Bill was an Endless Summer Skatepark (Detroit) local back in the day. Now he runs Piranha Alley skate shop and owns the K-Zoo Skate Zoo skatepark—both in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Interview via email in December, 2001.
How often did you go to Apple?
I think I ended up going five times. A couple of the trips were a few days long. I know I had to renew my membership once.
Which areas of the park were your favorite? Why?
I probably rode the egg bowl the most because the contests were always in that one. But the halfpipe and the L-bowl were the most fun.
Did you see any pros skate there?
I saw Andrecht skate it in person. Hey ripped the whole place. He did rock 'n' roll slides in the kidney—which was super hard to ride. I saw super-8 movies of Eddie Elguera, Eric Grisham and Duane Peters riding there. Eddie did axle stalls on the three-quarter sections of the halfpipe. Grisham did board slides to fakies on the three-quarter sections. Duane did frontside grinds on the three- quarter sections, of course. Duane probably had the most impact on the locals. The next time I went, there were about three Duane clones skating (Dave Bush).
What tricks did you do and in which areas of the park ?
I could do Andrechts, regular inverts, boardslides and layback airs in the egg bowl. I rolled in to the halfpipe, did inverts and was able to haul off an early-grab backside channel hop in the back part of the halfpipe. I could forever carve the little keyhole pool.
What is the raddest thing you saw happen at Apple?
My friend Spike knocked his front tooth out in the egg.
How did Apple rate as a skatepark? What were its strong points and weak points?
It was about 70% good—which was high for that period of time. Most parks had only one good run. Transitions were too quick in the pools—hard to land with speed. Surface was great—not too slippery or kinky.
Did you ever skate a park that was better?
Yes, Marina Del Rey.
Did you ever attend any special functions at Apple (am contests, parties, after-hours sessions)? Please describe.
I skated in two GLSA (Great Lakes Skateboard Association) Series contests. I think I did really good in one of them—kind of a freak thing. I think Kevin Tate let us skate an hour early once while he swept the place. He let me borrow his Variflex T-shirt to get a few pictures to try and get sponsored.
Please describe any vivid memories you have of Apple.
Vivid is tough—it all seems like it was a dream. Until the Vans parks opened, it was hard to tell people what it was like in 1980. They cant believe there were places like that. It seems like those Vans parks are also making the same mistakes that places like Apple did—too big, too expensive. Kind of take skaters for granted.
Please describe anything funny or strange (skating or non) that happened there.
My friend and I once made a day trip to Apple without telling our parents. It was about four hours (each way) from Detroit. I was fifteen. We didn't have enough money. My friend had a Texaco gas card, but there was only one Texaco between Detroit and Columbus. I don't know how it all worked out, but it did. No one ever got in trouble.
Were you bummed when Apple was destroyed?
About as much as I was when all the GLSA parks started closing.
Please add any other memories, info or comments you wish.
I ended up buying the Apple 7-Up portable demo ramp. I got it in 1984 after Endless Summer closed. I put it next to my house and made it 10 feet wide.
