NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Evel Knievel

Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, Jr. (born October 17, 1938 in Butte, Montana) is a motorcycle daredevil who has been a household name since the late 1960s. Evel Knievel's highly publicized motorcycle jumps, including his attempt to jump over the Snake River Canyon, claim four of the top 20 most-watched Wide World of Sports events of all time. If you hold the copyright to an image (e. ... is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Montana. ... Uptown Butte 1942 view of the city Butte is a city in Silver Bow County, Montana and is the county seat. ... Retirement is the status of a worker who has stopped working. ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ... For people who perform risky stunts as a profession, see stunt performer. ... is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Uptown Butte 1942 view of the city Butte is a city in Silver Bow County, Montana and is the county seat. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area Ranked 4th - Total 147,165 sq mi (381,156 kmÂ²) - Width 255 miles (410 km) - Length 630 miles (1,015 km) - % water 1 - Latitude 44Â°26N to 49Â°N - Longitude 104Â°2W to 116Â°2W Population Ranked... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ... Stunt man and stunt woman redirect here. ... This article deals with the area known as the Snake River Canyon near Twin Falls, Idaho. ... ABCs Wide World of Sports is a long-running sports anthology show on American television. ...

Early life

Knievel was the first of two children born to Robert and Ann Knievel. Robert and Ann divorced in 1940, just after the birth of their second child, Nic. Both parents decided to leave Butte and their two children to get a new start. The children were raised by their paternal grandparents, Ignatius and Emma Knievel. At the age of eight, Knievel attended a Joie Chitwood Auto Daredevil Show, which he credits for his later career choice to become a motorcycle daredevil. Joie Chitwood, born April 14, 1912 - died January 3, 1988, was an American racecar driver and businessman. ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ... Stunt man and stunt woman redirect here. ...

Knievel dropped out of high school after his sophomore year and got a job with the Anaconda Mining Company as a diamond drill operator in the copper mines. He was promoted to surface duty where his job was driving a large earth mover. Knievel was fired when he made the earth mover pop a motorcycle-type wheelie and drove it into Butte's main power line, leaving the city without electricity for several hours. With a lot of time on his hands, Knievel began to get into more and more trouble around Butte. After one particular police chase in 1956 in which he crashed his motorcycle, Knievel was taken to jail on a charge of reckless driving. When the night jailer came around to check the roll, he noted Robert Knievel in one cell and William Knofel in the other. Knofel was well known as "Awful Knofel," so Knievel began to be referred to as Evel Knievel. The nickname stuck.

Always looking for new thrills and challenges, Knievel participated in local professional rodeos and ski-jumping events, including winning the Northern Rocky Mountain Ski Association Class A Men's ski jumping championship in 1957. In the late 1950s, Knievel joined the Army. His athletic ability allowed him to join the track team where he was a pole vaulter. After his army stint, Knievel returned to Butte where he met, kidnapped and married his first wife, Linda Bork. Shortly after getting married, Knievel left Butte to join the Charlotte Checkers of the Eastern Hockey League, a minor professional ice hockey league. Realizing that he wasn't talented enough to make it into the National Hockey League and that the real money in sports, at the time, was in owning a team, Knievel returned to Butte and started the Butte Bombers, a semi-pro hockey team. To help promote his team and earn some money, he convinced the 1960 Olympic Czechoslovakian hockey team to play his Butte Bombers in a warm-up game to the Olympics. Knievel was ejected from the game minutes into the third period and left the stadium. When the Czechoslovakian officials went to the box office to collect the expense money that the team was promised, workers discovered the game receipts had been stolen. The U.S. Olympic Committee ended up paying the Czechoslovakian expenses in order to avoid an international incident. See also: 1956 in sports, other events of 1957, 1958 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing NASCAR Championship - Buck Baker Indianapolis 500 - Sam Hanks USAC Racing - Jimmy Bryan won the season championship Formula One Championship - Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina 24 hours of Le Mans... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Pole vaulting is an athletic event where a person uses a long, flexible pole (usually made either of fiberglass or carbon fiber) as an aid to leap over a bar. ... The Charlotte Checkers are an American ice hockey team in Charlotte, North Carolina, playing in the ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League). ... The Eastern Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league that was known as the EHL. // Eastern Amateur Hockey League (1933-1953) The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League (EAHL). ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... â€œNHLâ€ redirects here. ... The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated in 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States (located in the Lake Tahoe basin). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee (NOC) for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various international sports federations. ...

