Ronnie Robinson (roller derby)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | September 25, 1939 |
| Died | April 2001 (aged 61–62) |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Roller derby |
| Team |
New York Chiefs Chicago Westerners Brooklyn Red Devils Northeast Braves San Diego Clippers Mexico City Cardenales New England Braves Chicago Pioneers Los Angeles Thunderbirds |
| Turned pro | 1958 |
| Retired | 1974 |
| Now coaching | 1969–1972, 1975, 1991–1992 |
Ronnie Smith Robinson (25 September 1939[1] – April 2001[2]) was an American roller derby skater and coach.
The son of boxer Sugar Ray Robinson, Robinson grew up distant from his father, who divorced his mother shortly after his birth.[1] Sugar Ray advised Ronnie not to follow him into the world of boxing.[3] After watching roller derby on television, he decided to join the sport,[1] and enrolled in its training school in March 1958, initially under the pseudonym "Ronald Smith". He turned professional after five months,[4] being placed on the New York Chiefs team.[5] In the early years of his career, he also skated with the Chicago Westerners, Brooklyn Red Devils, Braves, San Diego Clippers and Mexico City Cardenales.[6]
Robinson was the third African American to play roller derby professionally, after George Copeland and Darlene Anderson. He was a member of the All-Star team for more than ten consecutive years, and was twice named the Most Valuable Player.[4] On one occasion, Robinson fractured his arm in several places, and was unsure whether he would ever be able to use it again.[3] He also lost his front teeth in a fight with Bob Woodbury, and suffered several concussions.[4]
From 1969 to 1972, Robinson also acted as a coach[4] for the New England Braves.[6] He then acted as a player representative and men's captain for the Chicago/Midwest Pioneers in 1972 and 1973.[6][7] The promotion ended in 1973, and he then signed with the California Thunderbirds for 1974.[8][6] The following year, Robinson joined the Roller Stars league, but soon moved to coach for the World Skating Derby. His final return was as a coach in the International Roller Skating Derby.[6]
In 2004 Robinson was inducted to the Roller Derby Hall of Fame.[9]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ken Monte |
International Roller Derby League Male MVP[10] 1968 |
Succeeded by Tony Roman |
References
- 1 2 3 Herb Royd and Ray Robinson, Pound for Pound: A Biography of Sugar Ray Robinson.
- ↑ Bill Gallo, "These Debates Can Be Hair-Raising", New York Daily News, 22 April 2001.
- 1 2 Chester Higgins, "People Are Talking About", Jet, 4 February 1971, p. 42.
- 1 2 3 4 "The Old Brawl Game", Ebony, November 1973, pp. 56-62.
- ↑ "Sugar Ray's Skating Son", Ebony, October 1960, p. 65.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Phil Berrier, "Ronnie Robinson", Derby Memoirs.
- ↑ "Roller Derby Saturday at Arena". The Milwaukee Sentinel. September 20, 1972.
- ↑ "High-Salaried Skate Aces Here". The Montreal Gazette. February 26, 1974.
- ↑ "Events & Inductees". rollerderbyhalloffame.com. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ↑ Keith Coppage, Roller Derby to RollerJam, p.123