Tom Sims and the Birth of Modern Snowboarding: A Legendary Entrepreneur and a Pioneer in Skate and Snowboard History

The Legacy of a Force in Board Sports

Tom Sims had an enormous impact on the birth of of modern board sports. His 2012 obituary in the New York Times reminds us that he opened a door to snowboarding and skating for us, a door that only grows more magnetic with the passing of time. A door that burst off its hinges in a blazing firestorm in the 1980s. Sims’ legacy of introducing dynamic change to the world of skateboarding and snowboarding is profound. Below we will consider a small corner of the Tom Sims Galaxy of Achievement. It can be said that he lived a life approaching stratospheric accomplishment.

Why no Snowboarding at Notable Institutions? Are They Mad?

Sims is considered an inventor of the snowboard, a leader of stunning vision, bringing snowboarding and skateboarding to the masses. For much of the late 20th century, Not a single snowboard could found on the hallowed slopes of Snowbird, Telluride, Mammoth, Stowe, or Cochran’s ski hill (look it up). Also, side note: Mad River Glen in Vermont still does not take kindly to snowboarders. Your work is not complete, Tom, the struggle continues. Is there anywhere skiers are not allowed? Reader, please let us know.

Image shows skiers at Mad River Glen

The horrors of no snowboards.

Shaken, Not Stirred, Golden Gun, Octo…What? Sims Connection to the Magic of Hollywood Brilliance

Tom’s Connection to James Bond is real. A sometimes forgotten hero of James Bondishness, Roger Moore, was assisted by Sims in the 1985 classic : A View to a Kill, playing his stunt double for some pioneering Hollywood snowboarding.

Note: here at Chotchkiemoto, we revere the late Roger Moore. According to his Obituary in the Observer, Bond:“ Sheer magnetism, darling.” According to the article, Bond [after Kananga blows up like a balloon]: says: “He always did have an inflated opinion of himself”. The inconvenient truth about Roger Moore is that he was exceptionally classy. He makes the list of the three best Bonds ever, even though he thought of himself as the 4th.

James Bond as portrayed by Roger Moore from the Observer

Once again, please let us know if you would be interested in a debate considering the merits of the Bond franchise or other deeply important investigations into the cultural implications of important snow or skateboard culture or if you have information to add to our compendium of wisdom Contact

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