After the birth of his first son, Kelly, Knievel realized that he needed to come up with a new way to support his family. Using the hunting and fishing skills taught to him by his grandfather, Knievel started the Sur-Kill Guide Service. He guaranteed that if a hunter signed up with his service and paid his fee that they would get the big game animal that they wanted or he would refund their money. Business was very brisk until game wardens realized that he was taking his clients into Yellowstone National Park to find their prey. As a result of this poaching, Knievel had to shut down his new business venture. Having few options, he turned to a life of crime, becoming a burglar. It is rumored that Knievel bought his first bike after breaking into the safe of the Butte courthouse. This article is about the hunting of prey by human society. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering. ... Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated (such as venison). ... In the United States, game wardens are state or local officials responsible for enforcing environmental protection laws pertaining to the hunting, fishing, and trapping of wild animals. ... â€œYellowstoneâ€ redirects here. ... For other uses, see Poaching (disambiguation). ... Burglars attempted to break into an apartment by pulling away the lock. ... Uptown Butte 1942 view of the city Butte is a city in Silver Bow County, Montana and is the county seat. ...

In December 1961, Knievel, learning about the culling of elk in Yellowstone Park, decided to hitchhike from Butte to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness and to have the elk relocated to areas open to hunters. He presented his case to Representative Arnold Olsen, Senator Mike Mansfield and Kennedy administration Interior Secretary Stewart Udall. As a result of his efforts, the slaughter was stopped, and the animals have since been regularly captured and relocated to areas of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. To cull is to remove from a group of animals those individuals who show signs of weakness. ... Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest species of deer in the world. ... For other uses, see Hitch hike. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... Arnold Olsen (December 17, 1916 - October 11, 1990) was a U.S. Democratic politician. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... Mike Mansfield, Congressional portrait This article describes the American politician. ... JFK redirects here. ... The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior, concerned with such matters as national parks and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Stewart Udall Stewart Lee Udall (born January 31, 1920) was an American politician. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area Ranked 10th - Total 97,818 sq mi (253,348 kmÂ²) - Width 280 miles (450 km) - Length 360 miles (580 km) - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English [1] Capital Boise Largest city Boise Largest metro area Boise metropolitan area Area Ranked 14th - Total 83,642 sq mi (216,632 kmÂ²) - Width 305 miles (491 km) - Length 479 miles (771 km) - % water 0. ...

Knievel decided to go straight after returning home from Washington. He joined the motocross circuit and had moderate success, but still couldn't make enough money to support his family. In 1962, Knievel broke his collarbone and shoulder in a motocross accident. The doctors said he couldn't race for at least six months. To help support his family, he switched careers and sold insurance for the Combined Insurance Company of America, working for W. Clement Stone. Stone suggested that Knievel read Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, a book that Stone wrote with Napoleon Hill. To this day Knievel credits much of his success to Stone and his book. A rider using a berm to corner during a motocross race in Australia Motocross (often shortened to MX or MotoX) is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... William Clement Stone (May 4, 1902 - September 3, 2002) was a prominent businessman, philanthropist and self-help book author. ... Napoleon Hill Napoleon Hill (October 26, 1883â€“November 8, 1970) was an American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. ...

Knievel did very well as an insurance salesman (even going as far as to sell insurance policies to several institutionalized mental patients) and wanted to be quickly rewarded for his efforts. When the company refused to promote him to vice-president after a few months on the job, he quit. Needing a fresh start away from Butte, Knievel moved his family to Moses Lake, Washington. There, he opened a Honda motorcycle dealership and promoted motocross racing. Times were tough in the early 1960s for Japanese imports. People still considered them inferior to American built motorcycles, and there were still lingering resentments stemming from World War II, which had ended fewer than twenty years earlier. At one point, Knievel offered a $100 discount to anybody who could beat him at arm wrestling. Despite his best efforts the store eventually closed.' Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. ... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Japanese motor corporation. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Daredevil

Not having any way to support his family, Knievel recalled the Joie Chitwood show he saw as a boy and decided that he could do a similar show using a motorcycle. Promoting the show himself, Knievel rented the venue, wrote the press releases, set up the show, sold the tickets and served as his own master of ceremonies. After enticing the small crowd with a few wheelies, he proceeded to jump a twenty-foot-long box of rattlesnakes and two mountain lions. Despite coming up short and having his back wheel hit the box containing the rattlesnakes, Knievel managed to land safely. Joie Chitwood, born April 14, 1912 - died January 3, 1988, was an American racecar driver and businessman. ... Species about 30 Rattlesnakes is a group of venomous New World snakes, genera Crotalus and Sistrurus, which have a small noise-making jointed rattle on their tails. ... Binomial name Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) The puma (Puma concolor) is a type of large cat found in North, Central and South America. ...

