[ Ohio Buckeye Speedskating League, Inc. ]

The Ohio Buckeye Speedskating League dates back to approximately 1944, at one time having over twenty teams competing for the ultimate title of champion. Ohio has always been a roller speed skating powerhouse, typically having nine heats of senior men in the days of quad roller skates.

Records are fragmented so please bear with us. If you know of any records that we are missing, please contact the webmaster and we will update them. Special thanks to Graig Girdler of Findlay Heat, who contributed all of the data for the years 1986-1992!

If you would be willing to share your memories of how the league started, skating tales, photos, or articles feel free to submit them and they will be published on the website with credit to the author. Your generous lending of time and talent of writing or photography gives those both young and old the opportunity to glimpse the past in a way that only personal anecdotes and snapshots can.

Thank you for your support!

Ohio Senior Mens State Champions
Year	Name	Hometown
1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005	William Keplinger William Keplinger Harold Slack Harold Wyant Charles Oppelt Steve Kromjak Harold Slack Steve Kromjak Harold Slack George Steves Richard Coombs Don Wood Don Wood Don Wood Don Wood Bob Smith Roy Deplane Tom Korab Tom Korab Marvin Cottrell Bill Fleming David Hakola Bill Fleming David Hakola Marvin Cottrell Larry Bellar Marvin Cottrell Freddie Wirth Dick Miller Marvin Cottrell Louie Johnson Louie Johnson Louie Johnson Mike English Louie Johnson Graig Girdler Mike Tanner David Laughlin Brandon Derrick Brandon Derrick Brandon Derrick Keith Ellsworth Keith Ellsworth	Dayton, Ohio Dayton, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Dayton, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Alliance, Ohio Toledo, Ohio Elyria, Ohio Elyria, Ohio Elyria, Ohio Elyria, Ohio Dayton, Ohio Dayton, Ohio Lorain, Ohio Lorain, Ohio Akron, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Painesville, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Painesville, Ohio Akron, Ohio Middletown, Ohio Akron, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Columbus, Ohio Akron, Ohio Cinncinati, Ohio Cinncinati, Ohio Cinncinati, Ohio Cinncinati, Ohio Cinncinati, Ohio Findlay, Ohio Akron, Ohio Cinncinati, Ohio Dayton, Ohio Dayton, Ohio Dayton, Ohio Alliance, Ohio Alliance, Ohio

The following articles and photos from Canton newspapers in 1971 were contributed by Will
Sullivan. If you have something to add to our collection, please email the webmaster.

"Canton Skaters Roll Past Their Opponents"

"Four City Skaters Go Into Finals"

"Canton's 6 Skaters Fare Well"

"Canton Skaters Win National Events"

Skateland Speed team - Canton, OH
FRONT ROW - Richard Gorman, Jean Sommers, Cheryl Cottrell, Vickie Sommers, Dennis McFarland, David Cottrell.
MIDDLE ROW - Donna McFarland, Jimmy Lee Streby, Don Sommers, Terry Cottrell, Tracey Sommers, Diane McFarland.
BACK ROW - Mary Todd, Mickey Sullivan (Skateland owner and team coach), Debbie Rydbom, Tim Cottrell, Tony
Zahm, Don Sanford, Tom Sommers, Walt McFarland, Larry Bowman (assistant coach), and Gloria
Admire. Also on the team not in photo were Marvin Cottrell and Shirley Sommers.

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