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   Gray Slide - Upland Pipeline Combi-bowl

  1980 Big O Skatepark (photo by Marc Simril)

Jim Gray  -  Moved from Los Angeles to Orange County, CA at the age of 7, Jim was sponsored at the age of 13 (1977ish) by a little known company called Pro-Am/Pure Gold. They held team practice weekly at Skatopia Skatepark in Buena Park and sometimes at Sadlands. By the age of 15, Jim was sponsored by Powerflex Skateboards. There were some problems between the management at Powerflex and soon that company stopped producing skateboards. After a short stint with IPS (Inouye’s Pool Service), Steve Cathey asked Jim to ride for Gordon and Smith (G&S). 

Jim rode for G&S for eight plus years with Teamriders like Billy Ruff, Chris Miller, and Neil Blender. Jim invented a few tricks such as the Jim Jam and the Gray Slide, all of which were named by Neil Blender. Jim spent most of his time skating Big O skatepark in Orange, and most happily remembers all his years of competing against the likes of Lance Mountain, Tony Hawk, Neil Blender, Billy Ruff, Alan Losi, Christian Hosoi, Duane Peters and many others. Jim’s favorite things to do were frontside airs and riding pipes. In the Mid 80’s Jim hooked up with a small nor cal company called Blockhead, and spent the last of his competitive day’s riding for them. Jim started Acme Skateboards in 1991, and today operates Abc Board Supply which manufactures decks for Acme, several other large skateboard brands, and distributors throughout the world. 

Jim values his roots and for several years licensed out the Gordon and Smith line, and today is producing boards for both Powerflex and Blockhead. Abc is the worlds only 100% pro skater owned company in the world that makes its own decks on site. You can check out his factory at www.abcboards.com !! Jim has also become an advocate for public skateparks in his local area of Costa Mesa/Newport Beach. You can check out that effort at www.skateparkcoalition.org.

Awesome Andrecht and contorted handplants by Skate Legends:  Marty Jiminez (Jinx) and Jim Gray

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