Knievel realized that to make any real money he would have to hire more performers, stunt coordinators and other personnel so that he could concentrate on the jumps. Being broke, he went looking for a sponsor and found one in Bob Blair, a distributor for Norton Motorcycles. Blair offered to provide the needed motorcycles, but he wanted the name changed from the Bobby Knievel and His Motorcycle Daredevils Thrill Show to Evil Knievel and His Motorcycle Daredevils. Knievel didn't want his image to be that of a Hells Angels rider, so he convinced Blair to allow him to use Evel instead of Evil. Norton is a British motorcycle brand from Birmingham and founded in 1898. ... This article is about the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. ...

The first show of Knievel and his daredevils was on January 3, 1966, at the National Date Festival in Indio, California. The show was a huge success. Knievel got several offers to host his show after their first performance. The second booking was in Hemet, California, but was cancelled because of rain. The next performance was on February 10, in Barstow, California. During the performance, Knievel attempted a new stunt where he would jump, spread eagle, over a speeding motorcycle. Knievel jumped too late and the motorcycle hit him in the groin, tossing him fifteen feet into the air. Knievel ended up in the hospital because of his injuries. When released, he returned to Barstow to finish the performance he had started almost a month before. is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... The Indio Fashion Mall. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area Ranked 3rd - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 kmÂ²) - Width 250 miles (400 km) - Length 770 miles (1,240 km) - % water 4. ... Hemet is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Barstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. ... The groin is the crease at the junction of the torso with the legs and the adjacent region that includes the external genitals. ...

Knievel's daredevil show broke up after the Barstow performance because injuries prevented him from performing. After recovering, Knievel started traveling from small town to small town as a solo act. To get ahead of other motorcycle stuntmen who were jumping animals or pools of water, Knievel started jumping cars. He began adding more and more cars to his jumps when he would return to the same venue in order to get people to come out and see him again. Knievel hadn't had a serious injury since the Barstow performance, but on June 19 in Missoula, Montana, he attempted to jump twelve cars and a cargo van. The distance he had for takeoff didn't allow him to get up enough speed. His back wheel hit the top of the van while his front wheel hit the top of the landing ramp. Knievel ended up with a severely broken arm and several broken ribs. The crash and subsequent stay in the hospital were a publicity windfall. is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Missoula, Montana viewed from the top of Mount Sentinel in 1999. ...

With each successful jump, the public wanted him to jump one more car. On May 30, 1967, Knievel successfully cleared sixteen cars in Gardena, California. Then he attempted the same jump on July 28, 1967, in Graham, Washington, where he had his next serious crash. Landing his cycle on a panel truck that was the last vehicle, Knievel was thrown from his bike. This time he only suffered a serious concussion. After recovering for a month, he returned to Graham on August 18 to finish the show, but the result was the same, only this time the injuries were more serious. Again coming up short, Knievel crashed, breaking his left wrist, right knee and two ribs. is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Seal of Gardena Gardena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Graham is a census-designated place located in Pierce County, Washington. ... â€œCerebral Concussionâ€ redirects here. ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Knievel finally got some national exposure when actor Joey Bishop had him on as a guest of The Joey Bishop Show. All the attention not only brought larger paydays, but also female admirers. Joey Bishop (born Joseph Abraham Gottlieb on February 3, 1918 in The Bronx, New York, USA) is a Jewish American actor. ...

