Phil Esbenshade

Phil Esbenshade, also known as Phil E., was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a well known professional skateboarder in the second skateboard heyday of the late 1980s. Several skateboards bearing the E logo on them were made in his honor. He retired from the sport in the 1990s and later became a Prosecutor and College Professor in California's Central Valley.

Esbenshade also played bass guitar and sang in the underground indie rock band Custom Floor with Miki Vuckovich, Garry Davis, and then later, Atom Willard (longtime drummer for Rocket From The Crypt , The Offspring,Angels & Airwaves, and currently for Against Me!.) Custom Floor released one 7" while Phil was in the band, on Goldenrod Records.

Phil E. appeared in Transworld Skateboarding magazine, Thrasher Magazine, Freestylin', Homeboy Magazine, Warp Magazine, Skateboard!(UK) and Poweredge Magazine numerous times between 1987-1992. Phil's sponsors included Skull Skates, Gullwing Trucks, Santa Cruz Speed Wheels, Venture Trucks, Smallroom, Zorlac Skateboards, and G&S Skateboards.

Photos of Phil Esbenshade appear in the photography book, "Rat a Tat Tat Birds" by Jeff Winterberg.

Esbenshade is an alumnus of the University of La Verne College of Law, United States International University (now Alliant International University) and San Diego Miramar College.