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Evel Knievel (1938-2007)

The passing of an American legend.

Quote:

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Evel Knievel, the hard-living motorcycle daredevil whose jumps over Greyhound buses, live sharks and Idaho's Snake River Canyon made him an international icon in the 1970s, died Friday. He was 69.

[+] EnlargeMichael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Evel Knievel suffered nearly 40 broken bones before retiring in 1980.

Knievel's death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Krysten Knievel. He had been in failing health for years, suffering from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable condition that scarred his lungs.

Knievel had undergone a liver transplant in 1999 after nearly dying of hepatitis C, likely contracted through a blood transfusion after one of his bone-shattering spills.

Immortalized in the Washington's Smithsonian Institution as "America's Legendary Daredevil," Knievel was best known for a failed 1974 attempt to jump Snake River Canyon on a rocket-powered cycle and a spectacular crash at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. He suffered nearly 40 broken bones before he retired in 1980.

Although he dropped off the pop culture radar in the '80s, Knievel always had fans and enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent years. In later years he still made a good living selling his autographs and endorsing products. Thousands came to Butte, Mont., every year as his legend was celebrated during the "Evel Knievel Days" festival.

"They started out watching me bust my ass, and I became part of their lives," Knievel said. "People wanted to associate with a winner, not a loser. They wanted to associate with someone who kept trying to be a winner."

His death came just two days after it was announced that he and rapper Kanye West had settled a federal lawsuit over the use of Knievel's trademarked image in a popular West music video.

I think I'll dig out my old Royce-Union and jump a curb in his honor.

1938-2008?

Did I have another one of my blackouts?

R.I.P. Evel.

RIP to a great American legend.

Incidently, I feel like a terrible person.

Spoiler: he was in my 2007 deadpool. I am ashamed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

I used to love playing with this...

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...b/p1430ex2.jpg

Did it have one of those red toothed strips that you thread through the back wheel, then pull out quickly to make the wheel spin? If so, I had one as well. Loved it!

Rest in mostly one piece, Evel.

I had one of those too! Man I loved making it jump.

Evel was a massive star when I was kid. I don't think any of us thought he'd survive this long.

RIP

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redlemon

Did it have one of those red toothed strips that you thread through the back wheel, then pull out quickly to make the wheel spin? If so, I had one as well. Loved it!

Rest in mostly one piece, Evel.

nope... it was something more like this

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...q/9b6a8e1d.jpg

you revved it up and then launched it...

this site has a good representation of it.... with animation goodness!!!

http://www.firebox.com/product/1430?src_t=t20

relive the jump through the circle of fire!!!!! and the death defying face jump!!!

http://www.firebox.com/video/660

That's the one I remember.

I saw him in the early 70s. Maybe 1974. It was at Greatlakes Dragaway in Union Grove WI. He did a quarter mile wheelie, jumped a bunch of cars and rode around on a jet powered cycle. He was very, very cool at the time.

RIP Evel

evel knievel is dead

he made his final jump all the way to heaven. he was 69.

not even his son will be as important and such a part of american culture.

What a great icon of the 60/70's..............to bad the Grand Canyon jump failed.....It would have been his masterpiece...........xoxoxoo

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fxgm5uM64hc

And let's hope that his rocket motor didn't fail him this time....

God Speed Evil.

Diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis? That's not the way that Evel Knievel was supposed to go out. Something about that just isn't right.

Now...about that toy. I had the same thing. In fact, I recently unearthed the "launcher" in my garage. But, unfortunately, the motorcycle, and the "action figure" have been lost to the ages.
So, if anyone has the motorcycle and the figure, without a launcher, maybe we can get together and relive our childhoods. ;)

wow, that sucks .. now he is jumping the clouds above