A look back at the Baltimore Cats Roller Games era, by Scott Stephens—author of ROLLING THUNDER: The Golden Age of Roller Derby and The Rise & Fall of the LA T-Birds.
The Baltimore Cats were a home team formed by the National Skating Derby in 1972, skating until 1974. They debuted at the Baltimore Civic Center, an 8,000-seat arena that had hosted major sports and music acts. Early on, the Cats wore repurposed Florida Jets jerseys before unveiling their brown-and-gold uniforms. Games typically drew 6,000 fans on weekends and were broadcast locally on UHF stations WBFF in Baltimore and WDCA in Washington, DC, with syndication in other cities.
The Cats were part of a strong East Coast circuit that included Philadelphia and Cleveland, creating tour routes for visiting red-shirt teams. However, attendance declined after the loss of TV coverage, and by mid-1974 the Cats merged with the Philadelphia Warriors to form the “War-Cats.”
The roster blended ex-Warriors, former Roller Derby skaters like Jerry Cattell and Bill Hill, and emerging stars such as Sonja Sims, who became a fan favorite. Notable skaters included Richard Brown, Yolanda Trevino, Erwin Miller, Peggy Fowler, Peter Kelly and Marti Zinni, Sam Washington, Leon Jackson, and many others. Led by Coach Vinnie Gandolfo and Captain Ruberta Mitchell, the Cats made their mark in Roller Games history during their brief three-year run.
Jerseys
