Larry Smith

Larry Smith, in this blogger's mind, is one of the unsung heroes in the sport of Roller Derby.

 

Smith's 12 year Roller Derby career began with the Midwest Pioneers in 1965.  If this blogger remembers correctly, he skated in the first game that I saw live in August 1965 in Castro Valley.  Smith had a great rookie season and great enough that he was Rookie Of The Year that season!

 

The following season, he skated for the Bombers. He would also be a trainer for the International Roller Derby League while in Canada.  Roller Derby was expanding there.  

 

In 1967, he split the time skating with the Bombers.  In September of 1967, he skated with the Canadian Nationals.  They were newly formed when the existing New York Chiefs were replaced early in the month.  Smith would play a significant role on the National team.  His eventual wife, Francine Cochu, would become the women's Rookie Of The Year.

 

The next three years, Smith would be a workhorse with the Bay Bombers.  When watching games on television, he would have the pivot helmet, blocker's helmet and would jam from time to time.  It seemed like he never took a play off.  He was that valuable to this blogger, and probably to the Bombers.

 

In the 1970 off season, the Bay Bombers were split into two teams,  the San Francisco and Oakland Bay Bombers.  Smith was placed on the Oakland Bay Bomber team.

 

After another year in the Western Season with the San Francisco Bay Bombers, Smith would move on to skating with the Ohio (Cincinnati) Jolters.  He would eventually become their coach from late 1972 through the 1973 Western Season.

 

In the fall of 1973, Smith would return to where he started........the Midwest (Chicago) Pioneers.  He would remain with them until the Pioneers were, along with the Chiefs, the final two teams when Roller Derby closed shop in December 1973.

 

Smith would skate a little more in 1974-1976 before hanging the skates up.

 

Larry Smith has a book out called The Last "True" Roller Derby.  It is about the life he spent during the days with the International Roller Derby League mostly.  In checking Amazon and Ebay, the book is still available for purchase.  It is a book that this blogger highly recommends if you are a Roller Derby/Games fan.