Tony Hawk is one of the most influential and recognizable skateboarders in history. How he went from local skater to world renowned pro.
Tony Hawk is widely recognized as one of the most popular and innovative figures in skateboarding. Even in retirement, Hawk continues to influence the sport. Was Tony Hawk born to ride a deck or did his success come from years or hard work and determination?
Anthony Frank Hawk was born in San Diego, CA on May 12, 1968. As a kid, Tony already had a strong perfectionist streak. His parents worried that their son was so easily frustrated and so hard on himself.
His first ride...When Tony was nine, his brother, Steve gave him an old fiberglass Bahne skateboard and taught him how to ride it. Tony didn’t prove to be a “natural” on the board and actually tired of it quickly. A few months later he began to hang out with kids who were interested in skateboarding and finally dug the board out. Tony lived near the Oasis Skatepark, which is where he spent countless hours honing his skills.
Frank Hawk...Tony’s dad, Frank Hawk was his biggest supporter and would wait and watch as his son skated for hours on end. Tony also had an uncanny ability to recognize opportunities that would help advance both skateboarding in general and Tony’s career. Frank’s ability to connect with others and organize groups had a part to play in Tony’s first sponsorship offer (from Dogtown Skates), as well as the formation of the California Amateur Skatepark League (CASL), and the National Skateboard Association (NSA), which was the first circuit for professional skateboarders.
Turning Pro...At the age of fourteen, Hawk turned pro while skating as a member of the “Bones Brigade” for Powell and Peralta (co-founded by former Zephyr Skate team member Stacy Peralta). He didn’t do as well as he’d hoped at his first pro competition. In his second comp as a pro though, he took first place and proved that innovation could compete with the raw, aggressive style of skateboarding that had dominated for so many years.
An Early Retirement...Hawk’s first retirement came at the age of nineteen. During his retirement he did appearances in a couple of movies and tried to keep busy with his new life. His retirement lasted three months and he was back on the competitive circuit.
And Then Came X...There have been some lean times for skateboarding during Hawk’s career. At times it seemed as though skateboarding wouldn’t survive the lack of interest in the sport. In 1995 one event changed the future of skateboarding. The X Games debuted in 1995 and Hawk took 1st in vert and 2nd in street. Skateboarding suddenly had a wider audience than ever before.
The Elusive 900...Hawk decided that 1999 would be his last as a competitive skateboarder. He had been competing at the pro level for 20 years and attempting to master the 900 for 13 years. At the ’99 X Games, in addition to competing in vert (in which he placed 3rd), Hawk also signed up for Best Trick. In Best Trick he landed a clean varial 720 early in the comp and set about to land the 900. Hawk continued to try and fail throughout the competition. Time ran out, yet he continued to ride. Fans and the other athletes gathered to watch and cheer him on and finally, Tony Hawk landed the first 900. He could finally retire.
Although he has retired, Hawk isn’t exactly living the easy life. He continues to tour, do demo’s and ride regularly. Hawk also has multiple business ventures including video games, television, a clothing line, production company and the Tony Hawk Foundation that keep him busy.
