A legend amongst legends. A storyteller of the highest order. Neighbor to one of my favorite humans. Corky Carroll’s one of a kind. Born September 29, 1947, he’s also widely considered to be the first real professional surfer to make money via endorsement deals.
A product of the heady Orange County scene of the 1950s, he was a standout in the early Seal Beach, Surfside and Huntington Beach scene. By ’59 he’d fully dedicated himself to the pursuit of surfing. In 1963 he landed a sponsorship with Hobie Alter and became the youngest member of the
Hobie surf team.