Damian Smith should be mentioned here...
Fuck yeah, man. Damian was a beast. Literally saw him push from Washington Ave all the way to city hall without putting his foot on the board. Just push, push, push, push. Definitely deserves a spot in Philly history.
Was lucky enough to go to college there in the early 2000s and saw some of the most raw skateboarding around at the time. People talk "core" shit these days. Everything about Philly during that time was as real as it gets. I didn't realize at that time, but I was witnessing an extra special era. Damian Smith, Rich Adler, Jack Sabback....fucking so many dope ass skateboarders there during that time. I actually have a hi-8 tape that has Wennings sb180 into the fountain on it.
Moved to chicago after philly, and while its incredible, it just couldn't touch those vibes from the early 00s in Philly.