Boy does this request bring back memories.

Attention quipsters and word nerds: My dear friend and fellow softball player from college is now trying out for an LA roller derby team and needs a name.

Roller Derby. I knew it was kinda-sorta still around, but since I haven’t seen it on the TeeVee in a while, I pretty much forgot about it.

We used to go to the Roller Derby regularly in Saginaw, Michigan. We lived in Bay City, Michigan and could make the trip up River Road to the arena in 30 minutes.  I don’t recall if they had a home-team or two teams just got together for a special event. Probably the latter.

John and Joyce went with us once and showed up at our front door with home-made jerseys over their regular clothes and did a cheer. I  have it on 8mm film! I have shots of the Roller Derby on 8 mm film too.

Of course, the women put on the best show. I’m positive the outfits women roller derbettes wear now are very sexy. Back then, they wore pretty much the same uniforms as the men.

One of the Roller Derbettes looked exactly like Nancy… the film is amazing.

Now Roller Derby is all female.

To help prime the pump, the person who is asking for help provided these names of current Roller Derby women:

• Amber Waves of Pain — Windy City Rollers
• Babe Ruthless — Arizona Roller Derby
• Bash-kin Robbins — Ohio Roller Girls
• Busty Rhymes — Palmetto State Rollergirls
• MaHellYeah Jackson — Rockford Rage
• Block-n-Deck-Her — North Star Roller Girls
• Leave it to Cleavage — Sonoma County Roller Derby
• Titty Titty Bang Bang — LA Derby Dolls

and of course, since I’m from Kentucky and Ashley Judd is from Kentucky…

• Ashley Thudd — MTL Roller Derby

For the record: Nancy says it was not fake.

Back then, the track was banked. (It’s flat now.) Teams would skate around the track and when the whistle blew, one would break out and circle around and try to pass opposing team members. A point was scored for each opposing team member passed. The “jammer” as the scorer was called could call off the “jam” with a hands on hips motion. Of course the blockers were brutes and tried to put the jammer over the rail and onto the concrete floor as often as possible.

Great fun!

My suggestion for the wannabe? Victorious Secret.