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Home , Aerial (skateboarding), Athletes for Hope, Bob Burnquist, Mat Hoffman, Mega ramp, Powell Peralta

“THE BIRDMAN” A Biography of Introduction Hawk was born in Carlsbad, Cali- fornia to Nancy and Frank Peter Rupert Hawk and was raised in San Diego, Cali- fornia. When Hawk was young, he was described as being “hyperactive,” and his mother says that he was “so hard on himself and expected himself to do so many things.” One time, Tony struck out in baseball and was so distraught that he hid in a ravine and had to be “physically coaxed out” by his father. His frustration with himself was so harsh that his par- ents had him psychologically evaluated at school. The results were that Tony was “gifted,” he tested with an I.Q. of 144, and school advisors recommended plac- ing him in advanced classes. Given his first board at the age of 9, Hawk was a pro His parents supported his skate- by 14 and a multiple title-holder and champion by the boarding because it served as an outlet time he graduated from high school in 1986. for his excessive energy, and as Hawk’s skills developed, he became a profes- sional skateboarder at age fourteen and was the National Association world champion for twelve consecutive years.

“Big decisions in my life have always come easy and are made without hesitation. It is easier for me to make a life-changing decision than to decide what to get for dessert.” ii

1 further by landing a no-handed 900.[4] Simon cessfully land the trick during press interviews The 900 Tabron’s signature trick is the 900. In the 2007 for the video game Tony Hawk: Ride and at The 900 is a 2½-revolution (900 degrees) 13 Simon Tabron landed the first the “Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up for spin performed on a skateboard ramp. back-to-back 900s. Skate Parks” event. Even in 2011 Hawk was While airborne, the skateboarder makes two- Because the gear of snowboarders, skiers, still able to land his famous 900 and posted a and-a-half turns about his or her longitudinal or inline skaters is affixed to their feet, the video of the trick via his account stat- axis, thereby facing the other way when com- 900 is not considered to be a difficult trick for ing “I’m 42 and I did a 900 today.” ing down than before. It is considered one of professionals in those sports and is performed ’s most technically demanding rather often. A 1440 degree spin has been tricks. landed on skis, 1260 have been landed on Successfull Landings inline skates, 1080 on bmx, 1080 on scooter. Pre-Hawk +Tony Hawk, July 1999, X-Games, San Fran- Tony Hawk’s 900 cisco, California (USA) A number of opinions exist about pre-1999 +Giorgio Zattoni, April 2004, Marianna HC, 900s. The most prominent of these is the Tony Hawk, one of the most successful verti- Ravenna (Italia) argument that landed the 900 in cal pro skateboarders in the world, landed +Sandro Dias, May 2004, Latin X-Games, Rio 1989, and it appears in an early Santa Cruz “The 900” at the 1999 X-Games after ten de Janeiro (Brazil) film. In 1999 Tony Hawk said: “Well, he was failed attempts. It was past regulation time +Alex Perelson, July 2009, Maloof Money shown in a video almost 10 years ago. He but, as one announcer said, “We make up Cup, Costa Mesa, California (USA) was really close, but he didn’t make it. He the rules as we go along. Let’s give him an- +, first fakie to fakie 900, August came the closest by far, but they cut the video other try.” None of the other skaters protested. 2010 ,(USA) before he fell. So it may have misled some Hawk twice landed on his board, but it flew +Mitchie Brusco, July 2011, Nescau Mega- people. There are only five people who have out from under him. When he finally com- Ramp Invitational, São Paulo (Brazil) been able to spin completely and he’s one of pleted the trick, his arms windmilled and his +Elliot Sloan, October 2011, Maloof Money them. and Rob Boyce also have hand barely grazed the ramp. Nonetheless, Cup, South Africa Tony celebrating the first ever “900” at the 1999 X games in San Francisco. spun it, but they haven’t landed it. We’ve all he rode away. He was awarded 1st place in +, October 2011, MegaRamp been trying it and killing ourselves.” the “Best Trick” event despite going over the Woodward West, Tehachapi, California (USA) time limit. At a later X-Games, Hawk landed +Zac Rose, April, 2012 at Rye Airfield, NH Other Sports the trick again, this time during regulation (USA) time. In his book, the 900 was the last on The 900 can also be attempted on a BMX wishlist of tricks Hawk had written a decade bike, skis, snowboard, scooter or in-line earlier. Other tricks on the list included the ol- skates. BMX-Rider was the first lie 540, 540, and varial 720. In a 1999 person to successfully land the 900 on film interview, Hawk said he does not have “any at a competition in Canada in 1989. At the desire to spin further”. He did, however, suc- 2002 X Games, Hoffman took the trick a step

