Aloha and Welcome to a look at Southern California surfing in the late 1930s, largely drawn from Doc Ball’s California Surfriders, 1946, self-published that same year.
“I remember thinking that if I couldn’t ride a wave again, I couldn’t live. I really thought that there was nothing else in the world that I’d rather do.”
-- Cliff Tucker
Contents
1936-1938
Flood Control, 1939
Manhattan Pier, Malibu & Windansea
Killer Dana, 1940
San Onofre, 1940
Palos Verdes Cove, 1940
1936-1938
The Pacific Coast Surfing Championships (PCSC) – begun in 1929 – had become an annual event; dominated for 4 out of 9 years by legendary waterman Preston “Pete” Peterson of Santa Monica. Officially, Peterson reigned as California’s recognized top surfer during 1932, 1936, 1938 and 1941. But, every surfer on the coast knew Pete reigned all through the ‘30s.
Other early winners of the PCSC trophy included Keller Watson (1929), Gardner Lippincott (1934), Lorrin “Whitey” Harrison (1939) and Cliff Tucker (1940).
Cliff Tucker recalled that in the 1940 PCS championship meet, held at San Onofre, “I won by switching boards at the proper times. I rode an ‘ultralight,’ a hollow, 50-pound plywood board, in the morning, and then when the chop came up later in the day, I switched to a heavier, 120-pound spruce. Once enough people were eliminated, and I didn’t need the extra weight for personal protection, I went back to the more maneuverable ultralight (known in surfing circles as a ‘Slantwise‘). In those days, I could build myself a spruce plywood ‘ultralight’ with about five dollars worth of materials.”
Tucker was a member of the state’s first and then most prestigious surf club, the Palos Verdes Surfing Club, whose members mostly rode the thick wave break off Palos Verdes’ Bluff Cove.
Tucker recalled earlier days surfing with Preston Peterson. Both 6th grade classmates “would ditch school to go surfing” near the old Crystal Pier Bathhouse at Santa Monica Beach. The Peterson family owned the bathhouse at that time. “For years,” Tucker said, “surfing was the biggest thing in my life. I remember thinking that if I couldn’t ride a wave again, I couldn’t live. I really thought that there was nothing else in the world that I’d rather do.”
Leonard Lueras interviewed Tucker for his – now collectible – book, Surfing, The Ultimate Pleasure. Lueras asked Tucker if he had any regrets concerning his days surfing. “I wish we had the equipment then that the kids have now,” Tucker responded. “It’s absolutely amazing what’s being done on a surfboard these days. I’m sure we were just as strong and capable then as athletes, but we just didn’t have the technology that’s evolved in surfing since then.”
“September 1936,” remembered another 1930s surfer nicknamed Chuck A Luck, of a landmark moment in SoCal publishing, “Surfing made the Brown Section (Rotogravure) in the L.A. Times.” This might be the same article Doc Ball noted as “Surfboards, Ahoy!” by Andy Hamilton.
“This is Big Surf,” wrote and photographically documented Doc Ball of March 13, 1937. Pete Peterson “of Santa Monica” is identified riding the “wave of the day.” Also featured: Leroy Grannis and Jean Depue.
Hermosa -- “Twenty Footers Roll In... Turkey Day, 1937.Identified surfers: Doc Ball (having deserted his Graflex) and Kay Murray.
“Storm Surf of December 12th, 1937“ shows a photo “Taken during a drizzling mist... shows the cove in the throes of a zero break. Johnny Gates vowed ‘he’d get a ride on one of those or else.’ Credit is hereby extended him that he did reach the half way point, only to be wiped out by a monstrous cleanup and forced to swim in through devastating currents, rocks, etc., to retrieve his battered redwood plank. Purple hardly described his color when he finally got out of that freezing blast.”
“Zero Break at Hermosa. Perhaps twice a year this remarkable surf will hump up a good half mile offshore and keep all ‘malininis’ on the beach. Strictly for the ‘kamaaina,’ this stuff comes upon one out there with a long steamy hiss, and fills him at first with the apprehensive thought of, ‘Mebe I better wait for the second one.’“
Other surfers and notaries identified: [Adie] Bayer, [Cliff] Tucker, Fred Kerwin, Johnny Gates “the Smokehouse Kid,” “Rusty” Williams (Captain of the Los Angeles County Lifeguards -- photo caption: “Worry is registered on the Williams ‘puss’ as he watches the antics of the surfers in the heavy seas.”), Cliff Tucker, Gene Hornbeck (December 16, 1937), John Kerwin, Ed Edger, Dave “Black Bass” Perumean, Dale Velzy, Bill Edger, Fenton Scholes, [Bob] Landes and Big Bob Johnson.
