Many kids and grown-ups have liked roller skating over the years as a fun activity.
People started using roller skates in a London show around 1743, and John Joseph Merlin said he invented the first skates while living in London in 1760.
Even during World War II, the U.S. thought about using roller skates to move infantry in Europe and save gas, but this idea didn’t happen.
In the U.S., roller skating became a popular hobby in 1935. It became even more popular in the 1970s when skating rinks playing disco music were introduced.
If you’re a bit older, you might recall those clunky metal skates that clipped onto your shoes and could be adjusted as your feet grew. But you might not recall a metal item that many skaters used to wear around their necks.
People are posting pictures of the brownish object on social media, and many are guessing that it might be a bottle opener or some sort of tool.
It’s actually a skate key, and if you were roller skating before the 1970s, it was a must-have tool for anyone with roller skates.
You’d attach the skates to your shoes and change their size using the skate key.
The key would go into the back of the skates, and many folks wore it around their neck to avoid losing it while skating.
People have even written songs about this crucial piece of skating gear.
Remember skate keys? Share your skating stories with us on our Facebook page.
And remember to tell others about this enjoyable memory.