2 3 Boom Boom Huck Jam Films and Television

In 1986, Tony Hawk was a featured skate- Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom HuckJam began in “These sports are just, you go do it, and boarder and skater-double for Josh Brolin in 2002 as a one-off show in Las Vegas. It was you’re doing it on your own. You don’t have to the movie Thrashin’. In 1989, he appeared the first show of it’s kind, featuring the best answer to anyone.” as a skateboarder in Gleaming the Cube. skateboarders, bmx riders and freestyle moto- In 2002, he appeared in Neal H. Moritzs’s x maniacs in one choreographed extrava- and Christopher Gilcrest’s film xXx playing ganza. The show featured live music by some List of Riders the role of one of Xander Cages stuntman Skate Video’s of the world’s most famous bands...and it was friends, and later in the movie, a skateboarder a huge success! So, Tony decided to take it + Simon Tabron + Tony Hawk at a party. In 2004 he played himself in the +1984: The Bones Brigade Video Show (Powell- on the road, across the U.S.A. With the best + Rick Thorne + Andy Macdonald Australian skateboarding movie Deck Dogz. Peralta) vert ramp money can buy (over $1 million!) + + Bob Burquist In 2006, Tony Hawk appeared in a cameo +1985: Future Primitive (Powell-Peralta) and trucks and trucks full of lighting and moto + Ronnie Faisst + on the film Drake & Josh Go Hollywood as +1987: The Search for Animal Chin (Powell-Peralta) track and stages, Tony and crew hit 31 of the + Brian Deegan + Riley Hawk himself. Hawk has had a cameo in the movie +1988: Public Domain (Powell-Peralta) largest arenas across the country. + Matt Buyten + Kevin Staab + Drake McElroy + Rune Glifberg The New Guy. Hawk appeared in : +1989: Ban This (Powell-Peralta) The Movie with Mat Hoffman and Bam Mar- +1992: Feasters (Birdhouse) After two years of taking action sports to the + Dustin Miller + Sergie Ventura gera, skateboarding in a fat suit and Jackass +1992: Untitled (Birdhouse) masses, Fox Television stepped in and asked + Mickey Diamond + Lincoln Ueda 2, while skateboarding through an obstacle +1993: Ravers (Birdhouse) Tony to stage a special Boom Boom HuckJam + Jason Ellis + Jesse Fritsch course. Tony appears in the film following the +1998: The End (Birdhouse) to air as part of the Super Bowl Sunday televi- + Andy Jones + Paul Zitzer 2006 Gumball Rally, 3000 Miles, again with +2001: One Step Beyond (Adio) sion programming. The guys headed to Phoe- + Neal Hendrix + Bucky Lasek . He also plays the police officer +2007: The Beginning (Birdhouse) nix and performed the biggest BBHJ ever. + + Mat Hoffman + Jeremy Stenberg + Kevin Robinson who arrests in the movie Hag- gard: The Movie. Hawk also made a brief In 2006, approached Tony and + Greg Garrison + Dennis McCoy cameo appearance in Lords of Dogtown as brought the Boom Boom HuckJam tour to Six + Mike Cinqmars + Chad Kagy an astronaut, where he is shown comically Flags amusement parks across the country + Clifford Adoptante + falling off the skateboard as he is a “rookie”. for two straight summers. + Derek Burlew “I consider skateboarding an art form, a life- He played himself in an episode of Rocket style and a sport.” Power.

