Roller Game

Roller Game was a variation of the sport of roller derby that was played in Japan by the Roller Game League, established in 1990. Roller Game was played on either a flat or banked track, and on either traditional (quad) roller skates or inline skates. Although its name is similar to that of the relatively theatrical Roller Games, Roller Game was, according to its promotional videos, inspired more by the original Roller Derby—it is a full-contact athletic competition with strictly enforced rules and no staged fighting.

The game

Among the unique features of Roller Game, which was played on a 100-m oval track:

Roller Game League

Roller Game League was owned by R.G. Produce Japan, Ltd., a Tokyo-based company headed by Hiroshi Koizumi (小泉博), who, in 1973 at age 15 was a star skater for the original Tokyo Bombers of Roller Games. Koizumi's company manages skate parks and rinks, and since the mid-1980s has produced roller skating related events for television, theme parks, and musical theatre.

Roller Game events began in 1990, when Koizumi organized the league's first two teams: the Murasaki Sports Cosmos and the Tokyo Bombers, the latter named in homage to the team with which he skated in the 1970s. Early star skaters included Mamoru Murakami of the Cosmos, Eiji Morita of the Lightning Jets, Takamasa Kazueda of the Delta Force, and Wataru Ueki of the Tokyo Bombers.

Initially open to men only, Roller Game League now includes women as well.[1]

In 1993, Roller Game League hosted a male-only "World Cup" invitational in which an all-star team culled from various United States leagues competed against RGL all-stars.[2]

Season results

Roller Game League regular season results
Season Season name Rank Team W L
1990 Rolling Spirits '90 1 Murasaki Sports Cosmos 7 4
2 Tokyo Bombers 4 7
1991 Japan League Match '91 1 Murasaki Sports Cosmos 5 3
2 Lightning Jets 4 4
3 Tokyo Bombers 3 5
1992 Japan League Match '92 1 Murasaki Sports Cosmos 7 2
2 Bombers 7 2
3 Lightning Jets 3 6
4 Delta Force 1 8

1992 season results

1993 Roller Game World Cup

2001 Tokyo Dome Cup

References

Most of the references for this article are the videos and R.G. Produce Japan web site mentioned in the external links section, below. Additional references include the following:

External links

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