Caesars Palace

While in Las Vegas, Nevada, to watch Dick Tiger fight a middleweight title fight, Knievel first saw the fountains at Caesars Palace and decided to jump them. To get an audience with the casino's CEO Jay Sarno, Knievel created a fictitious corporation called Evel Knievel Enterprises and three fictitious lawyers to make phone calls to Sarno. Knievel also placed phone calls to Sarno claiming to be from ABC-TV and Sports Illustrated inquiring about the jump. Sarno finally agreed to meet Knievel and the deal was set for Knievel to jump the fountains on December 31, 1967. After the deal was set, Knievel tried to get ABC to air the event live on Wide World of Sports. ABC declined, but said that if Knievel had the jump filmed and it was as spectacular as he said it would be, they would consider using it later. Vegas redirects here. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Nevada. ... Richard Dick Tiger Ihetu (August 14, 1929 - December 14, 1971) was a boxer from Amaigbo, Orlu, Nigeria, was a migrant fighter to Liverpool (and later to America). ... Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. ... Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the job of having the ultimate executive responsibility or authority within an organization or corporation. ... Jay Sarno (1922-1984) was a Las Vegas business entrepreneur who owned some important hotels there. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... The first issue of Sports Illustrated, August 16, 1954, showing Milwaukee Braves star Eddie Mathews at bat in Milwaukee County Stadium. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... ABCs Wide World of Sports is a long-running sports anthology show on American television. ...

Knievel used his own money to have actor/director John Derek produce a film of the Caesar's jump. To keep costs low, Derek used his then-wife, Linda Evans, as one of the camera operators. It was Evans who filmed Knievel's famous landing. On the morning of the jump, Knievel stopped in the casino and placed a single $100 dollar bet on the blackjack table, which he lost, stopped by the bar and got a shot of Wild Turkey and then headed outside where he was joined by several members of the Caesars staff, as well as two scantily clad showgirls. After doing his normal pre-jump show and a few warm up approaches, Knievel began his real approach. When he hit the takeoff ramp, he felt the motorcycle unexpectedly decelerate. The sudden loss of power on the takeoff caused Knievel to come up short and land on the safety ramp which was supported by a van. This caused the handlebars to be ripped out of his hands as he tumbled over them onto the pavement where he skidded into the Dunes parking lot. As a result of the crash, Knievel suffered a crushed pelvis and femur, fractures to his hip, wrist and both ankles and a concussion that kept him in a coma for 29 days. John Derek in the 1980s John Derek (born August 12, 1926; died May 22, 1998) was an American actor, director and photographer most famous for the women to whom he was married. ... Linda Evans (born Linda Evanstad on November 18, 1942, in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American actress known primarily for her roles on television. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the gambling game. ... Wild Turkey bourbon bottle and logo Wild Turkey (also known as the dirty bird) is a line of Kentucky bourbon whiskey distilled and bottled by the Austin, Nichols division of Pernod Ricard, an international beverage corporation. ... A Las Vegas showgirl, from the Folies Bergere. ... The Dunes in 1983 The Dunes Hotel was a Las Vegas, Nevada hotel/casino that operated from May 23, 1955 to January 26, 1993, and was the tenth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip. ... In medicine, a coma (from the Greek koma, meaning deep sleep) is a profound state of unconsciousness. ...

After his crash and recovery, Knievel was more famous than ever. ABC-TV bought the rights to the film of the jump, paying far more than they originally would have, had they televised the original jump live. Ironically, when Knievel finally achieved the fame and possible fortune that he always wanted, his doctors were telling him that he might never walk without the aide of crutches, let alone ride and jump motorcycles. To keep his name in the news, Knievel started describing his biggest stunt ever, a motorcycle jump across the Grand Canyon. Just five months after his near fatal crash, Knievel performed another jump. On May 25, 1968, in Scottsdale, Arizona, Knievel crashed while attempting to jump fifteen Mustangs. Knievel ended up breaking his right leg and foot as a result of the crash. This article is about the canyon in the southwestern United States. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Scottsdale . ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... For other Ford Mustang models and concepts, see Ford Mustang Variants. ...

On August 3, 1968, Knievel returned to jumping, making more money than ever before. He was earning approximately $25,000 per performance, and he was making successful jumps almost weekly until October 13, in Carson City, Nevada. While trying to stick the landing, he lost control of the bike and crashed again, once again breaking his hip. During his recovery, Knievel had the X-1 Skycycle built by NASA aeronautical engineer Doug Malewicki to promote his Grand Canyon jump. More showpiece than actual motorcycle, the X-1 had two rocket engines capable of producing thrust of more than 14,000 pounds force (62 kN) bolted to the side of a normal motorcycle. Knievel also had all the trucks he used to go from one jump to the next painted to promote the Grand Canyon jump. is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: Proud of its Past. ... This article is about the American space agency. ... Douglas (or Doug) Malewicki is an inventor from the United States whose diverse inventions include: UniModal Nuclear War the card game Robosaurus The X-1 Skycycle that Evel Knievel commisioned when he was planning to jump the Grand Canyon RB2000 Rocket Belt Category: ...

