Long beach skateboarder Russ Howell wows the crowd at Oceanside National Pro-Am in 1978 In the summer of 1978, the Oceanside National Pro-Am in North County San Diego featured professional and amateur skateboarders - both men and women. While most of the skaters were from California, some came from as far as Japan and England. 28-year-old Russ Howell of Long Beach - nicknamed "Grandpa" because he was "old for the sport" - was favored to win and had appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and "To Tell The Truth." News 8's Doug McAllister was there to capture all the tricks and turns of the competition.

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