Biography & Career Of Tony Hawk

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Biography & Career Of Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk is a legendary skateboarder who revolutionized the sport with his technical innovations and spectacular stunts.

He is also a successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, and media personality who has influenced millions of fans worldwide.

Tony Hawk is the first person to land a “900” skateboarding trick, the creator of a popular video game franchise, and the founder of a charity that builds skateparks for underprivileged communities.

Early Life & Education

Tony Hawk was born on May 12, 1968, in San Diego, California, to Nancy and Frank Hawk, who supported his skateboarding passion.

He has two older sisters, Pat Hawk and Lenore Hawk, and an older brother, Steve Hawk. Tony was a gifted child with an IQ of 144 and was tested for advanced classes at school.

However, he also had a lot of energy and was often restless. He started skateboarding at 9 and found it a perfect outlet for creativity and daring.

He entered his first competition at age 11 and impressed the judges with his originality and skill.

He turned pro at age 14 and joined the Powell Peralta team, where he starred in the famous Bones Brigade videos. He attended three high schools and graduated from Torrey Pines High School in 1986.

Personal Life

Tony Hawk has been married four times and has four children. His first wife was Cindy Dunbar, whom he married in 1990 and divorced in 1993.

They have a son, Riley, who is also a professional skateboarder. His second wife was Erin Lee, whom he married in 1996 and divorced in 2004.

They have two sons, Spencer and Keegan. His third wife was Lhotse Merriam, whom he married in 2006 and divorced in 2011.

They have a daughter, Kadence. His fourth and current wife is Catherine Goodman, whom he married in 2015.

Tony is a devoted father who often skates with his kids and takes them on his travels. He is also a vegan and an animal rights activist.

Career

Tony Hawk is widely regarded as one of the most influential skateboarders ever.

He dominated the vert skateboarding scene in the 1980s and 1990s, winning 73 titles and being named the top vert skater every year from 1984 to 1996.

He also invented dozens of tricks, such as the ollie-to-Indy, the gymnast plant, the frontside 540-rodeo flip, and the Saran wrap.

His most famous feat was landing the first ever “900” (two and a half rotations) at the 1999 X Games, a trick that had been considered impossible. He retired from competitive skateboarding in 2003 but continued to perform in exhibitions and demos.

Tony Hawk is also a successful entrepreneur who has built a skateboarding empire. He founded Birdhouse, a skateboard and accessories manufacturer, and Blitz, a skateboard products distributor, in the early 1990s. He also launched Hawk Clothing, a children’s skate apparel line, in 1998.

He partnered with Activision to create Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, a skateboarding video game series that debuted in 1999 and became one of the best-selling video games ever.

He formed Tony Hawk, Inc., to oversee all of his enterprises. He also owns a production company, 900 Films, and a YouTube channel, RIDE Channel.

Tony Hawk is also a philanthropist who has given back to the skateboarding community. He founded The Skatepark Project (formerly known as the Tony Hawk Foundation) in 2002, a charity that helps build skateparks in low-income areas worldwide.

He has also supported various causes, such as education, environmentalism, cancer research, and disaster relief. He has donated millions of dollars and skateboards to various organizations and events.

Awards

Tony Hawk has received numerous awards and honours for his achievements and contributions to skateboarding and society.

Some of them are:

National Skateboard Association World Champion (1983-1995).
Thrasher Magazine Skater of the Year (1990).
Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Male Athlete (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004).
Teen Choice Award for Choice Male Athlete (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006).
ESPN Action Sports and Music Award for Skateboarder of the Year (2001, 2002).
Laureus World Sports Award for Alternative Sportsperson of the Year (2000, 2001).
Make-A-Wish Foundation Favorite Male Athlete (2004).
Spike Video Game Award for Best Athlete in a Video Game (2004).
MTV Video Music Award for Best Video Game Soundtrack (2004).
Guinness World Record for Most Influential Skateboarder (2010).
Skateboarding Hall of Fame Inductee (2010).

Controversy

Tony Hawk has faced some controversy and criticism throughout his career. Some of the issues he has dealt with are:

His divorce from his third wife, Lhotse Merriam, in 2011, which was followed by rumours that he had an affair with his best friend’s wife, Cathy Goodman, whom he later married in 2015. He denied the allegations and said that he and Goodman only got together after their marriages ended.
His involvement in the 2012 documentary Bones Brigade: An Autobiography was directed by his former mentor and team manager, Stacy Peralta. Some of his former teammates, such as Rodney Mullen and Steve Caballero, felt that the film was biased and gave too much credit to Hawk and Peralta for the success of the Bones Brigade team.
His decision to sell his first skateboard, which he used to perform the “900” at the 1999 X Games, to the Smithsonian Institution in 2014. Some fans and collectors felt he should have kept the board or donated it to a skateboarding museum instead of giving it to a mainstream institution.
His participation in a prank video 2014, where he pretended to ride a hoverboard, a fictional device from the Back to the Future film series. The video, produced by the website Funny or Die, fooled many people and caused a backlash when it was revealed to be fake. Hawk apologized for the hoax and said he did it for fun and charity.