# Remember Female Rollar Derby? Was it scripted like Pro Wrestling? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 16, 2024, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328 "2024-07-16T15:46:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/41 "2024-07-17T13:44:24Z")
I didn’t realize that we lived so close to each other. I’m in the Louisville area. I have a friend in Idaho who does roller derby. I’d be afraid to suggest to her that the sport is scripted. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/42 "2024-07-17T14:29:17Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I’d be afraid to suggest to her that the sport is scripted. Afterward, as you’re struggling to get up and she’s looming over you, she shouts, “WAS THAT SCRIPTED?!” ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/43 "2024-07-17T14:58:13Z")
“Well, I was improvising on my end, but I’m not sure about you.” ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/44 "2024-07-17T15:17:32Z")
We use to go to the armory in Tacoma and watch roller derby back in the 60’s. Had a chance to see it again a few years ago, the biggest change was the track. In the old days the track was banked and made from plywood. Now it’s flat and looks like half of a basketball court. All the competitors had fake names, some even changed them during the matches. RIP Joanie Weston, the blonde bomber. She was always my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/45 "2024-07-17T15:46:56Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > Joanie Weston, the blonde bomber. That’s the name I was trying to remember. Thanks! (All my muddled brain could come up with was Jo Anne Worley.) ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/46 "2024-07-17T15:58:16Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > (All my muddled brain could come up with was Jo Anne Worley.) Perhaps not so muddled. Jo Anne Worley played a roller derby skater in that Disney comedy classic _The Shaggy D.A._, opposite Dean Jones, Suzanne Pleshette, and Tim Conway. That should tell you something about how big roller derby was in the 70s, that Disney would incorporate it, however loosely, into one of those gimmicky live-action comedies that they were making in that era. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/47 "2024-07-17T16:07:25Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > Jo Anne Worley played a roller derby skater in that Disney comedy classic _The Shaggy D.A._ Well, that makes me feel a bit better…although I don’t think I’ve ever seen that movie! ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/48 "2024-07-17T20:09:39Z")
The game show **To Tell the Truth** once had a roller derby star as a contestant sometime in the early 70s. I don’t remember her name, but she was big, mean-looking and blonde. As my brother remarked, “she looks like she could pick up a man and break him in half”. That was the first time I’d ever heard of roller derby. I also remember that the two imposters were obviously that. The show’s producers probably didn’t have anyone in their Rolodex who looked the part. ETA: she might very well have been Joanie Weston. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/49 "2024-07-17T20:28:47Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > The game show **To Tell the Truth** once had a roller derby star as a contestant sometime in the early 70s. Here’s a brunette from '71. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OCYW0z1rtHg/hqdefault.jpg "My MoM Carol "Peanuts" Meyer on "To Tell The Truth" in 1971") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCYW0z1rtHg&t=000) Here’s another one from 1960. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/i1zdo7a0gnk/hqdefault.jpg "To Tell the Truth - Roller derby girl/singer; Trucker who rode a sub (Oct 17, 1960)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1zdo7a0gnk&t=0) ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/50 "2024-07-17T21:16:27Z")
I was a referee for the LA Derby Dolls for 7 years at the height of the last revival period. While the games were never scripted, there was more of an emphasis on camp, rowdy-ness and having fun in the early days (inspired by the Texas league who had the A&E show). I joined at the point the league decided to get serious about it as a sport and that required better officiating. Skaters used to be rowdy and sometimes hard living girls looking to have fun and work out some aggression. Then there was the transition to skaters who wanted a physical social activity. And finally the transition to athletes who treated it as an athletic compeition. And the athletes wanted to win first and foremost and the games became…boring… When I started there was little strategy… Fast chaos! Every skater skated as fast they could…so the jammers (the players who can score by lapping opponents) were having to skate even faster. Jams (a 60 second period of play) would be low scoring. So the games were exciting since game were often very close. The lead could change on a single jam… and then as strategy came in… skaters didn’t skate as fast because they focused on blocking and getting their jammers through and stopping the opposing jammer from getting through and getting points…Jammers got faster and and 15 point jams were a big deal… then they became common…and then we got 20 point jams… During this time the Whip It movie came out (a bunch of LA skaters are in the movie and its looosely based on the early days of LADD), and just about every network show did a derby episode (This was partially due to several people in the entertainment industry also being involved in the league.) So the public profile was pretty big. Buuuuut… The games got… sigh…If teams weren’t perfectly balanced…scores started becoming ridiculous. I remember the first time a team hit 100 points… our scoreboard didn’t go that high. There’d be games that the final score would be 144 to 30. That’s not fun for a crowd or really either team. It hurt attendance. I retired back in 2015, but I keep up with it. It’s settled into nice niche sports activity for girls and women (there are also men’s leagues out there for the curious). I don’t think there will be another big time revival. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/51 "2024-07-17T21:27:07Z")
