Silverfish Longboarding.com is really stoked to bring you this killer article, by an owner of Tunnel Products.  Mike Horelick and Jon Carnoy have gone through their archives of vintage skateboarding photos and delivered some up for readers on the 'Fish.  Some of those shots, like this one below by Bobby Smith, have never been published before:  you're seeing their world premiere.   Prepare yourself for some great shots, taken with film cameras "way back in the 1900's"...

Photos from the Tunnel Archives.

words by Mike Horelick

Tunnel Products, also known as Tunnel Skateboards or simply Tunnel, is a skateboard company founded in 1975 by California surfer, Mitch Haake.  We’re probably most famous for our wheels, but many people famous in skateboarding were connected to the Tunnel name.  Steve “Salba” Alba, “Waldo” Autry, Tom “Wally” Inouye, Gregg Ayres, Rick Blackhart, Chris Chaput of Abec 11, Doug Schneider, Ray Flores, and even Steve Rocco of World Industries skated for the team, while Ed Economy, Kevin Thatcher (of Thrasher Magazine), Michael McCreary, and others were a part of the business side and also skated for Tunnel.

When Jon Carnoy and I reintroduced the brand a few years ago, we took on not only a company, but powerful memories for many skateboarders who had experienced Tunnel either through its’ products or riders.  Clearly, it was not possible to please all of them in every way, but we did what we could by contacting the old Tunnel people, and by using old Tunnel designs created by Mitch and the other Tunnel crew.

Perhaps the most amazing part of this experience was what happened when we hunted down some photographers of the era.  Stuck in closets and garages for years, old photos were hauled out to be shared with new audiences.  With all of the photographers, skateboard photography had been a passion.  Reintroducing these amazing photos and photographers went hand in hand with reintroduction of Tunnel itself.  These photos were alive, filled with the excitement of ‘70s skateboarding, a time when so many different types of skateboarding were developing – downhill at Signal Hill, pool riding, freestyle, and park riding.  The photos were taken throughout California and beyond, capturing the spirit of the skateboarding lifestyle.

We’ve created a database of these amazing photos, trying our best to piece together the pertinent info – photographer, subject, location, year taken, interesting anecdotes regarding the photo.  For some we have almost all of the information, others less so.

Many, though not all, of our photos have come from three incredible photographers.  Here is a little more information on them, along with a selection of their shots.  I think you’ll be stoked to check them out, and even more stoked to learn that we’ve decided to post much larger versions in a gallery, here on the ‘Fish.  You might find the large ones to make for good wallpaper (but they’re here only for non-commercial, personal use and display…please don’t rip the photogs.  –Silverfish).

Photo Archives, Volume 1 

Glenn Ritzma.  Glenn’s connection to skateboarding came through his sister, Leslie Jo Ritzma.  Leslie Jo had married Mitch’s brother Jim, and helped run the Tunnel South distribution center in Garden Grove.  Although it’s a whole story in itself and probably better told that way, Leslie Jo was the first woman to compete at the Signal Hill Speedrun in 1977 on a Tunnel built laydown (face first) board.  There were no special divisions for women, but Leslie Jo clocked 51 miles per hour and landed herself in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest woman in the world while riding Tunnel wheels.  Glenn covered several of these downhill events, including the Signal Hill Speedrun at Signal Hill in Southern California and Derby Downs in Ohio.  Glenn has many incredible photos of downhill skateboarding from the ‘70s, including skate cars, stand-up and laydown.  An avid photographer to this day, Glenn lives in Washington State. 

Michael McCreary at Derby Downs in Ohio, 1978.  Photo by Glenn Ritzma.

Michael McCreary at Signal Hill, 1977.  Photo by Glenn Ritzma.

Leslie Jo Drake at Signal Hill, 1977.  Photo by Glenn Ritzma.

The Tunnel Skatecar at Derby Downs, 1978.  Photo by Glenn Ritzma.

Robert “Bobby” Smith.  Bobby grew up in San Pedro, where he skated and surfed with Doug Schneider, his brother Bill, “Waldo” Autry, and many more great skateboarders.  One of the top vert riders of the day, Doug Schneider was recruited for the Team Tunnel, and many of Bobby’s photos feature Doug riding Arizona pipes and San Pedro pools. Bobby’s great photos are especially exciting when you consider that they have never been published before, and that the rebirth of Tunnel has brought them to a new audience.  Bobby still lives in San Pedro and rides a vintage ‘70s board with new Tunnel Rocks, of course! 

David Bentovoja at YWCA pool, San Pedro, 1976.  Photo by Bobby Smith.

Doug Schneider, Arizona Underground Pipes, 1977.  Photo by Bobby Smith.

Doug Schneider at Smith Pool, 1977.  Photo by Bobby Smith.

Gary Medeiros was the first photographer we met while reviving Tunnel.  Jon visited him in San Jose, where Gary told Jon of his life’s passion for skateboard and surf photography.  Gary had worked professionally as a photographer for SkateBoarder Magazine, where he covered many events in Northern California.  He also took surf photos at the Mavericks break.  Gary passed away a short while ago, and his family expressed Gary’s joy at the recognition for his work before he passed. 

Kevin “KT” Thatcher at Winchester, 1978.  Photo by Gary Medeiros.

Terry Brown at Ed De Rosa’s Park, Santa Cruz, 1977.  Photo by Gary Medeiros.

Tunnel’s Marshall Coben high-jumping at Aptos Contest, 1977.  Photo by Gary Medeiros.

Tunnel’s Bryan Buck, 1977.  Photo by Gary Medeiros.

Silverfish Longboarding.com is proud to bring you these photos and the stories behind them.  Very special thanks go to Mike Horelick for sitting down to compile this selection of photos and then to write down the history behind them.  Larger versions of these photos are in a Tunnel Skateboards Gallery, here on the 'Fish.  The photos are all copyrighted by their artists and are offered here for non-commercial, display purposes, only.  Enjoy them to look at, save them as your wallpaper, but, please, don't sell or republish them without express, written permission from the photographers themselves.  To reach the photographers or to check out the growing line of Tunnel Products, go to Tunnel Skateboards .  If you've got any questiuons or want to contact the photogs, use Contact Us to reach Mike.  To see these photos in full format, go to The Tunnel Archives .