Welcome to the Class of the 60's
Names in this color have email addresses attached, just
put your mouse over the name and click!.
John E. Fitzgerald, Ph.D
Frank
I just got you e-mail. I am thrilled to see someone who has taken
the time to compile all of this information. I was a skater there
from 1964-closing. I was a "BOX BOY" in 1965-66--part of 67.
I was also a skating instructor for Bill Kohn during that time too.
I went to Holy Cross High School class of 1967. There were a lot of
us Cross Kids who were regulars at the Hub.
There were also too many people to mention who I wish that I could
see again.
Including the German Shepard mascot , Butch, who I would walk in
between the rink and the cookie factory after the rink closed
after the matinee and the night session..
These were some of the happiest years of my life. Please
keep up the good work, and I might have some memorabilia for you too,
I was a (quasi) organ Student of Leon Berry's and I have most of
his recordings. I also have the Videotape of the final night
of rink when it closed.
Again , keep up the good work... 
Bryan Thalhammer
Frank,
Please add that I was skating in the time from 1965 to about the
mid-seventies, and that I am so SURE that someone out there has
some home movies.... If we could only find them!
About Ted Ziegler.......
I was talking to my father about your article as he was reading it.
He remembered a little about Ted, the floor manager. I remember him, too!
He was a really good person. A sense of order and responsibility on the
floor. Other rinks were managed by a lot younger people, and were more
lax. Tall, with white hair, full-faced, and extremely positive attitude.
My Dad said his name is Ted Ziegler, and he had a brother Max. My Dad says
that he was in the lithography business; he was dot-etcher in the trade,
and worked at Fort Dearborn Press. He took care of his brother when Max
got ill; but his brother died soon after.
He may be living around here, and we are doing some research to find him.
Maybe Ted has pictures....
Actually, I began to go to the Hub in the late 60s.
Several theatre organ people have told me that the organ is now
gone, broken up into various collections or installations,
but I don't think anything was destroyed.
My basic question to be put "out there on the net" is: Where are
the Audio Fidelity Recording Masters of Berry's music??
I'm getting to the point where I am going to contact ASCAP or
something to find out about ownership.
BTW, the Volume 1 AFSD 5828 November 1957, *I have it!*
It is one of my most cherished records!
Do I remember the Hub....
Let me paint a picture, there was a glitter ball in the center,
which like any dance hall, shone glitter lights all around.
There was a sign above the entrance to the skate rental,
refreshments, and skate repairs area in front that had
the different types of skating were allowed:
ALL SKATE ~~~~ (what that means)
REVERSE ~~~~~~ during an intermission, people would go the other way)
COUPLES ONLY ~ (what that means, with the lights down)
TRIO ~~~~~~~~~~ (three people linked by hand or arm-in-arm)
ROMP ~~~~~~~~~~ (a special 4 person, backwards march, with people
skating in-line, to the tune Mickey Mouse Club
or Yellow Submarine for example, a terrifically fast,
almost dangerous, dance for four that involved a very
difficult reverse turn and kick on the corners)
WALTZ ~~~~~~~~~ (a special type dance, which weaved in and out,
backwards and forwards, in a kind of open "8" pattern
on the floor)
FOX TROT ~~~~~~ (another fast dance for couples which involves a
jitterbug step with a backwards inward turn for
the guy, wow!)
LADIES ONLY ~~~ (looking at tight sweaters.., not politically
incorrect in the fifties, sixties and seventies)
INTERMISSION ~~ (clean up, reverse, for the kids some special event)
SPECIAL ~~~~~~~ (The "Backwards Strut" a dance where couples both
dance backwards, but with a turn back to face-to-face
dancing on the corners, wow, wow, wow!)
And maybe some others....
There were "guards" who were younger responsible and older men.
If someone fell, or anything out the ordinary happened,
they swooped in with whistles blowing, to isolate the person,
and get them off the rink. In the center of the rink was a backwards only inner circle,
and places were people could do practice steps, etc.
When a new thing started, Berry would give a keyboard signal
"chirp-chirp" for everyone to look at the board to see what
was next, and then the guards would whistle everyone not supposed
to be out there off the floor. You would hear the sound of the
wooden or hard plastic wheels on the maple floor (whhooshhhhh...)
and then the music would start!
A nice little introduction, and then you would just zoom around the
floor, with this enormous organ vibrating the building.
The Wurlitzer Organ has a special sound, and when someone invited
us to hear the Virginia Theatre Organ here in Champaign, IL,
it had the same "sound." I can't wait to go to some
restored theatre where they have a really neat Wurlitzer!
Y'know, the main organ chest had swell-doors to change the volume,
so that as the song reached the wind-up, the swell-doors would
open and the music would pour forth!
I wonder if there were ever some 8mm movies taken of the Hub?
Thanks to Greg Reynolds for this great photo of the Hub organ
pipes! (3/08 - s.levin)
Steve Randahl
Regarding The Hub. Yes, I remember it. I used to go there in the
mid 60s to skate. At that point in time our parents had to take us there as we were too young to drive. My hazy memories include the layout, the floor itself and memories of the guards that used to tell us to slow down.
In browsing your site I looked at the page devoted to Leon Berry and
remembered the music and the hugh sound of that organ. Reading on I
realized that I had met Leon and his lovely wife. As it turns out, my
parents knew Leon and his wife as we all lived in Park Ridge. I never realized that he was the one playing at the hub!
I don't have any pictures of the Hub, but hope someone does.
