"water removal machine for artificial turf"—also known as theAstro Zamboni Machine, a contraption that could suck up and pump water off Astro Turf at a rate of about 400 gallons per minute.

In the late 1920s, the Zamboni brothers opened an ice-making plant, from which they sold ice wholesale to produce companies shipping their products out of the area via rail. This would be a good business for the Zambonis for years, but eventually, of course,refrigerators became more affordable and commercially available, killing the much less efficient process of making ice. Seeing their profits melt away, the brothers pivoted into a new ice-based business.

At first glance, opening and operating a skating rink in Southern California seems like an odd choice. But in the 1940s, the Zamboni hometown of Paramountwas a dairy farming communitywith a large Dutch population for whom skating (especially speed skating) was a way of life. Catering to the demand, the Zamboni brothers built theParamount Iceland Skating Rink, which at the time was one of the largest ice skating rinks in America. It's still operating today. Originally open-air, the rink had problems staying frozen in the SoCal sun and wind, requiring constant attention from a large crew that needed an hour and a half to resurface the ice. Although a roof was added, the problem persisted. So Frank Zamboni got to work figuring out an easier, more efficient way to clean his ice.

Henry Candler, vice president of Denver Spurs Western Hockey League team, guides new Zamboni down a ramp following its arrival. Getty Images

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