Larry Stevenson
Inventor of the kicktail, which revolutionized skateboarding.
Richard Lawrence "Larry" Stevenson (December 22, 1930 – March 25, 2012) was an American skateboarder who invented the kicktail—the upward-bent end of a skateboard—a design that enabled most modern skateboarding tricks and fundamentally changed the sport.
Stevenson was born in Santa Monica, California, to Inez Kiem and Leonard Stevenson. After high school, he served as a fighter mechanic in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War for two years. He then attended Santa Monica College, where he swam and played water polo under Coach John Josephs, earning an All-American award for the fastest breaststroke time—a record that stood until recently, granting him lifetime free admission to any Santa Monica College event. He later studied business at USC on a swimming scholarship.
In the mid-to-late 1950s, Stevenson worked as a Venice Beach lifeguard for Los Angeles. Watching surfers ride crude skateboards in parking lots when the surf was flat sparked his interest. While traveling to Korea during the war, he had visited a Hawaiian beach called Makaha, whose name he remembered fondly. He later founded MAKAHA skateboards, producing the first high-quality skateboard. He patented the single kicktail in 1969, assembled the first skate team in 1963, and organized the first skateboard contest that same year. He also published *Surf Guide* magazine in the 1960s and *Poweredge* skateboarding magazine in the 1980s and 1990s. Both Makaha and Poweredge have since been revived with new editors. Stevenson was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2010.
Stevenson died at age 81 on March 25, 2012, at his Santa Monica home from complications of pneumonia due to Parkinson's disease.
Quick Facts
- Birth Name
- Richard Lawrence Stevenson
- Birth Date
- December 22, 1930
- Birth Place
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Death Date
- 2012-03-25
- Death Place
- Santa Monica, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Inventor
- Known For
- Skateboard kicktail
- Education
- Santa Monica College
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Larry Stevenson was born in 1930 in Santa Monica, California, to mother Inez Kiem and father Leonard Stevenson. After high school he joined the U.S. Navy as a fighter mechanic and served for two years in the Korean War. Following his service, he attended Santa Monica College, where he became a swimmer and water polo player under Coach John Josephs, winning the All American award for fastest time in the breast stroke. He later attended USC on a swimming scholarship, majoring in business.
During the middle to late 1950s, Stevenson worked as a Venice Beach lifeguard for the city of Los Angeles. While watching surfers, he noticed they would skate on crude skateboards in parking lots when there was no surf. Remembering a beach called "Makaha" he had visited in Hawaii en route to Korea during the war, he later started Makaha skateboards. He is credited with making the first high-quality skateboard, patented the single kicktail in 1969, had the first skate team in 1963, and held the first skateboard contest in 1963.
Stevenson also published Surf Guide magazine during the 1960s and Poweredge skateboarding magazine during the 1980s and 1990s. He was involved with Makaha and Poweredge, both of which have been reborn with new editors. He was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2010.
Reader's Guide
Larry Stevenson's invention of the kicktail—the bent-upwards end of a skateboard—fundamentally changed the sport of skateboarding. Before the kicktail, skateboards were essentially flat planks with wheels, limiting maneuverability. By adding the upward curve, Stevenson enabled riders to lift the board's nose or tail, making possible the ollie, kickflip, and nearly all modern skateboarding tricks. His 1969 patent for the double kicktail (both ends bent upward) set the standard for skateboard design that persists today. Beyond his invention, Stevenson was a pioneer in organizing the sport: he formed the first skate team in 1963, held the first skateboard contest that same year, and founded Makaha skateboards, which produced the first high-quality skateboards. His contributions extended to publishing, with Surfguide magazine in the 1960s and Poweredge magazine in later decades. Stevenson's legacy is recognized by his 2010 induction into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame, and his innovations remain foundational to skateboarding culture and technique.
Did You Know?
- Larry Stevenson invented the kicktail, the bent-upwards end of a skateboard, which made most of today's skateboarding tricks possible.
- He patented the double kicktail in 1969.
- He held the first skateboard contest in 1963 and formed the first skate team that same year.
- Stevenson was a lifeguard at Venice Beach in the 1950s and observed surfers using crude skateboards in parking lots.
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