I’ve been reading online. Sources said the change from ramped lanes to flat slowed down the skating. But, flat lanes offers more places to host the games. They don’t have the construction of ramps. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/52 "2024-07-17T22:06:57Z")
The 1971 timeframe is certainly in the ballpark. But unless I’m experiencing the Mandela Effect, I’m pretty sure she was blonde. ETA: [WHO’S WHO IN ROLLER DERBY | Can somebody shed some light on Joanie Weston’s “I’ve Got A Secret” appearance | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/groups/228121340789/posts/10169110132915790/?paipv=0&eav=AfYSvNhcQovVsAeUje5zrlVQjH0TqPJUVpUOiS_aYmVesv-uXMIyCk6B9qfVLbprRTU&_rdr) ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/53 "2024-07-17T22:20:38Z")
Flat track is more egalatarian–you can set up a “track” anywhere so its more prevalent. Banked track is a faster, dynamic game (don’t hate on me WFTDA-ers, it’s true) but requires space for a track and the means to store it if not in use. Very similar styles but different games. I was very lucky that during my tenure we mostly had a dedicated space so I only had to do track set-up a handful of times. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/54 "2024-07-18T13:03:53Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > Banked track is a faster, dynamic game (don’t hate on me WFTDA-ers, it’s true) I’m not sure who WFTDAers are, but it’s simple physics that a banked track will enable higher speeds. It’ll also have an interesting penalizing effect on skaters who aren’t going fast enough. One can, of course, debate whether faster = better, but the faster part is definite. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/55 "2024-07-18T16:19:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m not sure who WFTDAers are Did a Google, first result: > **[Home - Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA)](https://wftda.com/)** > > Roller derby events, rankings, rules, news, and more! WFTDA is the international governing body for the sport of women's flat track roller derby. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/56 "2024-07-18T17:52:25Z")
They would benefit from a catchier name. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/57 "2024-07-18T18:02:11Z")
It’s pronounced “Woofda” Which is fun and catchy. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/58 "2024-07-19T05:29:42Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > I was very lucky that during my tenure we mostly had a dedicated space so I only had to do track set-up a handful of times. Just because I’m wondering … how long does it take to set up a flat track? Or a banked track? How long is the teardown? How much space do you need to set up, and have an audience? Like I said above, I used to work with a pro wrestling promotion, and helped set up and tear down the ring many times. We didn’t have a permanent venue, and we’d take the show to various locales in and around town, so every show was set up and torn down that night. It would take us between 20 and 30 minutes for each, but I’m thinking any kind of roller derby track would take longer, just because of the size. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/59 "2024-07-19T14:16:15Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > how long does it take to set up a flat track? The flat tracks I’ve seen required placing plastic cones around the inner and outer perimeters of the racing oval. Based on some minimal information the banked tracks were set up pretty fast. Something like scaffolding sections made of wood and steel angle, and then something like a bowling alley track surface. Surely took longer to set up than a wrestling ring, but I got the impression the tracks sections would be stored at the old arenas that hosted Roller Derby and not typically moved from venue to venue like wrestling rings. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328/60 "2024-07-19T15:49:22Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Just because I’m wondering … how long does it take to set up a flat track? Or a banked track? How long is the teardown? How much space do you need to set up, and have an audience? Flat, not long… tape measure, some tape (usually leagues will put some rope under the tape to provide a bump to skaters know when they exited the track boundaries). For banked… Depending on how many people you have to help and how good your crew is…a few hours. Here’s a sped up video of a track set up. [https://youtu.be/XcL1ITjELN0?si=\_PIsenG0fTDYuTRn](https://youtu.be/XcL1ITjELN0?si=_PIsenG0fTDYuTRn) And tear down… [https://youtu.be/tjn7BW1nxs8?si=45Ve-NDKdOZjlOG7](https://youtu.be/tjn7BW1nxs8?si=45Ve-NDKdOZjlOG7) Space-wise, I don’t remember dimensions offhand, but you need a good amount of space. For flat officially- “Length 108 feet (32.92 meters) with a 10-foot (3.05-meter) Outer Officiating Lane 98 feet (29.87 meters) with a 5-foot (1.52 meter) Outer Officiating Lane Width 75 feet (22.86 meters) with a 10-foot (3.05-meter) Outer Officiating Lane 65 feet (19.81 meters) with a 5-foot (1.52-meter) Outer Officiating Lane NOTE: 5-foot (1.52-meter) Outer Officiating Lane only permitted with an acceptable barrier. Consult the WFTDA Risk Management Guidelines for details regarding acceptable barriers.” Banked is close to that… but for the outside, while you do want a buffer zone, it is not necessarily for refs (there are sometimes 2 stationary outside refs) but for the audience. Crowds used to be able to be right up against the track and skaters do sometimes fly out of the track due to hits… so the buffer zone is there for someone doesn’t get a skate to the face. And then whatever amout of space you have left is for the crowd. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-female-rollar-derby-was-it-scripted-like-pro-wrestling/1004328.md?page=4)