Tony Hawk
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Tony Hawk was a pioneer in the sport of vertical skateboarding, taking his passion and turning it into a professional athletic career.
Early Years
Anthony Frank Hawk was born on May 12, 1968 in San Diego, California, to Frank and Nancy Hawk. At just nine years old, Hawk’s brother gave him a fiberglass Bahne board. It turned out to be a gift that would change his life. The challenge of skateboarding took a fair amount of determination, but Hawk quickly mastered it and gained a sense of accomplishment, as well as an inner peace and generosity. His love of skateboarding was also a great outlet for his youthful energy.
His father provided unwavering support, driving him to numerous skate contests in California, building skate ramps and even founding the California Amateur Skateboard League and the National Skateboard Association. His father passed away in 1995.
Youthful Rise to Fame
Tony Hawk’s skateboard talent took him far at a young age and increased the sport’s popularity during the 1980s. When he was 12, Dogtown Skateboards sponsored Hawk, and at 14, he became a pro. The young skater hit an all-time high when at 16, he was named the best skateboarder in the world.
A year later, while still a senior in high school, Hawk was able to buy his own home. He purchased his second house when he was 19, building a sizable skate ramp on his land. His fame and financial security allowed him to travel around the world, providing demonstrations and competing in contests.
Skateboarding Loses Popularity
Almost as quickly as skateboarding had gained popularity, the sport took a sudden nosedive, threatening Tony Hawk’s livelihood. Vertical skateboarding took a backseat to the popularity of street skating, and now his wife, a manicurist, was responsible for earning the family income. Hawk was forced to sell their second home and their Lexus.
When his son Riley was born in 1992, Tony refinanced their home and began a skateboard company. The company, Birdhouse Projects, was a partnership with another former pro, Per Welinder. The company was not initially successful and Hawk began to reconsider other career choices, such as video editing, computer programming or web design.
Skating on the Upswing
Skateboarding began to gain in popularity again in the mid-1990s and Hawk’s career was born again. He was able to buy a new home with a pool and his company started growing. Today, Birdhouse is one of the largest skateboard companies in the world. Hawk’s income was on the rise again, including six-figure endorsement deals with a variety of companies.
In 1998, Hawk created Hawk Clothing, a line of kids’ skate clothing. In 2000, Quiksilver acquired the company. The clothing is sold exclusively at Kohl’s department stores.
Virtual Skating
In 1999, Hawk worked with Activision to create Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater PlayStation video game. The game became an unexpected hit, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (2000) ranked as the number one game for more than a month. The Tony Hawk video game series (Pro Skater 1, 2, 3, 4 and Tony Hawk’s Underground) have become some of the best-selling games ever.
Skating Accomplishments
Over the years, Hawk has competed in a variety of skating contests, earning top placements. He put his unique stamp on the sport of skateboarding, creating tricks such as
- The Stalefish
- Madonna
- McHawk
- The 900
Popular Skateboard Tour
In 2002, Tony Hawk started the Boom Boom HuckJam, a 30-city arena tour, which includes the top skateboarders, BMX and Motocross riders performing routines to punk and hip hop music. The tour has sold out arenas nationwide, and in 2006 and 2007, will tour Six Flags amusement parks.
Personal Life
Hawk married Cindy Dunbar in April 1990 and the two divorced in 1995. In 1996, he married Erin Lee, but the couple split in 2004. In January 2006, Tony married Lhotse Merriam, and they live in San Diego. Hawk has three children: Riley, Spencer and Keegan.
Retirement
After Hawk became a fixture on the skateboarding scene, riding the highs and lows of the sport’s popularity, he eventually decided to retire. In 1999, at the ripe old age of 31, Hawk stopped competing in contests. He continues to skate daily and make public appearances.
Tony Hawk Facts
- Hawk was voted the best vertical skater by Transworld Skateboarding magazine.
- Tony did the first two-and-a-half mid-air spin (called the 900) at the X Games shortly before his retirement. It was the last trick he wanted to accomplish on his list of desired career moves.
- Hawk has his own film and television production company, 9 Films.
- In 2000, Hawk wrote an autobiography about his rise and fall, called HAWK: Occupation: Skateboarder. The book landed at number 18 on the New York Times bestseller list. He also wrote a journal called Between Boardslides and Burnout.
- Hawk has appeared in a number of television shows and films, including Gleaming the Cube, The Simpsons, Jackass and Jackass Number Two, Lords of Dogtown, Max Keeble’s Big Move, and CSI: Miami, among other appearances.
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