Williams would go on to taste Hawaiian waters, as well as Velzy who was to become one of surfing’s great shapers.
Covering the surfing scene at Hermosa Beach, Doc Ball pointed out Hoppy Swarts and featured him in photogenic rides on January 7, 1938 and January 5, 1939.
January 7, 1938 was “The day when the newsreel boys came down to shoot the damage done by the big seas -- packed up and left when we came out with our surfboards.” Other surfers identified: “Tulie” Clark, Pearson, Al Holland, Adie Bayer and Leroy Grannis.”
“Hoppy, Leroy, Pasqual, Blackie, Fred and John Kerwin, Tule, Tom Horton, myself and others built 3” X 18” X 6’ identical hollows,” recalled Chuck A Luck. “We made 6 of them with both ends round and held ten tournaments of paddle board polo in the Olympic swimming pool at the L.A. Coliseum. There were nets at each end and you could not leave your board unless you jumped on a guy with the ball, played like water polo.”
In covering Venice, “Home of the Venice Surfing Club,” Doc identified surfers like: “Wes” Gireau and “Porky” Corcoran. Doc also has a photo of the Venice Half Mile Open Paddleboard Race of 1938.
In “Picture of Two Worried Surfers,” taken in the Palos Verdes area, Doc spotlighted two surfers -- Gard Chapin and Bud Browne -- who would go on to have a significant impact on wave riding. The photo shows Johnny Gates and Gard Chapin “coming out of the hook” and “watch with apprehension the course set by Bud Browne on the ‘paddlewhacker.’“
“Riding Cove Storm Swell,” October 29, 1938. Ball photographed the riding of Fenton Scholes and Jean Depue.
In the later half of the 1930s, balsa was increasingly combined with redwood to lighten the weight of the average surfboard. Although the number of redwood balsas had steadily grown since at least 1935, one of the first to catch the eye of the Palos Verdes crew was Chuck Allen‘s board. Allen himself was a member of the Palos Verdes Surfing Club and by 1938, he had a varnished solid California redwood and balsa board, 11-feet, 6-inches by 22-inches.
Allen had built and also used two paddleboards in 1936. In 1937, while attending a shop course at UCLA, he built an almost-solid cedarwood board that weighed only 140 pounds. It floated “under the water.” He sold it and then built a lightweight nearly-all-balsa board. It was all balsa except for two 3/8-inch redwood strips added for structural integrity.
Most everyone “pooh-poohed” his 35-pound balsa board, probably because – despite lamination, balsa soaked in water excessively. Chuck quickly sold it, took a week off from school during 1938 and worked at Hammond Lumber for a redwood/balsa board. He shaped the plank at home, using hand tools. This board is typical of the 1938-42 era, weighing approximately 88-pounds and measuring 12-feet long. The board rammed some rocks once and 6-inches were chopped off the tail. The balsa was actually added on for two reasons. Besides reducing the weight, the balsa provided a soft spot for the knees while paddling.
Flood Control, 1939
In a section to his book entitled “Palos Verdes Surfing Club at the Long Beach Surfing Contest” Doc Ball wrote that at this contest in 1939, the Hawaiians even sent over a team. PVSC members, left to right were: [Gene] Hornbeck, Reynolds, Humphreys, [Fenton] Scholes, Huber, Pearson, [Johnny] Gates, Alsten, [E.J.] Oshier, [Adie] Bayer, [Jean] Depue, Allen, [Hoppy] Swarts, [Leroy] Grannis, Pierce, Landes and Clark.
A photograph of Long Beach’s Flood Control in action “shows the tremendous size of one of its famous humpers.” Al Bixeler declared that day: “I believe I have ridden a tidal wave.”
“Flood Control Was Spectacular,” wrote Doc, after the war. “Charles Butler in a portrait of action plus! This young man, more intimately known as ‘Doaks,’ was a promising medical doctor when he enlisted in the United States Navy and was sent to the South Pacific theater of operations. It is understood that he went down with the destroyer Edsal during an early engagement with the Japanese. The surfers lost a good friend, the people lost an excellent doctor.”
“The Convention City“ was how Long Beach businessmen used to refer to their metropolis. One of the early surf breaks to disappear due to human engineering, “Flood Control,” at Long Beach, was a primo break.
“When this place ‘boomed in’ and we mean just that, it was no place for the malihini. A long speedy ride was to be had and the power behind those giant walls of soup was second to none.” Flood Control was famous for its “sneakers.” Hoppy Swarts was photographed riding one on November 7, 1939.
