Evel Knieval Dead....

[SilverhawkUSA]

Evel Knieval was a true folk hero when I was growing up. I had the pleasure of meeting him one time when I was involved with Triumph in Detroit. Unfortunately he was involved in one of his many crashes shortly after at the Michigan State Fairgrounds (I can't remember the year).

RIP Evel!

Evel Knievel, legendary daredevil, dies

* Story Highlights
* Evel Knievel dead at 69, according to his Web site
* Knievel a famous motorcycle daredevil, tried to jump Snake River Canyon
* Knievel image spawned toys, merchandise, appeared on magazine covers

(CNN) -- Evel Knievel, the motorcycle daredevil whose stunts -- including an attempted leap over Idaho's Snake River Canyon -- made him a popular cultural figure, is dead, according to his Web site, evelknievel.com. He was 69.

Over his career, Knievel was said to have broken practically every bone in his body -- some multiple times. With his red-white-and-blue jumpsuits, shock of hair and stone-faced mein, he was a fixture on ABC's program "Wide World of Sports" in the 1970s, his stunts perennial ratings-grabbers.

Knievel's most famous stunt was probably an attempt to jump the quarter-mile wide Snake River Canyon in 1974 on his rocket-powered "Sky-Cycle." (He had hoped to jump the Grand Canyon, but couldn't get permission.) The attempt failed, but the publicity was priceless. PhotoSee photos of the motorcycle daredevil »

His fame even spawned a movie, "Viva Knievel!" in 1977.

Robert Craig Knievel was born October 17, 1938, in Butte, Montana.

Earlier this week, Knievel amicably settled a lawsuit with rap star Kanye West over West's use of a persona called "Evel Kanyevel" in his video for "Touch the Sky."

"I was very satisfied and so was he," Knievel told The Associated Press.

Find this article at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/ ... index.html

 

[Tomo]

Hi Dave,

I was lucky enough to be at Wembley Stadium in 1975 when Evel jumped the 13 double decker buses. A great showman if ever there was one with balls to match.

Seem to recall that the warm up act was a bunch of guys in leotards diving from a 50 foot platform into a childs paddling pool - never did figure that one out...

Lizzie met Eddie Kidd at a UK bike show a couple of years ago and given that Eddie sufferred brain damage and severely impaired mobility doing a jump, was still bowled over by his charm and charisma.

I guess if you got it then you got it!

Cheers,

Tomo.

 

[wimpy]

He was The Man! 8)