Tony Hawk

This article is about the American skateboarder. For the video game series, see Tony Hawk (series). For the British comedian, see Tony Hawks. For the New Zealand basketball player, see Tony Hawke.

Tony Hawk

Hawk in November 2006
Personal information
Full name	Anthony Frank Hawk
Born	(1969-05-12) May 12, 1969 Carlsbad, California, United States
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Skateboarding
Medal record {{{2}}} Representing United States 1995 Rhode Island Vert 1997 San Diego Vert 1997 San Diego Vert Doubles 1998 San Diego Vert Doubles 1999 San Francisco Vert Doubles 1999 San Francisco Vert Best Trick 2000 San Francisco Vert Doubles 2001 Philadelphia Vert Doubles 2002 Philadelphia Vert Doubles 1995 Rhode Island Park 1996 Rhode Island Vert 2001 Philadelphia Vert Best Trick 1998 San Diego Vert 1999 San Francisco Vert |}

Anthony Frank "Tony" Hawk (born May 12, 1969) is an American professional skateboarder. 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.

Raised in San Diego, California, Hawk was described as being "hyperactive" as a child. His parents supported his skateboarding because it served as an outlet for his excessive energy, and as Hawk's skills developed, he became a professional skateboarder at age fourteen. In 1999, he became the first skater to land a 900. In 2002, he created the Boom Boom HuckJam, an extreme sports exhibition and tour which launched in Las Vegas. Throughout his career, Hawk has made numerous appearances in films and other media, as well as his own series of video games. He has also been involved in various philanthropic activities including his own Tony Hawk Foundation which helps build skateparks in underprivileged areas, and also including collaborations with other athletes in the charity Athletes for Hope.

Early life

Hawk was born in San Diego, California, to a retired U.S. Navy officer, Frank Hawk. His wife Nancy Hawk, is a part-time business teacher. Hawk began skateboarding at age eight after his older brother Steve gave him a used skateboard and his father constructed a ramp in their backyard. 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 parents had him psychologically evaluated at school. The results were that Tony was "gifted," and school advisors recommended placing him in advanced classes.

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. Tony Hawk was the world champion for 12 consecutive years.

Professional career

The 900

On July 27, 1999, Hawk was the first skater to land a 900. He successfully landed the trick, which involves completing two-and-a-half revolutions with the skateboard, on the eleventh attempt. After completing the trick, he commented, "This is the best day of my life." Nearly 12 years later Hawk was still able to land his famous 900 and posted a video of the trick via his Twitter account stating "I'm 42 and I did a 900 today."

Boom Boom HuckJam

In 2002, Tony Hawk started the Boom Boom HuckJam tour, which is a touring exhibition featuring freestyle motocross, skateboarding, and BMX with a show in Las Vegas and then on to 31 cities around the USA and eventually to Six Flags amusement parks.

Film and television appearances

Tony Hawk (left) making a guest judge appearance, at the FlowRider Mobile Wave machine, installed for the 2009 Canadian National Exhibition.

Hawk was hired for stunt work in the 1987 film Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol as a stunt double for David Spade, but was fired as he was not a close physical match. In 1989, 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.

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, The Naked Brothers Band and Zeke and Luther. Hawk was a guest on the kid's show on Nickelodeon, Yo Gabba Gabba. 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 and has hosted Cartoon Network's "Hall of Game" sports award show on February 25, 2011. He will also appear in So Random. He also appeared on Take Two With Phineas and Ferb.

Video games

Main article: Tony Hawk (series)

A video game series based on his skateboarding debuted in 1999. Since then, the series has spawned 16 titles, including main series titles, spin-offs, and repackages. The latest game of the series is the Tony Hawk: Shred, which involves riding on a skateboard-shaped controller.

Amusement park rides

A series of amusement park rides known as Tony Hawk's Big Spin were built in three Six Flags parks in 2007 and 2008. The ride was originally billed as the "total Tony Hawk experience" and was designed to have the look and feel of a giant red-and-black skatepark. It offered a full "extreme sports" experience, with monitors in the queue lines displaying highlights of the history of action sports and a large spinning Tony Hawk figure crowning the ride. Additionally, a water park ride called Tony Hawk's Halfpipe was opened at Six Flags America in Bowie, MD.

In-game likeness and appearances

Tony Hawk was originally designated as the protagonist of the Tony Hawk series. Hawk appears as a player character in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, 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, 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. He later appears in Moscow to teach them the "360 Varial Heelflip Lien" move. 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, and in all gameplay modes except the story mode.

Personal life

Hawk with Lhotse Merriam in 2007.

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

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.

Hawk married Lhotse Merriam on January 12, 2006, on the island of Tavarua, Fiji. The couple's first child, a daughter named Kadence Clover Hawk, was born on June 30, 2008. The couple announced their divorce on February 7, 2011.

Philanthropy

Tony launched the Tony Hawk Foundation, which has given away more than $3.4 million to help build well over 400 skateparks around the U.S.A. The Foundation supports projects in low income areas and helps underprivileged kids. 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 which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and aims to inspire all people to volunteer and support their communities.

External links

• Official website
• Template:Tony Hawk Foundation
• Template:Tony's Birdhouse Skateboards website
• Tony Hawk at IMDb