19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

The championships were a full decade ahead of their time and they also were coed, with representatives of such women's colleges and junior colleges as Endicott, Bennett, Briarcliff and Connecticut College competing against men's teams from Trinity, Harvard, Yale, Penn and others.

The team trophy was won by Trinity, whose squad was captained by All-America Peter (Stroke) Strohmeier and included Tony (Crash) Bryant, Jeff Tilden and Steve Griggs.

Probably the most interesting event of the tournament was the beer-can slalom, in which each contestant had to pick up the first and last "pylons" and drain their contents while negotiating the course. Although several competitors had perfect runs the first time down the course, a winner was never determined because no one was able to complete the second and tie-breaking run.

So, as you can see, when the skateboard craze first reached the East Coast in the '60s, there were some hardy collegiate souls who risked life and limb competing on the "old" aluminum boards with fired-clay wheels. I should know; I was the sole member of the Harvard team that fair weekend.
WARREN W. BOWES
Harvard '67
Chesapeake, Va.

Sir:
I enjoyed William Zinsser's article on skateboarding (Super Rad Means O.K., Dad, April 24). However, I disagree with the advice given in his last sentence. When your son says, as mine did, "Come on. Mom, go for it!"—don't!

Completely forgetting that I am in my 40s and the mother of five, I jumped aboard. Three seconds and three feet later our skateboard investment had escalated to $5,024—$24 for the skateboard and $5,000 to repair my broken hip.

I recommend skateboarding for housewives who hate housework. There is almost no way one can push a vacuum or a shopping cart while using a walker. Still, as I watch my sons skating down our driveway, I have to suppress a strong urge to "go for it" once again.
ANNE MARIE FREDRICKSON
Shaker Heights, Ohio