Tony Hawk

After several fractured ribs, a broken elbow, two knocked out teeth, a compressed vertebrae, popped bursas, torn up knee cartilage, a bruised tailbone, sprained ankles, torn ligaments, and more than 50 stitches, most skateboarders would call it quits. The thing that makes Tony Hawk different from any other skater is his courage.

On May 12, 1968 in Carlsbad, California a legend was born. Tony Hawk was always a scrawny kid, and was scared of the bigger skaters. He was so small that he had to wear elbow pads on his knees. If you think that a skinny little boy like Tony would not make it as a skateboarder, you are wrong. When Tony was a kid, he was so well known in his town as the best skateboarder, that at the barbershops they had signs advertising the Tony Hawk haircut. Tony Hawk was always an outcast in school, but in the skateboarding world he is a god. Tony Hawk to this day is the youngest person ever to become a pro. In 1982, 11 year old Tony Hawk became a professional skateboarder only a year after getting his first skateboard. In 1984, 13 year old Tony premiered in a “Mountain Dew” commercial. In 1987, 16 year old Tony premiered in his first movie, “Gleaming the Cube” as the part of a Pizza Hut delivery boy. Tony also appeared in a 1999 “Got Milk?” ad.

Tony Hawk is known to be the best skateboarder that ever lived. On July 27,1999 at the X Games vert competition, Tony Hawk was the first person ever to successfully land the 900. The 900 is another way of saying 2 ½ complete spins. That trick was always considered an impossibility. The 900 has now become Tony Hawk’s signature move. During an interview Tony Hawk said something that led everybody thinking he was going to retire. "This is it. This is what it all comes down to. I feel like everything has led up to now. That's it for me, I swear. What else is there? The 900 was my goal." That remark made all of Tony’s fans a little bit worried. “The impact of the spin and the force that you hit with when you fall (900) is like getting in a car wreck every time you fall,” says Tony Hawk. It took Tony Hawk 11 tries to land the 900 in just that one competition, which means he fell 10 times. That shows his courage and high tolerance of pain. “There is always an element of fear when you try something new, but you have to go at it with confidence.” That quote inspired many people other than skaters. He is right when he says that, because fear holds back many people from doing things that they want to do.

He recently retired from skateboarding. He stated that he is only retiring from competitions and not the sport itself. He says that he will keep on skateboarding. His retiring made many die-hard Tony Hawk fans very upset. Even now after his retiring, “Birdhouse” and “Hawk Clothing” live on. He didn’t even stop making video games. Tony Hawk still appears in many skate videos such as “Destroying America”. In that particular video Tony actually played the same part as he did in “Gleaming the Cube”. Tony played the Pizza Hut delivery boy, but in this video it was a parody of his former part. Tony Hawk’s most inspirational quote is “You just have to find it and follow your passion, and it will become your career.” That quote is not directed to skateboarders but to everybody that has a hobby that they love.

Now that you know Tony Hawk as more than just a skateboarder, but a well educated businessman, an actor, and most of all a role model for people of all ages. From skateboarding to business running, Tony Hawk fits all of the characteristics of a hero. Hopefully, after hearing this biography on Tony Hawk, you will think differently about skateboarders.