One of the articles I read this
week was Lockwood’s article on Granny and Doc, two men whose friendship lasted
for six decades. They were both surfers and photographers. Throughout the article, there were many
interesting facts about the surfing life in the early 20th
century. Prior to the 1960’s, documented
photographs of surfing were scarce, but Doc’s 1930’s photographs really grasped
what life was like during the “Pre war American Society”. Another subject I learned about was the
concept of the Surf Clubs. Surfing
clubs today appear as “commercial driven surf culture” made by marketing teams
in order to sell and display products. As in the 1930’s and 40’s, the clubs
dominated the American society. There were clubs for all sorts of things. Many of the surf clubs were exclusive
country/ beach clubs that were ethnically restricted membership. There were some clubs in Honolulu
(Outrigger Canoe Club) that denied many races, religions (mainly Jewish), and
Orientals.
Mainland
surfing was a sport for the middle class. It reflected a “main street
mentality” in the USA. A lot of
the surfers were young men who were unemployed or under employed. Surfing today differs from surfing when
Doc and Granny were young men. Surfing now a days is too sophisticated to
embrace the “naïve exuberance” that characterized it’s past. Also surfing now
is seen strictly on the professional and ego side of the sport rather than the
freedom and the “happy go lucky depression era” wave riders of Doc and Granny’s
time. Many don’t focus on the love
of the sport anymore, just the fame and the rep it will bring you. I find that
sad and a great loss to the surfing culture. We should have more surfers out
there with the love and appreciation Doc and Granny had for the sport. 
(Doc Ball in his later years)
Marisol -
ReplyDeleteInteresting comments - and great photos, especially of Doc! I think saying that surf clubs were a dominant force in American society is definitely overstepping, but I do concur that the drive and desire to belong to a club, whether it be for hotrods or surfboards, was prominent for a time. Also, there's still plenty of 'naive exuberance' left today, it's just a matter of seeking it out, or perhaps knowing where to look. But with the advent of the 'free surfer', which is a professional who doesn't have to do contests, but is able to make a living off of photo and video endorsements alone, much of this exuberance has been able to endure, especially in figures such as Dave Rastavich and Dane Reynolds. Good insights, keep up the good work.
Trey