These Vintage Photos Prove That Roller Derby Has Always Been Cool

Transcontinental Roller Derby

The first Transcontinental Roller Derby was held at the Chicago Coliseum. It was a simulation of a cross-country roller skating race in which 25 teams, each compromised of one man and one woman, circled a wooden, oval, banked track thousands of times.

Chicago Coliseum

The teams skated approximately 11.5 hours a day until they hit 3,000 miles, the distance between New York City and Los Angeles. Team standings were tracked with multicolored lights and their hypothetical progress across the U.S. on a large map.

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Post originally appeared on Upbeat News.