HOW TONY ALVA CREATED MODERN SKATEBOARDINGIn the mid to late 70's, Tony Alva, influenced by the new, aggressive Hawaiian and Australian surfing style, brought a radically new and powerful surf style to skateboarding, and when he started busting frontside airs in backyard pools, created the blueprint for modern skateboarding. Today, Alva still resides in Los Angeles, California. The O.G. skateboarder, surfer, entrepreneur, musician, and artist is the pioneer of vertical skateboarding and one of the original members of the Dogtown and Z-Boyz, and considering his contributions and impact to the sport/art/discipline and his longevity, makes him perhaps the Most Influential Skateboarder Of All Time. T.A. was born September 2, 1957, in Santa Monica, California, to Dutch and Mexican-American parents. He first began surfing and skateboarding around 1967 at the age of 10. His skill, style and charisma has set him apart for decades, to this day. Addl' Images: Chuck Ames Sk8 TV Horace Ove Rogerland 99 Wayne Babcock Glen E. Friedman Wynn Miller CR Stecyk III Warren Bolster Jim Goodrich William Sharp Stan Sharp Craig Fineman James Cassimus Michael Welman Bruce Hazelton J Grant Brittain Hal Jepsen Raul Vega Craig Halley Dennis Ogden Todd Glaser Music: Small Faces Modo Riff Raff #realskatestories #tonyalva #skatehistory