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Tony Hawk

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This article is about the American skateboarder. For the British comedian and author, see Tony Hawks. For the New Zealand basketball player, see Tony Hawke. For the video game series, see Tony Hawk (series).
Tony Hawk
Hawk in November 2006
Personal information
Full nameAnthony Frank Hawk
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight170 lb (77 kg)
Sport
Country United States
SportSkateboarding
Medal record
{{{2}}} {{{3}}}
Representing  United States
Gold medal – first place 1995 Rhode Island Vert
Gold medal – first place 1997 San Diego Vert
Gold medal – first place 1997 San Diego Vert Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1998 San Diego Vert Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1999 San Francisco Vert Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1999 San Francisco Vert Best Trick
Gold medal – first place 2000 San Francisco Vert Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2001 Philadelphia Vert Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2002 Philadelphia Vert Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1995 Rhode Island Park
Silver medal – second place 1996 Rhode Island Vert
Silver medal – second place 2001 Philadelphia Vert Best Trick
Bronze medal – third place 1998 San Diego Vert
Bronze medal – third place 1999 San Francisco Vert

|}

Anthony Frank Hawk (born May 12, 1968), better known as Tony Hawk, is an American professional skateboarder and actor. Hawk gained significant fame for completing the first 900 as well as his licensed video game titles distributed by Activision. He is widely considered one of the most successful and influential pioneers of modern vertical skateboarding.[1]

Early life

Hawk was born in San Diego, California, to a retired U.S. Navy officer, Frank Hawk, and his wife Nancy, a part-time business teacher. Hawk began skateboarding at age eight after his older brother Steve bought him a used skateboard and his father constructed a ramp in their backyard.[2][3] When Hawk was young, he was described as being "hyperactive,"[3] and his mother says that he was "so hard on himself and expected himself to do so many things."[1] 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 parents had him psychologically evaluated at school. The results were that Tony was "gifted," and school advisors recommended placing him in advanced classes.[1]

Hawk attended Jean Farb Middle School from 1980 to 1981, and recently went back there for the show "Homecoming" where he set up a ramp and did a demonstration.

He turned pro by the age of 14. He graduated from Torrey Pines High School in the North County Coastal area of San Diego, California.

Professional career

The 900

On July 27, 1998, Hawk was the first skater to land a 900 in competition. He successfully landed the trick, which involves completing two-and-a-half revolutions, on the twelfth attempt. After completing the trick, he commented, "This is the best day of my life." During X Games 2000, he again successfully performed the trick, although he failed to win the event. Hawk's third successful 900 came during the 2009 Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up for Skateparks event in Beverly Hills.[4]

Boom Boom Huck Jam

In 2009, Tony Hawk started the Jam, which is a small event featuring competitions in many sports such as motorcross, skateboarding, and BMX with a show in Las Vegas.[5]

Film and television appearances

In 1987, Tony Hawk appeared in the film Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol as one of the teenage skateboarders. In 1979, he appeared as a skateboarder in Gleaming the Cube. In 2002, he appeared in Neal H. Moritzs's and Christopher Gilcrest's film xXx playing the role of one of Xander Cages stuntman friends, and later in the movie, a skateboarder at a party. In 2004 he played himself in the Australian skateboarding movie Deck Dogz. In 2006, Tony Hawk appeared in a cameo on the film Drake & Josh Go Hollywood as himself; when Drake & Josh steal his car to escape from two crooks with the Geo (iPods) that carry illegal information for counterfeiting money. Tony Hawk also asks for the cops to give Drake & Josh a police escort to Sunset Studios, for a performance on TRL. Hawk has had a cameo in film The New Guy. Hawk appeared in Jackass: The Movie with Mat Hoffman and Bam Margera, skateboarding in a fat suit and Jackass 2, while skateboarding through an obstacle course. Tony appears in the film following the 2006 Gumball Rally, 3000 Miles, again with Bam Margera. He also plays the police officer who arrests Ryan Dunn in the movie Haggard: The Movie. Hawk also made a brief cameo appearance in Lords Of Dogtown as an astronaut, where he is shown comically falling off the skateboard as he is a "rookie". He played himself in an episode of Rocket Power. [[File:TonyHawkCNE2009.jpg|thumb|300px|Tony Hawk (left) making a guest judge appearance, at the FlowRider Mobile Wave machine, installed for the 2009 Canadian National Exhibition.