Manhattan Pier, Malibu & Windansea, 1940
“Most every surfer would ride under the pier,” testified Chuck A Luck, about the Manhattan Pier of 1940, “and through the pilings, sometimes worrying the people watching from the pier.”
Doc Ball has a shot of storm surf at Manhattan Pier on February 6, 1940.
Malibu: “Waves here are fast and crack down like dynamite. We understand that the free gangway to this beach is now enjoyed by any surfer who so desires to enter it. In former days one had to sneak in through a hole in the fence and run the risk of having that hole nailed shut before he could get out.” Photos by John Gates of Los Angeles. Surfer identified: Gard Chapin.
WindanSea (Pacific Beach, San Diego area): Surfers noted by Doc Ball: John Blankenship, Buddy Hull, Don Okey.
In other photographs with notations in his book, Doc Ball featured “Sliding Left.” It identifies Trux Oehrlin, Hal Peason and Don Grannis. “At least half the fun in surfing is had by watching fellow surfers turning in a masterful performance on a fringing giant,” wrote Ball, “or getting wiped out in the impossible, when boards and bodies are tossed about in reckless abandon.”
Killer Dana, 1940
Continuing to survey Doc Ball‘s notations and photographs of California surfers of the late 1930s, here are the notables and notable events he noted for the year 1940, just before World War II:
In addition to Flood Control, another key surf spot of the 1930s that is no longer with us was Killer Dana -- Dana Point, before the harbor was expanded. In a section entitled “It’s Humping Up At Dana,” Doc featured the riding style of George “Nellie Bly” Brignell.
In “Dana Killer Surf,” Doc presented two photos, one of “Peanuts” Larsen and the other of “Whitey” Harrison “on the angle to avoid the rocks and the break as ‘Doaks‘ pulls up and over to see what’s coming next. Times have been when many a man has come to the top of just such a crest and looked straight into the maw of a bone-crushing monster.”
Other photos of Dana Point, were those taken on May 15, 1940 and July 9, 1939. Johnny Gates and Hal Landes featured, respectively.
San Onofre, 1940
By this time, San Onofre had become Southern California “Surfers’ Mecca” and Doc Ball documented the PCS Championship there, in 1940:
“The competition was keen, the spills were frequent, and the spectators roasted on the beach. The boys come from within a hundred and fifty mile radius to participate in this activity.”
Winners of the 1940 trophies included: Eyestone, McGrew, Tucker (first place), Gates and Swarts. Famous shot of 17 riders on a wave, “h--- bent for a trophy. The boards fly and they pile up in droves but somehow out of the mess comes the new champ.”
In covering the San O event Doc has a classic overhead shot of Gard Chapin blastin’ into the beach. “Gard Chapin arrives late. Down the dirt road at 60 per, spots parking space, cramps wheels and slides in.”
In “‘Nofre Days,” Doc has a photo showing “Pete Peterson and Bob Sides, two strictly ‘Kamaaina‘ boys, having some pre-contest fun. Both of them could tell some hair-raising tales of Corona del Mar Days.”
In another photo of the contest held right before the outbreak of war, summer 1941, “Pete Peterson wins the 1941 ‘Nofre sweepstakes. He is seen here as the proud possessor of the perpetual cup. Left to right: McBride, Lindberg, Okey, Pascowitz, Bailey, Harrison, Blake, Peterson, VanBlom, Williams.”
Photographs showed the beach scene. “A couple of guitars and a ‘uke‘ will always draw a crowd,” wrote Doc, also including a photo of the ‘Nofre crew still sleeping. “Six A.M. of a ‘flat’ day and everybody still in the bag. Had the surf been humping they probably would have stayed up all night.”
Tandem riding was a common sight at San O. In “Tandem Rides Are Popular With the Boys,” Doc Ball showed a picture of “Benny Merrill and wahini slicing along neat as anything. Most of the female sex, however, prefer to sit on the beach.”
“A lot of familiar faces and a goodly stand of timber,” continued Ball, noting surfers: Bud Andersen, Benny Merrill and wahini, Whitey Harrison & his outrigger; Oshier, Hawkins, Ann Kresge and Gard Chapin.
In “Soup And Sneakers,“ Ball showed “This big sneaker came in with a frightful blast and nipped off the unbeliever who had just inquired ‘whatinell you doing way out there?’“
“Two Kamaainas Take Off” shows “‘Frenchy’ Jahan and ‘Nellie Bly’ Brignell whip out on a ‘screaming left.’ Brignell’s eyesight demands that he wear glasses even when surfing. He fastens them on with a piece of inner tube but on occasions they get lost and he has to come in without them. This accounts no doubt for some of the daredevil rides this guy has gotten away with. He simply could not see the size of the monster he was choosing to ride.”