Marketing the image

Knievel sought to make more money off of his image. No longer satisfied with just receiving free motorcycles to jump with, Knievel wanted to be paid to use and promote a company's brand of motorcycles. After Triumph, the motorcycle that he had been jumping with, refused to meet his demands, Knievel started to propose the idea to other manufacturers. American Eagle Motorcycles was the first company to sign Knievel to an endorsement deal. At approximately the same time, Fanfare Films started production of The Evel Knievel Story, a 1971 movie starring George Hamilton as Knievel. Triumph Motorcycles is an English motorcycle manufacturer, originally based in Coventry. ... American Eagle Manufacturing Company, Inc. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Knievel kept up his pursuit of getting the United States government to allow him to jump the Grand Canyon. To push his case, he hired famed San Francisco defense attorney Melvin Belli to fight the legal battle to obtain government permission. ABC's Wide World of Sports started showing Knievel's jumps on television with regularity. His popularity, especially with young boys, was ever increasing. He became a hero to a generation of young boys, many of whom were injured trying to imitate his stunts. A. J. Foyt made him part of his pit crew for the Indianapolis 500 in 1970. His huge fame caused him to start traveling with a bodyguard, Boots Curtis, a long time Knievel friend. The government of the United States, established by the United States Constitution, is a federal republic of 50 states, a few territories and some protectorates. ... Melvin Mouron Belli (29 July 1907, Sonora, California - 9 July 1996, San Francisco, California) was a prominent American lawyer known as The King of Tortsâ€”and by detractors as Melvin Bellicose. He had many celebrity clients, including Zsa Zsa Gabor, Errol Flynn, Chuck Berry, Muhammad Ali, Sirhan Sirhan, Jim and... A. J. Foyt (born Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr. ... Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ... â€œIndy 500â€ redirects here. ...

Later in the decade, the merchandising of the Knievel image reached additional mediums. Ideal Toys released a bendable Knievel action figure in 1974; along with a host of accessories, there was also a female counterpart available—Derry Daring.^[1] In 1977, Bally marketed its Knievel pinball machine as the "first fully electronic commercial game"; it has elsewhere been described as one of the "last of the classic pre-digital games."^[2] Ideal Toy Company was founded as Ideal Novelty and Toy Company in New York in 1907 by Morris and Rose Michtom after they had invented the teddy bear in 1903. ... Bally Technologies logo Bally (with its distinctive Rolling Ball logo) Bally Technologies, Inc. ...

Snake River Canyon

By 1971, Knievel realized that the United States government would never allow him to jump the Grand Canyon. To keep his fans interested, Knievel considered several other stunts that might match the publicity that would have been generated by jumping the canyon. Ideas included: jumping across the Mississippi River, jumping from one skyscraper to another in New York City and jumping over 13 cars inside the Houston Astrodome. While flying back to Butte from a performance tour, Knievel looked out the window and saw the Snake River Canyon. After finding a location near Twin Falls, Idaho, that was both wide enough, deep enough and on private property, Knievel leased 300 acres (1.2 km²) for $35,000 to stage his jump. He set the date for Labor Day, 1972. The Reliant Astrodome, formerly just the Astrodome, is a domed sports stadium in Houston, Texas, and is part of the Reliant Park complex. ...

On January 7 and January 8, 1971, Knievel set the record by selling over 100,000 tickets to back-to-back performances at the Houston Astrodome. On February 28, he set a new world record by jumping 19 cars in Ontario, California. On May 10, Knievel crashed while attempting to jump 13 Pepsi delivery trucks. His approach was complicated by the fact that he had to start on pavement, cut across grass, and then return to pavement. His lack of speed caused the motorcycle to come down front wheel first. He managed to hold on until the cycle hit the base of the ramp. After being thrown off he skidded for 50 feet (15 m). Knievel broke his collarbone, suffered a compound fracture of his right arm and broke both legs. is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Knievel continued to jump and promote his Labor Day assault on the Snake River Canyon. On March 3, 1972 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, Knievel got into a scuffle with a couple of Hells Angels in the audience. After making a successful jump, he tried to come to a quick stop because of a short landing area. Knievel ended up getting thrown off and run over by his motorcycle, a Harley-Davidson. Knievel ended up with a broken back and a concussion. is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. ...

