Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-05-14

sport, teNltd-
ton and. IN a
MR.. PICKEBNG modest way
even an art.
II the street cars didn't keep
up such incessant clatter on
Woodward avenue. YOU could
hear the maple wheels on the
roller skates this week.
The national championships
are In progress at Arena Gar
dens. Somewhere around 400
contestants, from Seattle. Pater-
son, ~. j., Denver. Washington.
New York and a lot OF whistle
stops In between. are scrapping
- out for national titles.
IF YOU belong TO the genera
ton that's only a decade older
than the jltterbugs, you remem-
Der Freddy Bergln. Bergln
orchestra was one of Jean Cold
kettles best. II played the
swanky rooms OF Detroit and
toured the resi- of The country
up 10 and including national
radio chains.
Right now Freddy wouldn't
give you nickel 10 let HIM back
IN the band business. He's too
keen on the roller skating bust
ness which. he believes. is IN
the infant stages of becoming a
national rage like the Charles
ton, ice cream and movies.
found him on the judges
stand at Arena Gardens. Hark-
ing back TO the days when he
was n famous name anywhere
young people dance, said:
Would you mind telling me
how $ou jumped from playing
the piano To this business ."
IT'S compli cat 81 d." said
Freddy, "but here II Is. figured
that II I was going any higher
in the band business, that I'd he
there. j was as high as ] was
going and ID was time to get Into
something else.
well, Charlie HOyarth was
In Cleveland. Remember him
he was the original leader for
Goldkette when the Dorsey boys,
Russ Morgan and the rest OF
them were In Detroit.
He'd switched over 10 Operat-
ing the Trianon Ballroom I'm
Cleveland. I went in with him.
The Trianon wasn't doing 30
well. Somebody-it WAS q skate
manufacture. a. matter Of
fact asked him why he didn't
turn n into a roller rink"
rived never heard Of II. hut
yng came fellow who was
willing 10 rent the place az a
rink. IF he can make money
with II. can Charlie aid.
And he told me to run IL, That
was 1886"
Bergin still had music in him
dance music. He began foS-
terlng the idea Of dancing on
skates. Skating 10 music.
Never mind speed skating
Never mind roller derhies.
The idea clicked The idea
Of skating 10 music is old But
this time, the idea seemed 10
appeal 10 people You can't pick
any exact date but II was along
in the middle thirtieS that roller
skating, after several false
starts and flopS in earlier years,
really took hold.
Today there are 1000 Kinks in
the country. Places like Ogden,
Utah, didn't catch the bug until
two years ago, but this year
they have their fancy skating
entrants in the championships.
Bergin IL chairman OF compe-
tition. He's moved from Cleve-
land to Boston, hut he IL one
~ the moving forces In the In
dustry.
Figure Skatlng now OutdraWS
speed skating 10 10 l. There's
a referee. Or. II. A. Whytock
~ Salt Lake City who is Sc
years old and active in the con-
tests this year. At the other
end Of the age scale is Nancy
Lee Parker Of Detroit, who at
the age of 8. is a skillful little
elf on skates.
Bergin's wife - the former
Mary Tudor Of Charlotte and
Try Of the old Red Apple Club
- as keen about skating as
Freddy, and adds:
There are contestants from
% states this year, and this Is
only the sixth annual national
contest. It's going to be bigger
walt and see"
Eyes" agrees Freddy. ITS
not society stuff. It's just good
American Kids lot Of Joe
Americans x.hn iika a. puf xtifb