He is no ordinary little man from Nebraska…
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it one thousand times. Eddie Rothman, co-founder of Da Hui, is one of the greatest characters of all and not just in surf.
From his backstory to his look to his specter which hovers over every inch of the North Shore… the man would be impossible to invent, much less replicate.
He is truly one of a kind and today he turns 70. Can you believe it? Seventy whole years.
Da Hui’s Instagram account is filled with notables wishing Mr. Rothman a very happy birthday.
Etc. It will be very much worth your while to visit Da Hui’s feed and revel.
Here is poem about Eddie Rothman in a book called Welcome to Paradise, Now Go to Hell which was apparently written seven years ago.
Theoretically Eddie Rothman is nothing to fear. Sixty-three years old and five foot seven, if generous, five foot six if honest, he could be a grandpa or a retiree. But he is not. He is roping muscle.
His arms, usually bare, are perpetually flexed. His chest, puffed like a gorilla, vibrates aggression. His expression rarely changes. It is stone and his features are stone too. A pug nose broken more than once. A jaw that would be impossible to break even with a lead baton. He shaves his grey hair down to a fine stubble and the braided rattail that he once sported is gone.
The neck that holds that head up is as thick as a tree. His eyes, when not covered behind wraparound sunglasses, are dull and probing at the same time. He looks through you, very slowly. He looks into you.
The reality of Eddie Rothman lives up to the whispers. He is no ordinary little man from Nebraska, like the Wizard of Oz, hiding behind a disembodied, booming voice. He is a flesh-and-blood reckoning.
Happy birthday to Eddie!
Eddie Rothman: A Legacy in Surf Culture
Table of Contents
A belated Happy birthday to my friend Eddie Rothman when I met Eddie I was 15 years old going to Kaimuki hi on the south shore of Oahu, at that time in his life a lot of his homeboys were calling him FAST EDDIE he has always been nice to me after living in town for a year my mom RIP had to move us back to Ca because she did have a husband that I’m sure she missed and I also missed my father RIP so after a few years back home I moved back to paradise me and a couple of friends rented a house at V Land right on Kam highway I reconnected with Eddie in 1980 thru a good friend of mine that I’m pretty sure everyone that has surfed or even though about surfing knows his name MONTGOMERY aka BUTTONS god how much I miss Buttons anyway like pretty much everyone knows those houses at V Land were ripped down decades ago, with the help of Buttons, Bully, big Mala, Jessie and a few other of da country boys we were hanging around Kammies lil market pretty much across the street from Kamieland Sunset you could also probably throw a rock and put it in the line up but that definitely would not be a smart thing to do talking about dirty lickings that would be a understatement, anyway Eddie is Eddie but the man has always treated me with respect and he like everyone else knew I was born and raised in California and back in those days especially when I was going to Kaimuki hi school there was still this thing called kill Haole day and it happened every Friday but for some reason I never caught those dirty lickings that the local boys would serve out to the Haoles every Friday and trust me it was not because I was a big bad ass white boy hell no because the smallest one was bigger than my 165 pd butt after I got kicked out of Kaimuki hi I went to Mc Kinley had no problem there either thank god, like my friend Eddie Rothman Uncle Eddie he and the rest of the local people in da islands have always made me feel welcome and basically took me in has a family member, and when I would come and go over three and a half decades back and forth to paradise they were always so good to me but my stupid ass would end not only back here in So Cal but I would end up back in prison 1 of the biggest mistakes of my life was leaving the islands the other was start using Heroin done with that but also done with life it’s game over for me, I no I will never be on the North Shore again but I just want to thank EDDIE ROTHMAN AND THE REST OF MY FRIENDS THAT STILL LIVE IN THE SEVEN MILE MIRACLE THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THOSE TIMES IN MY LIFE THE BEST, 1 last thing don’t be so quick to judge another man remember every time you point a finger there’s 3 pointing back at you, MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT TO MY FRIEND EDDIE ROTHMAN we had some fun times at Steamers in da early 80s God bless the entire Rothman Family Ohana Respects MM5150LA
It’s articles like this that make me wonder if the author of this blog only knows three people in the whole surf industry.
Shit,all you have to do is be someone who plays make believe for a living, and wish Eddie happy birthday to get a free pass?
Rumor has it Brolin got the wave of his life at V-land.
That would be truly sad, if that happened.
I hope you’re right, Eugene.
Man KB is a one wave town , the locals are all blow ins anyway , it was made pretty clear the WSL and more to the point Tim Thirsk and the WASRA crew are no longer welcone at Margaret River so they need to secure a new venue or the comp is over as are all that crews money spinner, they will push for Jakes and the WA tourism industry and Geraldton and KB shires will push hard ..i say watch this space.
Thanks for that.
Interesting.
What a circus …
Just as long as no pros hit the water before 9am
likewise i hope u r right eugened
Hey Chas, speaking of heavy locals that are easily pissed off and constantly angry, have you heard where they might be moving the Margret river pro to next year? Think lefthand points NW WA
That would be so sick , Mick Maccaulife can lead the charge , they still love him and Surfing WA , Tracks and RipCurl up North.
If I make it to 70 I plan on living on a golf course in Scottsdale, not living on the North Shore wearing white Oakleys and hassling tourists…
Oct. ‘76, Surfing mag. (rip ‘ing) https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
What a fucking badass! Respect.
JOSH BROLIN IS HUI? The world is full of magical surprises.
Brolin is a Goon in a tribe of Goonies too.
Also a thrasher in Thrashin’.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
I love the Lollipop Guild !
This picture shows how much, at seventy years old, it’s important to relieve your bladder as often as necessary.
I can’t imagine being 70 and still caring about regulating a line up. Kudos to him for surviving this long.
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