Bill Kohn
Bill came to the Hub as a skater in 1959, after completing
Military service in Europe. He began working as a Floor Guard
September of 1959. He took over as Skating Instructor in October
1960 replacing Murph the one Female Floor Guard and instructor
since opening of the Hub in 1950. Bill continued to assume more
responsibility in the operation of the Hub and when M&R Theaters
took over in May of 1974, he was made Manager. Bill continued
on in that position until the closing of the Axle in 1985.
He has provided much information to this website.
One more thing Bill said in a letter..
"I spent 26 years at the Hub and worked to keep it up and maintain
the quality of that fine roller rink. For Me, it was a labor of
LOVE as it was with those who originally owned and built it."
We all should be grateful for his contribution.. Thanks, Bill Kohn..
Hi Frank.. Great talking to you. I take it you put some information
on your Web page. I don't have a scanner so I'm going to mail you
the following for your personal use. Several Hub decals,
1 Axle/Norridge decal, 2 Hub Rink Passes, 1 book of Hub matches,
1 Hub Roller Rink Post Card and a copy of the Original Opening Night
Program. The program confirms the October 27, 1950 date the rink
opened to the Public.
Bill
Marstarll@aol.com
Marstarll@aol.com
Hi, I don't have time right now but will keep you in my mail list
so I think about it later. If I find photos will be glad to get
them to you and will check out the web page. Good to hear about
this.
Hi Frank. Yes I did skate at the Hub in the 60 's and 70's.
Used to dance to waltz, nine step and foxtrot. I loved it there.
Used to go 3 nights a week back in l970. I remember a guy
John McCabe, Park Ridge, Ill. who used to skate there, he was a
great skater. Don't know if he is at the same location.
I don't have any pictures unless I can find one somewhere.
Grew up in that area so I know a lot about it. Steinmetz classmates
went there also.
Surprised to hear this. Makes me want to get my skates on again.
I always loved dancing on skates.
Alyson (Weathers) Sterzinger
How surprising it was to hear from you on this subject.
I lived (and my mom is still in the same house) only about 2 miles
from the Hub. She always encouraged us to go whenever we could
as she felt it was the best exercise around. I just loved the
music to skate to...went many times with the girl scouts on a
Saturday morning session. I remember the lobby, especially
after seeing the diagram someone drew. Didnt have any teenage
groups I hung out with there, just a few neighborhood girls.
Keep up the concept---the Hub needs to be remembered, like Riverview!
Thanks, Alyson
I thought of a few other things since I wrote you:
My brother I mentioned is now a dentist in Park Ridge, Dr. Gregory
Weathers. I am the oldest of six kids, and a lot of us went to one
of the last days the rink was open, as my sister had read about
it in the paper. It was great to be back there one more time!
I think you could contact my organ playing brother, Greg. He would
love to remininsce too. Oh, we both went to Maine South high school.
I graduated in '65 (same year as Hillary, but I didnt know her)
and Greg was two years behind me.
Good bye for now, and keep up the good work!
Alyson
I just had to remark on my memories of Mr Berry. I never met him,
but loved watching him as I went around the rink floor. And
when the session was over, I'd try to get a glimpse of him leaving
his perch high above the skaters. I would see him walking toward
the lobby and remember him being very short as I he'd walk away,
always with a smile on his face. There was nothing like skating
to organ music!
Thanks.....Alyson
Gelaine
I do not have any pictures or great stories, but the
first date that my husband (Sam) and I had - was at the
Hub. Neither one of us could skate very well, so we
still laugh that he would choose that activity for a
first date. That would have been in early 1967
Nancy Simonsen AKA... Nancy Lukes
Hi.....I am an ol Hubber 60's-70's and 80's at the Axle.......anyhoots - I
have a video tape (VHS) of what was the "last" Hub Night....in it there is a
speech from Bill Kohn.
Funny My sister and I have bought ourselfs quads rather the roller blades for
around the neigborhood.....strange looks we get!...Well - if you need a look
at the video let me know..I am in the Park Ridge area........
I also sent this out to a few other Hubbers (in-laws in Ft. Wayne In) , etc
and maybe they will have some pics since they were photo nuts in them days.
Great site! - Gonna go listen to my Freddi Arnish tape that I copied off an
album....clearing the floor floor for now...bye
Nancy Simonsen AKA... Nancy Lukes
Diane (Haas) Sallot
Dear Frank,
Got your email awhile back and have been through your Hub web site. When I first got the email I walked out into my garage and went directly to my skate case (sort of a yucky green with gold stars on it) to look inside. I found only my old skates whose wheels lost some thickness on the floors of the Hub. My brother gave me those skates for Christmas one year and they were one of my most treasured presents.
I went to Steinmetz High School and graduated in January 1962.
I skated at the Hub probably from 1959 through 1962. I only went on weekends because although I probably could have walked there (lived in 3700 block of Oketo) my parents only allowed me to go on weekends or special occasions. I usually skated with two friends from school, Noreen Atzel and Sue Loerzel. I did meet my first date there. His name was Jim DeCanio and I think he went to a Catholic boys school -- St. Pat's, but I'm not sure. It was too many years ago to remember that. I'm lucky I came up with his name, and even that took awhile before my memory spit it out at me. I don't think we dated long, and I don't remember dating anyone else I met there. What I remember most about the Hub was the skaters in the center and how I envied them. No matter how much I practiced, I never got the hang of backward skating without hanging on to someone. I guess I was just too much of a klutz. I enjoyed the skating I did though. I also remember that all the girls wore pom poms on their skates. I saved up allowance to buy a fluffy green and white pair (why did I keep choosing that yucky green color?). I think I went to a skating party at Riverview rink and my pom poms were confiscated (a skating hazard or something) and never returned to me.
So even though I don't have any photos or memorabilia to send to you, you have given me a nice trip down memory lane. Thanks
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