The Original Roller Derby Queen
by Rockerboy

Ann Theresa Calvello was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on Aug. 1, 1929. She was considered by many to be a glowing diamond in the roughest sport on roller skates and a glimmering example of women’s empowerment in a time when it was neither fashionable nor commonplace.  She lived her life as she played her sport; by her own rules and with very few compromises.

In 1948, when she was only 18, she went with a friend to her first roller derby bout and she was hooked. Awed by the spectacle and sheer athleticism of the game, Calvello joined up and quickly became the most fierce competitor in the sport. Her looks earned her the nickname ``Banana Nose,'' `but her spirited temperament earned her the moniker “Demon of the Derby.”

In a time when Donna Reed and June Cleaver dominated the airwaves, Calvello was dominating derby tracks around the world. Her multicolored hair, feline tattoos and outrageous behavior on the track were legendary. She became an international star, packing arenas and dazzling television audiences, at one point earning the coveted title “Roller Derby Queen.”

She played on teams in Philadelphia and New Jersey, but she earned her reputation as one of the San Francisco Bay Bombers. Over the years Calvello suffered 12 broken noses, four broken elbows, a broken collar bone, broken tail bone, cracked ribs, and a host of injuries.

Later on, while a lot of women her age were settling down to become grandmothers, Calvello, dubbed the ``Meanest Mama on Skates,” was still carving her way around a derby track. She continued to entertain crowds by skating in events well into her 60s, becoming the only professional athlete to have competed in seven decades:

In early 2006, Calvello was diagnosed with liver cancer, and passed away soon after.  She was 76.