Question - Who was the best surfer of the 60's?

General Discussion
21

Jose Angel… switchfoot hellman

Pat Curren

Billy Hamilton…style

Midget Farrelly

Felipe Pomar

Greenough…innovation

Bob McTavish

Buffalo Keaulana

Ben Aipa

Mark Martinson

the list goes on…

footnote : -

being that I’m in australia, and was only 9 at the end of that decade, the preceeding names are based only on my studies of surf movie / video footage , and magazine articles . The only one of the above people I have ever seen surf IN PERSON is Midget Farrelly.

Now if that same question was regarding the 1970s…well…

22

In no particular order,

Nat Young,

George Greenhough,

Bob McTavish…

Those were the Innovation guys…

Josh…

PS… read the previous post by the chipman, Same for me but i wasn’t born yet!..

23

if I am not mistaken this article was written as a reactionary response to phil edwards exposure to the australian judging system at the" World Contest" held down under that year or perhaps 1963…phil did not do well neither did cabell…this was an ego check or at least an afront to PE’s status and sense-abilities…I believe cabell was "too aggressive and I bet Phil was too smoothe…I think that NAT WON!..which would be consistant with the fact that robert young had been evolving closely with the judging system there-by giving him the oppertunity to milk every wave to the judges delight…

to quantify THE BEST SURFER is ludicrous the criterion necessary to make any judgement like this narrows the spectrum of awareness down to a tiny droplet of distilled spirits devoid of the expansive nature of the activity itself///

how great is the ocean ,does it stop at the horizonor does it become the atmosphereas the density changes?

you are the best surfer of the 21st century

the sixties?

  1. best surfer on acid surfing the duke contest?

2.the best surfer is the only guy out at rincon 18-20 feet while everybody watches unable to paddle out?

3.the longest noseride at the huntington peir eddifice to southern california land development of the 1930s?

buy in and get in line for an autograph and a picture with an aging recovering identity selling themselves or…

GO SURF ING AND meet kindred spirits questing personal bests with every go out …or…

stand on the berm and watch the 'Latest world 's greatest narrow the criterion down smaller and smaller to fit the box they are building to highlight their talents for resale after their retirement…

hmmmm… juat a thought… who was the best…FRED WINDISCH… maybe Stan Ross ,Or Bill the Fireman,or uncle moot,OR CLIFF KAMAKA ,OR EDDY EHUKINI, or frankie freitas…skew the criterion and each and every one of these men among men could be the best including…you and me …can’t you see this is not a way to put an end to controversy but …

Is competition a war game?.. imposed on an art form are the competitive powers now trying to muddle the distinction beteen the two to feather the commercial bed as the pendulum swings away from crass promotionalism?{see the journal’s article by robert Young,now the old guy who if asked this question who was the best could produce the credentials and trophies to prove his opinion}

…ambrose…brewers yeast and orange juice… you are what you eat

24

Thanks Ambrose,

As far as I’m concerned, the best surfer of the 60’s was my dad. He was an avid surfer/waterman in the 60’s & 70’s. Because of his influence I have become quite the same. In my eyes, he is the greatest surfer for introducing me to a life that I could never escape. Nor want to.

Sr Pato

25
Quote:

Thanks Ambrose,

As far as I’m concerned, the best surfer of the 60’s was my dad. He was an avid surfer/waterman in the 60’s & 70’s. Because of his influence I have become quite the same. In my eyes, he is the greatest surfer for introducing me to a life that I could never escape. Nor want to.

Sr Pato

Sr Pato,

Best comment yet.

Surfers Rule! www.surfersrule.blogspot.com

Bob D.

26

Murphy had more pics in Surfer Mag. than anyone.He rode a super short board too. rb

27

I agree with every single person on these lists. I haven’t found one to disagree with yet!

28

Mike Hynson and Skip Frye weren’t too bad.

29
Quote:

Mike Hynson and Skip Frye weren’t too bad.

Asking who was the best surfer is like asking what is the best food. I don’t know who was the best, but my favorite would be Nat.

30

Were, and are, excellent craftsmen as well…

P.O.P.E.

31

ambrose: “if I am not mistaken this article was written as a reactionary response to phil edwards exposure to the australian judging system at the” World Contest" held down under that year or perhaps 1963…phil did not do well neither did cabell…this was an ego check or at least an afront to PE’s status and sense-abilities…I believe cabell was “too aggressive and I bet Phil was too smoothe…I think that NAT WON!..which would be consistant with the fact that robert young had been evolving closely with the judging system there-by giving him the oppertunity to milk every wave to the judges delight…”

You have got you facts wrong ambrose… Phil did not win the World title in Manly way back when, because he was the US judge on an International panel. I was on the beach that morning and to me, and to many of my friends, it appeared that Joey Cabell deserved to win. The final was glassy small surf, and any surfer was good enough to win that morning. No, Joey was not aggressive, just progressive…

Actually Joey did approach Phil after the contest and ask why Phil had marked down his scores (apparently they were dating the same girl at the time…)

I think Nat won the juniors that day from Robert Conneely, a Bondi surfer whose contribution to the shortboard breakthrough has been totally ignored by the ‘surf meedya’.

32

cb,

Awesome info! Thanks for the details, down to the girlfriend…

Surfers Rule!

Bob D.

33

thanks for the clarity…I stand clarified.

a well spent day at the beach with friends is truely a gift

…ambrose… the best wipe out would win?