H74.601.1

Sports equipment. Description: surfboard made our (sic) of balso wood in the 1950's. It was crafted by Doolittle, one of the first volume designers and manufacturers in the surfboard business. (see file for further information). History: owned, ridden, repaired and modified by Susan Anater Turner Groff during the 1950's and early 1960's (see file for further information). Dimensions: 9-10" long; 40 lbs. From the History Information Station: Object: Two surfboards. The shorter board, circa 1950s, is made of balsa wood and was manufactured by Doolittle, one of the first volume designers and manufacturers of surfboards. It is made of balsa wood covered with fiberglass sheets. The larger board was manufactured by Catalina. It is a professional rescue board issued to lifeguards. History: The smaller board was used by Susan Groff, an athletic, young California woman to surf every surfing area along the entire coast of California during the 1950s. She has fond memories of its marred surface. "Each `ding' (cut, knick, dent or gouge) is the product of the performance of the owner and represents innumerable rock formations along our California coast. They are also indicative of the stamina and perseverence (not to mention a slight touch of fanaticism) of the individuals who love and enjoy our ocean." Gift of Susan A. Groff; Museum Purchase Surfin' U.S.A. Surfing, the sport of riding a board on the forward part of an ocean wave, originated in the Pacific Islands. Captain Cook described the skill of the Hawaiians in 1778. From Hawaii the sport was exported to California when George Freeth, an Anglo-Hawaiian, brought his surfboard to Redondo Beach in 1907 and road it in promotional exhibitions sponsored by a real estate developer. The sport did not really catch on until the 1950s, when the heavy wooden boards were replaced by lightweight, more easily maneuverable boards made of synthetic materials. This helped to popularize the sport in the 1950s, and Southern California came to be one of the best and most frequented regions for surfing. The surfers' way of life was celebrated in the 1960s by the music of groups like the Beach Boys and a number of films, beginning with Beach Party in 1963.

Used: Susan Anater Turner Groff | Surfer | Surfing