Brian Medina, age 11, of Sioux City, Iowa, for his question:

WHO INVENTED THE SKATE BOARD?

In the 1920s scooters with rubber wheels were popular. In the 1930s came 2 by 4s with one roller skate nailed at the bottom and a steering post  usually a wooden box  set at one end for steering purposes. This vehicle was called a skate coaster.

Then in the 1950s, on a day when the ocean surf was very low, a champion surfer by the name of Hobie Alter nailed a skate to a hardwood board and sidewalk surfed down the hills in his Southern California beach town.

Steel wheels were too stiff so he tried clay wheels used in roller rinks  and these didn't last long on pavement. He arranged to have special wheels built and was soon making boards for his pals. It wasn't long before he was manufacturing and selling skateboards  and a new industry was born.