Tony Hawk

Anthony Frank, more popularly known as Tony Hawk, was born on May 12, 1968 in Amsterdam Netherlands and is an American professional skateboarder. Tony gained popularity for accomplishing the first 900 at the X-Games in 1999.

Tony Hawk was given his first skateboard by his older brother when he was 8 years old and his father built a ramp in their backyard. At 12 years of age, Tony won a contest for the first time and about 2 years later, he became a pro. Tony became the very first skater to land 900 after 10 attempts in 1999. On his 11th try, he effectively landed a 900. In 2001, he did the trick again in the X Games.

Going Pro

Tony Hawk is now known as a groundbreaker in the sport of vertical skateboarding. He began performing the sport as a form of passion and soon turned it into a professional athletic career. At 12, Tony was sponsored by Dogtown Skateboards and became pro when he was 14. He reached an all-time high by the age of 16 and was dubbed as the top skateboarded in the world. One year later, Tony was able to purchase his own house. He bought his second home by the time he was 19, constructing a substantial skate ramp on his property. His popularity and financial security enabled him to travel the world, performing demonstrations and joining contests.

Skateboarding started to go downhill when it came to popularity. At this point Tony faced much uncertainty in his career. Fortunately, skateboarding started to rise in popularity again in the mid-199s’s and his career was back on track. Tony was able to purchase a new house with a pool and his company Birdhouse began growing. To this date, Birdhouse is one of the largest skateboard companies worldwide. Hawk’s profits were climbing again, including six-figure endorsement deals with a wide range of companies. In 1998, Hawk established Hawk Clothing, a line of children’s skate clothing. In 1999 Tony had a deal with Activison to develop Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Playstation video game. The game turned out to be a surprising hit. It has become some of the top selling games ever created.

Tony has had several accomplishments in the world of skateboarding. Over the years, he has joined in a range of skating contests, gaining top placements. He placed his one-of-a-kind mark on the sport of skateboarding, performing tricks such as the Stalefish, Madonna, McHawk, and The 900. In 2002, Tony began the Boom Boom HuckJam, which was a 30-city arena tour. This tour comprised of the best skateboarders, BMX and Motocross riders conducting routines to hip-hop and punk music.

Charity Work

The Tony Hawk Foundation’s aim is to promote lasting improvements in society, with a focus on supporting and encouraging youth. Through unique events, grants and technical help, the Foundation sustains recreational plans with a concentration on the development of public skateboard parks in less privileged communities. The Foundation focuses on providing a place for the younger generation to grow.

Interesting Facts

Tony’s very first skateboard was a Bahne, which was a yellow banana board. Tony owns a truck company called Fury, and also owns Hawk Shoes, Hawk Clothing and Birdhouse Projects. In 1997, Tony Hawk successfully landed a trick that no one else could perform at the time in competition—this trick was the 540 McTwist.