We are featuring Jeff Tatum as one of the pioneers in skateboarding.
Jeff’s first board was put together in his garage in the mid 60’s.
JT was one of the first long boarders making his board from a water ski. It did not take long before he modified the shape and developed a board that is not far off from what they sell in the stores today. As early as 1973 JT was designing different shapes and sizes in skateboards.
What he was really known for in the SoCal scene was his rippin.
Jeff invented so many tricks we don’t have room to list them.
If you ever get a chance to visit with JT, you will be blown away by the life this skater has lived.
The who’s who of skating know Jeff Tatum.
Here is a chance for you to get to know him.
1-Where do you place yourself in the history of skateboarding?
The ground floor. 10 years before Dog Town. I skated my first board in 1964. The guys I skated with were the “Down South Boys”
We skated everything; pools, reservoirs, long rows of driveways, and bombing hills.
Pipes: we skated some of the most rad pipes the world had ever seen.
2-What is one of your best memories of skating?
The pipes! In 1977 The Ameron Pipe Company was contracted by a power plant to have a half a mile of pipe going from the ocean inward and half a mile going out. The pipes were around 250 yards long 22´x25´ set end to end with 3 to 8 foot gaps in between. Picture that in your mind. It took them over two years to complete the project. This gave us a good amount of time to skate this once in a lifetime spot.
There was only one catch, It was on a military base. The Marines patrolling the area carried M-16’s. The skaters now worry about the cops taking their board or writing them a ticket, this was a little more intense than that.
My father was a Marine and I had a military ID that got me on base. That did not stop them from tossing me out when they caught me skating. Sometime at gunpoint. IT WAS WORTH IT! Once in a lifetime, man.
The pipes are all underground full of water now.
3- Why do you still skate?
I ask my self that sometimes. It is in my DNA. When I skate I feel alive.
Yes, it takes me longer to heal up but if I don’t skate for a week or so it affects me. As long as I can skate I will skate.
I have been doing this a long time, one of the reasons I can still skate is I wear pads. I know some skater think that is very funny. We will see who has the last laugh on that one
.
4-What has skating given you?
Life. I would have gotten into a lot more trouble if not for skating. We would spend hours skating. This left little time for the bad stuff. Well, not as much bad stuff anyway. I would hate to think of where I would be today if not for my board.
5-What would you like to give back to skating?
Everything I can. If I can positively affect one skater’s
life that is enough. I am mentoring some up and comers now. It is
very cool to see them grow as skaters and as people. If you check
out Concrete Wave you will see some articles that I have written.
I judge contests and still make appearances. I am the team captain
for the Pool King Skateboard Company. We have some awesome skaters
from all over. I talk with the team weekly. I give them pointers
and try to help them keep their heads screwed on straight for contests.
I have had a gas doing that. Michael Early, the owner of Pool King
(PK), has been great helping out the riders and giving me the support
we need to have a first class team.
6-What would you like to see the PK team do with the opportunity they have?
Have fun and enjoy skating. This is skating. It is not like they are Fire Fighters or Doctors, it’s just skating. I want them to help other skaters. I would like for them to showcase Pool King as the great company it is. It is not the biggest but it takes care of its team and backs their products.
They always use the good stuff and they never have to apologize for selling junk.
“A good skater is not a hero or a celebrity. They’re just lucky.”
JT.
