When the Garden opened in Cincinnati in 1949 Roller Derby was on the rise to national prominence driven by the new medium of broadcast television. TV viewers were mesmerized by the fast paced, around-the-banked track action and the thrills and spills of the competition motivated them to attend the Derby in-person. Over five days in September of 1949 fifty-five thousand came to New York's Madison Square Garden to watch the first Roller Derby World Series. The competition that Leo Seltzer conceived in depression era Chicago had become a media crazed national sensation.
Roller Derby debuted at the Cincinnati Garden in April of 1951. It was the Brooklyn Red Devils captained by Midge "Toughie" Brashun skating against the Chicago Westerners with Annis Jensen at the helm. The Garden series was scheduled for 14 nights, but it's not clear that they skated the full run. Over the years Roller Derby saw it's ups and downs, periodically playing at the Gardens. In the late 1960's the Derby saw a revival when independent television stations needing to fill their programming schedule discovered the spectacle. It was the era of the San Francisco Bay Bombers, the LA Thunderbirds, the New York Chiefs and the Chicago Pioneers. Cincinnati and the Gardens gained a home team in 1971 when the International Roller Derby League expanded.
The Cincinnati Jolters were one of six teams in the league and had a complement of derby regulars including Cliff Butler, Francine Cochu, Ann Calvello, Jerry Cattell, Margie Laszlo and Larry Smith. The Cincinnati team did not fare well financially so after a year they continued as a road unit changing names as the geography dictated. At times they were known as the Ohio Jolters, Columbus Jolters, Pittsburgh Jolters and Southern Jolters. Unfortunately, a bad economy doomed the league and the derby was dissolved in December of 1973.
The beginning of the 21st century saw the roller derby make another comeback with a flat track version of the game played by all female teams. A grass roots, love of the sport movement saw hundreds of teams form world-wide and affiliate with the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). The Cincinnati Roller Girls, the areas first all-female flat track team assembled in 2005 and made the Cincinnati Gardens their home beginning in 2006.
The Cincinnati Roller Girls, a cooperative with the team owned and operated by the skaters spent a decade at the Gardens. Self characterized as a wonderfully diverse gaggle of humanity. The so called punk girls were professionals rink rats. Athletes with descriptive names like SK8 Crime, Mirderher, Cherry Choke, Wheezy, Sailor Scary, Royal T and Miss Print played their sport aggressively to a modest, but loyal Gardens audience. They weren't the biggest draw at the Gardens, but they had a loyal following and were appreciative for the opportunity to call the Gardens home.
The Cincinnati Roller Girls made their final appearance at the Gardens on June, 11, 2016. It was the double header that included the fifth annual Crosstown Knockdown between the CRG Violent Lambs and the Blackouts of the Black-n-Bluegrass Rollergirls. It was also the last event, the curtain call for the 67 year old Cincinnati Gardens.
Video by Star Pass News
The Cincinnati Roller Girls, a cooperative with the team owned and operated by the skaters spent a decade at the Gardens. Self characterized as a wonderfully diverse gaggle of humanity. The so called punk girls were professionals rink rats. Athletes with descriptive names like SK8 Crime, Mirderher, Cherry Choke, Wheezy, Sailor Scary, Royal T and Miss Print played their sport aggressively to a modest, but loyal Gardens audience. They weren't the biggest draw at the Gardens, but they had a loyal following and were appreciative for the opportunity to call the Gardens home.The Cincinnati Roller Girls made their final appearance at the Gardens on June, 11, 2016. It was the double header that included the fifth annual Crosstown Knockdown between the CRG Violent Lambs and the Blackouts of the Black-n-Bluegrass Rollergirls. It was also the last event, the curtain call for the 67 year old Cincinnati Gardens.
Video by Star Pass News
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It has been an absolute honor to play in this amazing building
and I am so grateful to have gotten just one more season here. I love this
place and the people in it. Wheezy, June 15, 2016 Facebook ·