ENCINITAS — 2017 is a big year for local skateboarding legends. On May 12, Several new members were inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame — including a couple from North County.
Past and likely future members of the Hall of Fame gathered at the City National Grove in Anaheim to celebrate the legacies of 11 new members, as well as Thrasher Magazine for its iconic contribution. Among the new members were San Diego native Gregg Weaver, Encinitas resident Kim Cespedes and Encinitas’ own Mike McGill. “It’s a pretty great thing, it’s a great honor, you’re up with guys like Stacy Peralta, Tony Alva, Jay Adams,” McGill said. “I had all their pictures on my walls.”
McGill owns and operates his eponymous skateboard shop in Encinitas.
Skateboarding is a pocket of culture that has grown considerably in its just-over-50-year history. Often times the names, faces, tricks and memorable moments turn over faster than they can be recognized for their contribution. The Skateboarding Hall of Fame was established in 2009 to provide some recognition, an acknowledgement of the past.
Each year, a new name or three are recognized from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Past inductees include Danny Way, photographer J. Grant Brittain and Tony Hawk.
The proceeds from the event will go to fund both the International Skateboarding Hall of Fame, and Go Skateboarding Day, skateboarding’s national holiday that falls each year on June 21.
Like most of the trophies he’s collected over the years, McGill’s Hall of Fame trophy will be on display at the shop, sooner or later. “This thing weighs like 10 pounds,” he said. “It’s really heavy. I’ll probably have to bring it the shop at some point, so people can see it.”
As grateful and humble as he is, McGill admits to forgetting a few key people from his acceptance speech: “My mom and dad, really,” he said. “And people like (Powell Peralta pro) Alan Gelfand, who took me to California so long ago, to meet Stacy Peralta for the first time. And of course, Powell Peralta.“