ABC Sports was unwilling to pay the price Knievel wanted for the canyon jump, so he ended up hiring Bob Arum's company, Top Rank Productions, to put the event on pay-per-view cable. Arum partnered with Invest West Sports, Sheldon Saltman's company, in order to secure from Invest West Sports two things: 1.) the necessary financing for the jump and 2.) the services of Sheldon Saltman, long recognized as one of America's premier public relations and promotion men, to do publicity so that Knievel could concentrate on his jumps. Knievel then hired former NASA engineer Robert Truax to design and build the X-2 Skycycle. During two test jumps, the first on April 15, 1972, and the second on June 24, 1973, the rocket failed to make it all the way across the canyon. Knievel said that there would be no more tests and that he would go ahead with the scheduled jump on September 8, 1974. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Captain Robert Truax (USN) Captain Robert C. Truax (USN) was a rocket engineer in the U.S. military and later in the private sector with companies such as Aerojet and his own company, Truax Engineering. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ...

The launch at the Snake River Canyon was at 3:36 p.m. local time. The steam that powered the engine had to get up to a temperature of 700 °F (370 °C). About two-thirds the way up the ramp, the drogue parachute accidentally deployed. The deployed chute caused enough drag that the skycycle couldn't make it all the way across the canyon. The skycycle turned on its side and started to descend into the canyon. The main chute deployed, allowing the wind to carry the skycycle into the canyon wall. By the time it hit the bottom of the canyon, the wind had pushed it across the river enough so that it landed half in and half out of the water. Knievel survived the jump with only minor injuries.

Retirement(s)

On May 31, 1975, in front of 90,000 people at Wembley Stadium in London, England, Knievel crashed while trying to land a jump over thirteen double decker Routemaster buses. After the crash, despite breaking his pelvis, Knievel addressed the audience and announced his retirement. After recuperating, Knievel decided that he had spoken too soon, and that he would continue jumping. On October 25, 1975, Knievel successfully jumped fourteen Greyhound buses at Kings Island, Ohio. This event scored the highest viewer ratings in the history of ABC's Wide World of Sports. After this jump, he again announced his retirement. Evel jumped on October 31, 1976 at the Seattle Kingdome. He only jumped seven Greyhound Buses. The jump was a success. Despite the crowd's pleasure, Knievel felt that it was not his best jump. He apologized to the crowd for the jump not being that great. is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wembley Stadium was a football stadium located in Wembley, London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... A London AEC Routemaster, RML 2473 (JJD 473D), on route 7 approaching Ladbroke Grove tube station in April 2002. ... First London AEC Routemaster, RML 2473 (JJD 473D), on route 7 towards Ladbroke Grove tube station, April 2002. ... is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Greyhound Lines is the largest inter-city common carrier of passengers by bus in North America, serving 2,200 destinations in the United States. ... Kings Island is a 364 acre (1. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area Ranked 34th - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 kmÂ²) - Width 220 miles (355 km) - Length 220 miles (355 km) - % water 8. ... is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Knievel made several television appearances, including a guest spot on The Bionic Woman where he played himself. He was a frequent guest on talk shows such as Dinah! and Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. On January 31, 1977, during a dress rehearsal for a CBS special on live daredevil stunts at the Chicago International Amphitheatre, Knievel crashed, breaking both arms and his collarbone. In the process, a misplaced cameraman was injured, losing an eye. In June 1977, Warner Bros. released Viva Knievel!, a movie starring Knievel as himself and co-starring Lauren Hutton, Gene Kelly and Red Buttons. The movie was a box office flop. The Bionic Woman was a television series which spun off from The Six Million Dollar Man. ... Dinah! (called Dinah & Friends from 1979-1980) was a daytime talk show hosted by singer and actress Dinah Shore, which aired in American syndication markets from its premiere on September 9, 1974 until the summer of 1980. ... For other persons named John Carson, see John Carson (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area - City 234. ... â€œWBâ€ redirects here. ... Poster for Viva Knievel! Viva Knievel! is a 1977 action movie starring Evel Knievel as himself, Gene Kelly as Will Atkins, and Lauren Hutton as photojournalist Kate Morgan. ... Lauren Hutton (born November 17, 1943) is an American actress and model. ... Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 â€“ February 2, 1996), better known as Gene Kelly, was an American dancer, actor, singer, director, producer, and choreographer. ... Red Buttons (February 5, 1919 â€“ July 13, 2006) was the stage name of American comedian and actor Aaron Chwatt. ... Look up flop in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