Doc added some shots of riders like Glen Fisher, Levy, Lavignino, McBride, Harrison, “Straightoff,” Jahan, Larsen, Boice and Barney Wilkes, shot after the war, in 1946. World War II put a hold on most surfing activity, so there are few surfing photographs in existence that were taken between 1942-45.
Palos Verdes Cove, 1940
“Fun at the Cove,” identifies Fenton and “Dixie” Scholes riding tandem, January 14, 1940 at Palos Verdes Cove. Also there in those days were “Tulie” Clark, Hornbeck, Johnny Dale, Harry Dunnigan and Bud Morrissey‘s wife Mary Ann.
“Jam-Up,” is a classic Palos Verdes photo of Tom Blake, Jim Bailey, Johnny Gates and Gard Chapin.
“We Make the Local Sunday Magazine,” wrote Doc about an article by Andy Hamilton, “Surfboards, Ahoy!” which appeared in the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine (exact date unknown). Doc’s got a picture of the article being held up and looked at. Identified surfers at that time: Reynolds, [E.J.] Oshier, [Tule] Clark, Mary Ann Morrissey, Bud Morrissey, Woods, Landes, Pearson and [Leroy] Grannis.
“The Mighty Ski Jump Roars in -- December 22, 1940“ shows “Al Holland, Oshier, Grannis and Bayer riding the 30-foot grinders that arrive here on an average of twice a year and rattle windows over a mile inland with their heavy concussion. This picture, published in an Australian magazine, made its appearance in far away Noumea, New Caledonia. Was discovered there by a very surprised Doc Ball... Adie Bayer bites off more than he can handle and his 14-foot board can be seen sticking up in the crest of this colossal sea. The Doc and his camera had a bad few seconds also!”
In a humorous shot, Doc featured “Jim Bailey and His Surfing Cocker ‘Rusty’ -- Frequent visitors to the cove are these two, when the waves are running high. So captured by this picture was Joe Chastek, owner of the Los Angeles night club ‘Zamboanga,’ that he immediately procured a copy and had a 3 by 5-feet enlargement made for the adornment of his bar.” Note water-sled shaped board.
“Winter Days at Palos Verdes” identifies Leroy Grannis, Alsten, [Hal] Landes, Hornbeck, [Johnny] Gates, Bailey and [Gard] Chapin.
Miscellaneous: Tom Blake, Bud Morrissey; Tule Clark and Patty Godsave tandem; Tule with sea lion pup; kid scraping lots of tar off lower body: “Pre-war device for warming up in a hurry what gets coldest while shooting these pictures,” showed Doc squatting over a small burning tire on the beach.
In “Tom Blake, Author, Inventor, Beachcomber” Doc ball zooms in on Tom Blake, “beachcomber by choice, is shown here, whiskers and all, enjoying a surf ride at the cove. Tom is currently to come out with another book, Royal Hawaiians.”
Notable Palos Verdes days: December 3, 1939; April 14, 1940; January 18, 1942.
California Surfriders, 1946
After the 1930s, John Heath “Doc” Ball served during World War Two and survived. Coming back to Southern California, it didn’t take Doc long to get back to surfing and his surf photography.
“Demand was still so great for Doc’s surfing photographs,” his friend and surf writer Gary Lynch wrote, “that he published the book, California Surfriders 1946. The idea behind this was to satisfy the California surfers, giving many a portrait in the book as well as showing the major surfing locations.”
California Surfriders 1946 was first published in a limited edition of 510. “Original cost for the first edition,” Gary noted, “was $7.25 a book. Doc kept a complete and detailed list of who bought his book. This list still survives and provides an astonishing array of Who’s Who in the world of California surfing [at the time]. Names only hard core surf historians would recognize such as Bob French and Jamison Handy to other more familiar names like Preston Peterson and Peanuts Larsen fill the pages.”
Eventually, the fifth and final edition of California Surfriders 1946 published by Doc went out of circulation. Ventura’s Jim Feuling copied the original and published Early California Surfriders in 1995. The images used for this edition were shot from the pages of Doc’s first edition and then enhanced by computer. This edition, I believe, is still available.
“By the mid 1940s,” Gary wrote, “Doc Ball’s photographs had been published world wide. National Geographic (September 1944), Encyclopedia Britannica (1952), photography magazines, news magazines, art galleries, and newspapers were among the places a Doc Ball photograph could be found.”
ENDIT
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