Patti McGee

Patti McGee (born August 23, 1945) began surfing at age 12 in San Diego and was part of the Pump House Gang in her teens. When she saw a skateboard in 1962 at the Hollywood Teen Fair during her Easter vacation, it seemed like a great option for days when there was no surf. Pat’s brother Jackie made one in woodshop, using clay rollerskate wheels and she was soon bombing hills and inventing new tricks. Pat even got herself towed by a Suzuki motorcycle (no helmet, pads, or shoes!) and clocked 47mph in the parking-lot of the California Orange County Fair, setting a new record.

Patti’s cousin introduced her to George Cooley in 1964, who created BunBuster skateboards, and decided to sponsor Pat and her brother. The highlight of that sponsorship was doing a demo at a Walt Disney movie premiere called, “The Moon-Spinners.”

Photos: Bill Eppridge, Ron Stoner

Patti entered the National Skateboard Championship at the Santa Monica Park on December 4th, 1964 (it was judged on the flip card system like ice skating, and she tied Danny Bearer for points), and won against Giola Siciliano, Colleen Jones, Valerie Perez and Gail Yarbrough. Patti then took her trophy and glossy photos over to Hobie skateboards to insist they bring her onto the team. At that time, the Hobie team was exclusively young boys, and in their short video SkaterDater (1965), considered the first skateboarding movie, the girls were on the sidelines, a distraction for the boys who had all the fun.

Photos: Bill Eppridge, Ron Stoner

In an interview for Juice magazine, McGee recalled, “As I pulled into the shop at Dana Point at 5 o’clock, Hobie [Hobart ‘Hobie’ Alter] was racing out the door in his suit with his folders and skateboards… He said, ‘I haven’t got time for this.’ I said, ‘But look! I’m the Woman’s National Skateboard Champion and I want to be on your team!’ He said, ‘Can you babysit?’”

McGee did meet Hobie’s family, and fortunately, it was decided that Patti would be paid by Hobie to host demos and safety lessons. She travelled across the U.S. performing in the toy and sports departments like Macy’s, which she loved. Her appearances were advertised in newspapers with enthusiasm.

Because Patti was being paid ($250 a month) and was teaching skateboarding safety, she was no longer allowed to compete, but she landed some great gigs and is considered the first Professional Female Skateboarder.

McGee’s fame was sealed when she appeared on the May 14^th, 1965, cover of Life at age 18 performing a hand-stand (her signature move). The photos were taken by Bill Eppridge for an article called “Skateboard Mania—and Menace: a teeter-totter on wheels is the risky new fad.”

Thrasher published this feature in November 2011 after Patti was inducted into the Skateboard Hall of Fame. Patti shared the whole back story of taking the iconic Life magazine photo, and that, “I was in New York City, doing a signing at Macy’s when someone handed me the issue. I was amazed. Keep in mind this was during the Vietnam war, and I was on the cover of a major news magazine! The cover and article about skateboarding was most likely run as a feel-good piece to help readers take their minds off the war.”

The cover photo triggered an avalanche of opportunities for Patti, including a cameo on the Johnny Carson show where she gave the host a skateboarding lesson. She also appeared on “What’s My Line?,” “The Mike Douglas Show,” and a commercial for Bell Telephone.

Patti was the first woman to have the cover of a skate magazine (Skateboarder, October 1965), where she shared her progress and thoughts with Susan Adams. McGee insisted that skateboarding was for everyone. She stated, “Well, some people say girl skateboarders are just a novelty. I myself think that skateboarding is 100 percent just as much for girls as it is for boys.”

Her last showcase was in 1966 at the Dick Clark Young World’s Fair in Chicago – she skated in front of 45,000 youth! By 1969, skateboarding tanked, being condemned as a menace and liability, but McGee maintained her connection to the scene. She became a brand ambassador for Silly Girl skateboards, and a photo of her, surrounded by ogling journalists became graphics for a board, arranged by her daughter Hailey of OG Betties.

On December 31st, 1986, Patti received some limelight from her local newspaper the Foothills Sentinel while she was living in Cave Creek, Arizona, and raising her children Hailey and Forrest. There’s even a fabulous photo of all three of them cruising on skateboards.

The article was called, “After twenty years, skateboarding now an established sport,” by Katherine Fiore, who reviewed Patti’s impact back in the 1960s, and some interesting anecdotes. Pattie explained how she “insisted that Hobie design a new wooden skateboard for her with a steel plate in the center, after the board she was using broke when she landed on it after jumping over a pole at a movie premier in Denver. ‘It was so embarrassing, right in front of Walt Disney and everyone.’”

There was also the story about Patti’s world speed record “by being towed behind a motorcycle at 47 mph, wearing no safety equipment. ‘That was even on an asphalt parking lot. It was really stupid,’ Patti said. But despite all the risks, Patti said she never suffered an injury while skateboarding” (Fiore).

McGee returned to skateboarding at age 55 in 2002, and was the first woman inducted into the Skateboard Hall of Fame in 2010 where you can find more photos and footage. She continued to promote skateboarding and her history, often attending the annual Mighty Mama Skate-O-Rama organized by Barb Odanaka each Mother’s day. And now there’s an adorable children’s picture book called There Goes Patti McGee! (by Tootie Nienow & Erika Medina) released in 2021, sharing her inspirational story with young readers and skaters.

Photos: I. Lannes, Will Houston

Follow Patti McGee: Facebook / Instagram / Youtube

Update (October 2024): Patti has sadly passed away after suffering a stroke. I want to express my gratitude for this incredible woman who knew her value and represented skateboarding with passion and confidence. As well, I’m sending so much love to her daughter, Hailey Villa, and all of her friends and family. Patti will be deeply missed but I know her legacy will be sustained and celebrated.

Rest in Peace.