While Knievel was healing from his latest round of injuries, the book Evel Knievel on Tour was released. Authored by Knievel's promoter for the Snake River Canyon jump, Sheldon Saltman, the book painted a less than perfect picture of Knievel's character and alleged that he abused his wife and kids and that he used drugs. Knievel, with both arms still in casts, flew to California to confront Saltman, a VP at Twentieth Century Fox. Outside the studio commissary, one of Knievel's friends grabbed Shelly and held him, while Knievel attacked him with an aluminum baseball bat, declaring, "I'm going to kill you!" According to a witness to the attack, Knievel struck repeated blows at Saltman's head, with Saltman blocking the blows with his left arm. Saltman's arm and wrist were shattered in several places before he fell to the ground unconscious. It took numerous surgeries and permanent metal plates in his arm to eventually give Saltman back the use of his arm. He had been a left-handed competitive tennis player before the attack. Related articles FOX Television Network Fox Searchlight Pictures Fox Entertainment Group List of Hollywood movie studios List of movies Variant of current 20th Century Fox logo External links 20th Century Fox Movies official site Twentieth Century Fox is also the punning title of a song by The Doors on their...

When reports of the savage attack on Saltman were shown on the evening news, Saltman's elderly mother back in Boston suffered a heart attack from the shock and died soon thereafter. In addition, Sheldon Saltman's book was pulled from the shelves by the publisher after Knievel threatened to sue. Saltman later produced documents in both criminal and civil court that proved that, although Knievel claimed to have been insulted by statements in Saltman's book, he and his lawyers had actually been given editorial access to the book and had approved and signed off on every word prior to its publication. A judge in the case called Knievel's actions among the "most despicable" and "cowardly" that he had ever seen. On October 14, 1977, Knievel pleaded guilty to battery and was sentenced to three years probation and six months in the county jail, during which he publicly flaunted his brief incarceration for the press as just one more publicity stunt. is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

With no income, Knievel eventually had to declare bankruptcy. In 1981, Saltman was awarded a $13 million judgement against Knievel in a civil trial but never received money from Knievel's estate. In 1983, the IRS determined that Knievel failed to pay $1.6 million in taxes on earnings from his jumps. In addition to the back taxes, they demanded another $2.5 million in interest and penalties. Then the State of Montana sued Knievel for $390,000 in back taxes. In 1986, Knievel was arrested for soliciting an undercover policewoman in Kansas City, Missouri. Knievel's wife, Linda, left him and returned home to Butte. Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administrationâ€”see text) in the United Kingdom. ... Seal of the Internal Revenue Service Tax rates around the world Tax revenue as % of GDP Part of the Taxation series â€œIRSâ€ redirects here. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area Ranked 4th - Total 147,165 sq mi (381,156 kmÂ²) - Width 255 miles (410 km) - Length 630 miles (1,015 km) - % water 1 - Latitude 44Â°26N to 49Â°N - Longitude 104Â°2W to 116Â°2W Population Ranked... Solicitation is a crime; it is an inchoate offense that consists of a person inciting, counseling, advising, urging, or commanding another to commit a crime with the specific intent that the person solicited commit the crime. ... Nickname: Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St Louis[1] Area Ranked 21st - Total 69,709 sq mi (180,693 kmÂ²) - Width 240 miles (385 km) - Length 300 miles (480 km) - % water 1. ...

Knievel made several attempts to reconcile with his estranged son, Robbie, even appearing with him at a couple of jumps. After Robbie's successful jump of the Caesar's Palace fountains, the two went their separate ways for good. Knievel made somewhat of a marketing comeback in the 1990s, representing Maxim Casino, Little Caesar's and Harley-Davidson among other companies. In 1993, Evel Knievel was diagnosed with hepatitis C, apparently contracted during one of his numerous reconstructive surgeries. Robbie Kaptain Knievel (born May 7, 1962 in Butte, Montana) is the one of the four children of famous stuntman Evel Knievel. ... The now defunct Hotel & Casino on Flamingo & Koval Aves just east of the Las Vegas Strip. ... Little Caesars is a fast-food restaurant owned by Detroit-based Illich Holdings, that specializes in pizza. ... Logo on a 2003 Harley Davidson The Harley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE: HDI) is a manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ... This page is for the disease. ...

