Ivy King was famous in the original Roller Derby
in the 1930's. She was an elegant lady who passed
away at the age of 90 in 2006. She wore a brand of
skates known as Richardson Skates. The patent for
these skates were obtained in 1898 for ball bearings
in the wheels that changed the face of roller
skating.
The picture on the right is an original autographed photo of Ivy Hill wearing Richardson Skates and it says "Richardson Skates! The skates that made my name. Ivy King"
Ivy King retired in the early 40s and was elected to the Roller Derby Hall of Fame in 1953. She was the devoted wife of banker Joe Imlah for many years. Mr. Imlah passed away in 1988. When the National Roller Derby Hall of Fame celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Transcontinental Roller Derby's first race in Chicago last summer, Ivy King was presented with a 'Living Legend' award to honor her lifetime achievements in Roller Derby.
Skaters used to skate on wooden wheels held on by cotter pins. Another famous skate was called the Henley Skate. It even had an oil can with it's picture on the can to match. A photo of the skate and article on it can be seen HERE.
Local museum cabinets at Chicago area rinks feature some of the memorabilia. There's a cabinet at the Palatine rink and one at the rink in Rockford that features many old skates. More photos to be added soon.
