06/26/2026
Steve Steadham, Skull & Spade - Powell Peralta 1985
Artist : Craig Stecyk III
Shape : 30 X 10 Stinger Tail
The first African American to join the Bones Brigade, Steve Steadham was raised in Las Vegas. His love for skateboarding, that he got from his friend Bubba, led him to move to California in 1981. Shortly after arriving in the Mecca of skateboarding, he caught the eye of Stacy Peralta. He thought it was a joke and that he was being teased, but no, Powell Peralta's boss was serious. That's how Steve Steadham became a member of the Bones Brigade in 1982. After a few year rocking the amateur ranks, he decided to defy Stacy. He entered a competition in Upland as a pro in 1984. It wasn't in Powell's plans to turn him pro at that point in his career, but he told Stacy he was going to go pro no matter what. Stacy told him that if he wanted to turn pro, he had to pay the $50 registration fee. Few could stand up to Stacy Peralta. Thanks to his excellent performances, he won every event except the pool, where he finished 3rd*. Steadham's bet paid off. After the competition, Stacy shook his hand and assured him of his pro status in the Bones Brigade.
Being a pro means having a pro model. Craig Stecik III created his first graphic, the "Skull & Spade." He drew a skeletal caricature of Steadham in the center of the ace of spades on a Denny's restaurant’s napkin. Steve really liked the drawing, even if the spade symbol left him a little bewildered. He still understood the meaning behind the graphic... He was the only Black player in the Bones Brigade deck of cards.
His board took the market by storm in 1985. It quickly became one of the company's best-selling boards. Initially, sales reached 2,000 per month, but quickly climbed to 20,000. At $1 per board, he earned approximately $30,000 to $40,000 that year. The future looked bright for Steve at Powell Peralta, but then, in a dramatic turn of events, he announced to Stacy Peralta that he was leaving Powell to found his own company: Steadham Design SGI. A decision that leaves him with some bitterness today. At the time, however, he stood by it. He felt left out when he learned that the entire Bones Brigade team, except for him, had gone on vacation. And this, even though his board was the company's best-selling model at the time!
The board's distinctive shape, narrower at the tail than the nose, and the arrows in the background make it easily recognizable. There's also a pig-shaped version, without the arrows, with square rather than rounded edges. This iteration was only available in Europe. To save on shipping, according to Stacy Peralta, Powell uses an overseas manufacturer to press its boards. This practice will be short-lived because the skateboards look more like bootlegs than legitimate Powells!
The iconic "Skull & Spade" board has inspired several decks, the most famous being Tony Hawk's spoof on Birdhouse in 2003. He replaced Steadham's dreadlocks with his classic blond hair cut! A new version of this deck was reissued in 2025. Tony Hawk's son, Riley, continued the tradition in 2016 with his own interpretation on Baker. His sunglasses on his head and a w**d leaf replacing the spade are prominent features.
Unusual, or perhaps not, the Steadham company, now called Stedmz, produces reissues with the same graphics and shape as its Powell Peralta. Very few riders have done this! The only that comes to my mind is Tony Hawk. In 1995, he released a deck on Birdhouse with his Chicken Skull design by VCJ. However, it's not the same shape as his OJ.
Do you know of any others who have reused graphics from Powell or any other company from the 80s?
*In his interview with Nine Club, he remembers finishing 4th, but the August 1984 issue of Thrasher magazine states that he finished 3rd. A better result than he remembered! Luckily, memory fades, but Thrasher remains!! Thanks to Bryce Kanights for capturing this competition… Unless I'm completely off base and it's not the right competition at all!!!