In 1994, in Sunnyvale, California, during a domestic disturbance call, police found several firearms in Knievel's car. He was convicted and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service for a weapons violation. He had a liver transplant in 1999. That year, he was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Location in Santa Clara County and the state of California Coordinates: , Country State County Santa Clara Government - Mayor Otto Lee Area - City 22. ... â€œDomestic disturbanceâ€ redirects here. ... The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is located just off I-70 in the Columbus, Ohio suburb of Pickerington, OH. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame recognizes those who have made significant contributions to all aspects of motorcycling, including those who have excelled in motorcycle business, history, design and engineering, in...

On November 19, 1999, on a special platform built on the fountains at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip near Las Vegas, Nevada (site of Evel’s jump New Year's Eve 1967), Evel married long time girlfriend, 30-year-old Krystal Kennedy of Clearwater, FL. Standing up for Evel was his oldest son Kelly Knievel; Krystal's twin sister Shawn (Kennedy) Marsh served as Maid of Honor. Long-time friend Engelbert Humperdinck sent a recorded tribute to the couple. They were divorced in 2001. is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... The south end of The Strip; approximately one third of the entire Strip is represented here. ... Vegas redirects here. ...

On July 27, 2006, on The Adam Carolla Show, Knievel said that he has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and requires supplemental oxygen 24 hours a day. is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Adam Carolla Show is a syndicated morning radio program, which began airing on January 3, 2006. ... Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis involves scarring of the lung. ...

On July 28, 2006, at Evel Knievel Days in Butte, Robbie jumped 180 feet in a tribute to his father. Robbie also appeared on stage with his father, Evel. is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In December 2006, Knievel sued rapper Kanye West for trademark infringement in West's video for Touch the Sky. [1] Kanye Omari West (pronounced /kÉ‘njÉ›j/) (born June 8, 1977) is an American record producer and rapper who rose to fame in the mid 2000s. ...

Conversion to Christianity

On April 1, 2007, Knievel announced to a worldwide audience that he "believed in Jesus Christ" for the first time. He professed his personal faith in Christ to more than 4,000 people who gathered inside the Crystal Cathedral for Palm Sunday services in Orange County, California, and to millions via an Hour of Power telecast of the service to over 100 countries.^[3] Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Crystal Cathedral The Crystal Cathedral is a Christian megachurch in the city of Garden Grove, in Orange County, California. ... Cities in Orange County Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. ... The Hour of Power is a weekly religious television program now hosted by Robert A. Schuller with his father, Robert H. Schuller, and broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral in Costa Mesa, California, USA. It first aired in 1970 with a multi-host format until it was just the elder Schuller...

Knievel told how he had refused for 68 years to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior because he didn’t want to surrender his lifestyle of "the gold and the gambling and the booze and the women." He explained his conversion experience by saying, "All of a sudden, I just believed in Jesus Christ. I did, I believed in him!"^[4] Knievel said he knew people were praying for him, including his daughter's church, his ex-wife's church, and the hundreds of people who wrote letters urging him to believe.

Knievel recounted how he "rose up in bed and, I was by myself, and I said, 'Devil, Devil, you bastard you, get away from me. I cast you out of my life….' I just got on my knees and prayed that God would put his arms around me and never, ever, ever let me go."^[5] At his request, he was baptized before the congregation and TV cameras by Dr. Robert H. Schuller, Founding Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. Christianity Today reported that "...Knievel's testimony triggered mass baptisms at the Crystal Cathedral" following his emotional testimony.^[5] The Rev Robert Harold Schuller, (born September 16, 1926) is an American televangelist and pastor known around the world through his weekly broadcast the Hour of Power. ... Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ... In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. ...

Footnotes

References

Sidgwick & Jackson was a publishing company founded in Britain in 1908 and current a wholly owned subsidiary of Pan Macmillan and now operating as an imprint of that larger publishing house. ... The Hour of Power is a weekly religious television program now hosted by Robert A. Schuller with his father, Robert H. Schuller, and broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral in Costa Mesa, California, USA. It first aired in 1970 with a multi-host format until it was just the elder Schuller... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ...

External links

Categories: Articles needing additional references from July 2007 | 1938 births | American film actors | American motorcycle racers | American stunt performers | Living people | People from Butte, Montana | World record holders | American Christians The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ... For people who perform risky stunts as a profession, see stunt performer. ... is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Uptown Butte 1942 view of the city Butte is a city in Silver Bow County, Montana and is the county seat. ...

Contents

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