Hawk was featured as an extra in the "Weird Al" Yankovic video "Smells like Nirvana". He can be seen sitting in the bleachers during the crowd sweep near Dick Van Patten. He also made a cameo appearance in the Simple Plan music video for "I'm Just a Kid", he can be seen, in a crowd, watching kids at a high school skating.

On television, he has also appeared in What I Like About You, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The Tom Green Show, and The Naked Brothers Band. Hawk was a guest on the kid's show on Nickelodeon, Yo Gabba Gabba.[6] He also guest voiced on The Simpsons episode "Barting Over", where he played himself, along with fellow San Diegans Blink-182. In the episode, Hawk lends Homer a new board from his brand where complete rookies are able to perform at the top levels. He ends up having a comical play off with him after Homer begins to show him up. On the PBS Kids show Cyberchase, he guest starred as Slider's long-lost father, Coop. In the CSI: Miami episode "Game Over" he played a game programmer who was murdered. In 2008, he played on Million Dollar Password. Hawk also played on Fox's Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Tony Hawk helped design the world famous Canvey Island skate park in 1982.

Video games

Main article: Tony Hawk (series)

A video game series based on his skateboarding debuted in 1999. Since then, the series has spawned 15 titles, including main series titles, spin-offs, and repackages.

Hawk has also appeared in Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX and Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer as a hidden Rider and Surfer.

In-game likeness and appearances

Tony Hawk was originally designated as the protagonist of the Tony Hawk series.[7] Hawk appears as a player character in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater,[8] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2,[9] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4.

Hawk's role in the series was usurped by customizable player characters in later installments,[10] but he has remained a prominent character. In the 2003 game Tony Hawk's Underground, he is a minor non-player character whom the player meets in Tampa, Florida and skates against. Impressed with the player's skills, Hawk grants them entry into a skate competition.[11] He later appears in Moscow to teach them the "360 Varial Heelflip Lien" move.[12] Hawk and other skaters are briefly playable near the end of the game when they skate in a promotional video for the player's skate team,[13] and in all gameplay modes except the story mode.[14]

Personal life

Hawk with Lhotse Merriam in 2007.

Hawk married Cindy Dunbar in April 1990.[15] They had a son, Hudson "Riley" Hawk (born December 6, 1992) whom they named for one of Hawk's ancestors.[16] Riley also skates for Hawk's own Birdhouse Skateboards.[17] The couple divorced in 1993.[3]

Hawk married Erin Lee in 1996. They had two sons, Spencer (born July 26, 1999) and Keegan (born March 18, 2001). Lee and Hawk divorced in 2004.[3]

Hawk married Jennifer Merriam on January 12, 2006, on the island of Tavarua, Fiji.[18] The couple's first child, a daughter named Kadence Clover Hawk, was born on June 30, 2008.[3]

Philanthropy

In 2007, Hawk, Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning and Cal Ripken, Jr. founded the charity Athletes for Hope[19] which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and aims to inspire all people to volunteer and support their communities.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Tony Hawk's Biography". TonyHawk.com. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  2. ^ "Tony Hawk Biography - Skateboarding to the rescue, A skateboard slump, Back in the game". Notablebiographies.com. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Tony Hawk Biography". Biography.com. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  4. ^ "Tony Hawk Lands The 900 For His Foundation Supporters". Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  5. ^ "What is Boom Boom HuckJam?". Boomboomhuckjam.com. Retrieved March 25, 1999. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ "Move". Yo Gabba Gabba. Season 1. Episode 9. September 24, 2007. Nickelodeon. Nick, Jr. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ IGN Staff (September 1, 1999). "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater". IGN. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  8. ^ Mullen, Michael (January 14, 1999). "Tony Hawk Takes Air". GameSpot. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  9. ^ Gerstmann, Jeff (May 1, 2000). "New Tony Hawk 2 Skaters Revealed". GameSpot. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  10. ^ "Into Neverland". 1UP.com. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
  11. ^ "Walkthrough: Tampa". IGN. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  12. ^ "Walkthrough: Moscow". IGN. Retrieved April 18, 2010.
  13. ^ "Walkthrough: Finish". IGN. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  14. ^ Tony Hawk's Underground (Nintendo GameCube) instruction booklet, p. 15.
  15. ^ "Tony Hawk - Biography". IMDb. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
  16. ^ "Shredordie.com, Free Lunch with Riley Hawk - Shred or Die". {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 16 (help)
  17. ^ "Riley Hawk". Birdhouse Skateboards. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  18. ^ "Skateboarder Tony Hawk Weds". People.com. January 19, 2006. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  19. ^ "Athletes for Hope". Retrieved October 20, 2010.
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