzer founds Roller Derby at Chicago Coliseum on August 13, 1935 with 25 mixed pairs in a transcontinental contest. The sport tours the country. 1937 brings tragedy: a team bus crashes in Salem, IL on March 24.
Years with documented records
Events
Founding of Roller Derby
1935-08-13
Leo Seltzer's transcontinental endurance contest at the Chicago Coliseum. Twenty-five mixed male-female pairs compete. Clarice Martin and Bernie McKay finish as the founding winners.
Salem, Illinois Bus Disaster
1937-03-24
A Roller Derby team bus crashes near Salem, Illinois on March 24, 1937. The disaster causes fatalities and reshapes Roller Derby's road logistics for years afterward.