Prior To The NRDL

Prior to the beginning of a league known as the National Roller Derby League in 1948, there would be Roller Derby and an event known as Roller Speedway.  I'll share Roller Speedway in a future post.

 

Records have it that early Roller Derby games were skated in various places around the country.

 

There would be series of games in a city.  Louisville, KY (State Fairgrounds), Cleveland, OH (Cleveland Arena), Indianapolis, IN (Butler Fieldhouse), Oklahoma City, OH (Coliseum) and other locations would have Roller Derby in their area.

 

The earliest teams that I could find was back in 1940.  In a series of games in Baltimore, MD. Coliseum, the Baltimore-Washington Pawnees took on the Chicago Aztecs in what appeared to be a week long series.  The Pawnees were the first team in the area.

 

In the summer of 1946, six years later, New York would take on Brooklyn at the Polo Grounds in Bronx, NY.  The Polo Grounds was the home for Major League Baseball, Pro Football, boxing events and more.

 

The long series between teams from Brooklyn and New York was scheduled for 10 games.  Because of bad weather, only two of the 10 games were played with each team splitting one game.