4 5 Tony Hawk’s Video Game Series American Sk8land and featured cel-shaded experience. The board The first game was considered revolution- was released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2, animation, wireless connectivity and a slightly itself received negative ary and the series dominated the genre. Due GameCube, Xbox and Game Boy Advance. different storyline. criticism from review- to the success of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater in This game differs not only in name from the In 2006, Tony Hawk’s Project 8 came out for ers. Tony Hawk men- 1999, released a number of follow- previous titles but also focuses on the idea of the PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, Xbox and PSP. The tioned on Twitter the ups. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (2000) for the story mode, where the player progresses their entire area used for story mode was intercon- existence of the next PlayStation, 2001 for the Dreamcast, Ninten- character from a local skater to a sponsored nected like American Wasteland, but this time, game, reportedly titled do 64, PC, Mac, Game Boy Color and Game pro skater. there were no loading times and no loading Tony Hawk: Shred. The Boy Advance). The game was re-released tunnels. Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam, which game was officially an- in the US later in 2001 as Tony Hawk’s Pro Sequels to Come was a spin-off to the series, in which you had nounced by Activision Skater 2X for the Xbox which featured levels to race downhill as well as doing tricks. Most on April 22, 2010. The from the first 2 games. Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 was released in of the playable characters were fictional, as game was released on October 2004, the games is a direct sequel to well as the fact that there were only 2 play- October 26, 2010. The game received poor Going Online its predecessor, you play as the same charac- able pros, being Tony Hawk and Kevin Staab. reviews from critics and fans. ter as (“THUG”) and features many old faces The game was released on the Nintendo DS, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 (2001) for the including Eric Sparrow Wii, Game Boy Advance and later on Play- Looking to the Future GameCube, Game Boy Color, PlayStation 2 (a previous “friend”). Station 2. The next official game in the series and PlayStation. In 2002, it was published for With the release of the was Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, released in On February 9, 2011, Activision announced the Nintendo 64, Xbox, PC, Mac and Game PlayStation Portable, 2007 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Play- that the Tony Hawk series would not feature Boy Advance. It is notable as being the first Tony Hawk’s Under- Station 3, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS. an installment in the 2011 calendar year. This Playstation 2 title to be playable online, pre- ground 2 was repack- The next game was Tony Hawk’s Motion, an- was due to poor reviews and sales of recent dating the release of the Broadband Network aged as Tony Hawk’s other spin-off to the franchise. It was released games in the series. Tony Hawk has since Adaptor. It was also the last Nintendo 64 Underground 2 Remix, on the Nintendo DS on November 18, 2008, stated that “we’re going to do something prob- game. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 (2002) was a launch title for the packaged with Hue Pixel Painter. Motion uti- ably for next year but I can’t give too much released for the Play- new handheld console. lises new technology incorporating tilt/motion away” regarding the 2012 calendar year. Station, PlayStation In 2005, Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland controls. The game also featured the option Activision’s CEO of publishing has stated that 2, GameCube, Game was released on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, to snowboard. The 12th game in the franchise they believe in the staying power of the Tony Boy Advance, PC, Mac, GameCube, Xbox 360 and later on PC. It Tony Hawk: Ride, was developed by Robo- Hawk franchise, claiming that Tony Hawk “is Xbox and Tapwave spans all of Los Angeles in one big open modo, and released in November, 2009 for a lasting icon. He has that Michael Jordan-ish Zodiac. world environment, with the exception of the the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3 to poor or Jordan-esque staying power, seemingly.” The fifth game in the classic mode levels and is bigger than all of critical and commercial reception. The game In 2012, the series returned to the original series, Tony Hawk’s the previous games. The Nintendo DS and uses a board peripheral that uses accelerom- controls with the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Underground (THUG), the Game Boy Advance version was called eters and sensors to create a more realistic Skater HD on July, 18, 2012.

6 7 Tony Hawk Foundation

Hawk launched the Tony Hawk Foundation, which has given away more than US$3.4 mil- lion to help build over 400 around the US. The Foundation supports projects in low-income areas and helps underprivileged kids. In 2007, Hawk, , Muham- mad Ali, , , , , , Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, , and Cal Ripken, Jr. founded the charity, “”,[18] an organiza- tion that aims to inspire all people to volunteer and support their communities through the actions of professional athletes.

Tony Hawk can add another notch to his hero belt because while upper social economic neighborhoods are expanding on their youth activities, other neighborhoods are having “Most of my friends are skaters or were skat- a difficult time just having their cities listen. ers at one time, so they obviously relate.” Why? Because those skateparks are damn Tyler Sibol expensive. The Tony Hawk Foundation Board December 10, 2012 of Directors has announced its Spring 2009 TYPOGRAPHY 355 grant awards.

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