Evel Knievel
Born	October 17, 1938 Butte, Montana
Died

Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel (born October 17, 1938 in Butte, Montana) is an American stuntman, best known for his public displays of long distance, high-altitude motorcycle jumping which often resulted in serious injuries, particularly during the 1970s. The consummate salesman, he was able to turn his popularity into a marketing juggernaut with products ranging from radios to toy action figures. His achievements and failures got him into the Guinness Book of World Records several times including his record thirty-five broken bones. Download high resolution version (381x735, 46 KB)Evel Knievel on a motorcycle File links The following pages link to this file: Evel Knievel ... October 17 is the 290th (in leap years the 291st) day of the year according to the Gregorian calendar. ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Butte, Montana Butte is a city that is located in Silver Bow County, Montana and is the county seat. ... State nickname: Treasure State Other U.S. States Capital Helena Largest city Billings Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) Official languages English Area 381,156 km² (4th)  - Land 377,295 km²  - Water 3,862 km² (1%) Population (2000)  - Population 902,195 (44th)  - Density 2. ... October 17 is the 290th (in leap years the 291st) day of the year according to the Gregorian calendar. ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Butte, Montana Butte is a city that is located in Silver Bow County, Montana and is the county seat. ... State nickname: Treasure State Other U.S. States Capital Helena Largest city Billings Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) Official languages English Area 381,156 km² (4th)  - Land 377,295 km²  - Water 3,862 km² (1%) Population (2000)  - Population 902,195 (44th)  - Density 2. ... A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in theatre or cinema. ... A motorcycle (or motorbike) is a two-wheeled vehicle powered by an engine. ... This article provides extensive lists of events and significant personalities of the 1970s. ... An action figure is a posable plastic figurine of an action hero, superhero or a character from a movie or television program. ... The Guinness Book of Records (or in recent editions Guinness World Records, and in previous US editions Guinness Book of World Records) is a book published annually, containing an internationally recognized collection of superlatives: both in terms of human achievement and the extrema of the natural world. ...

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, Ognatius 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. 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Joie Chitwood, born April 14, 1912 - died January 3, 1988, was an American racecar driver and businessman. ... A motorcycle (or motorbike) is a two-wheeled vehicle powered by an engine. ...

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 which he crashed his motorcycle, Knievel was taken to jail. When the night jailer came around to check the role, he said "Hey, we got a guy named Knievel in one cell and another named Knoffle in the other. Goddamn! Double the guard! We got Evil Knievel and Awful Knoffle here tonight." 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 Czech 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 Czech expenses in order to avoid an international incident. See also: 1956 in sports, 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 - Argentina 24 hours of Le Mans: the team of Ron Flockhart / Ivor Bueb won... // Events and trends The 1950s in Western society was marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the height of the baby-boom from returning... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Pole vaulting is an athletics event where competitors use a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar, similar to the high jump, but at much greater heights. ... The Charlotte Checkers are an ECHL team in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... 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. ... The modernized NHL shield logo, debuting in 2005. ... The VIII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1960 in Squaw Valley, USA. Alexander Cushing, the creator of the resort, campaigned vigorously to win the Games. ... Czechoslovakia (Czech: ÄŒeskoslovensko, Slovak: ÄŒesko-Slovensko/before 1990 ÄŒeskoslovensko) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1992 (except for the World War II period). ... The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is a non-profit organization that is the National Olympic Committee for the United States. ...

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. Hunting is, in its most general sense, the pursuit of a target. ... Fishing from a Pier Fishing is a term applied to any activity which aims to capture fish or shellfish for subsistence, scientific, commercial or recreational purposes. ... Game is any animal hunted for food. ... In the United States, a game warden is often a state or local official responsible for enforcing environmental protections laws. ... Yellowstone National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. ... Burglary is a crime related to theft. ...

In December, 1961, Knievel, learning about the slaughter of excess 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. 1961 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The word Elk has several possible meanings: In Europe, Elk is the animal known in North America as the Moose (Alces alces). ... Hitchhiking (also called lifting, thumbing or hitching) is a form of transport, in which the traveller tries to get a lift (ride) from another traveller, usually a car or truck driver. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ... Mike Mansfield Michael Joseph Mansfield (March 16, 1903 – October 5, 2001) was an American politician from Montana. ... Several individuals have the surname Kennedy: Members of the Kennedy family of the United States, including: John F. Kennedy - U.S. President, U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy - U.S. Senator, and Attorney General Edward Kennedy - U.S. Senator Kennedy clan - Scottish clan Duncan Kennedy - Carter Professor of General Jurisprudence, Harvard... 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 Lee Udall (born January 31, 1920) was an American politician. ... State nickname: Equality State Other U.S. States Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) Official languages English Area 253,554 km² (10th)  - Land 251,706 km²  - Water 1,851 km² (0. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Official languages none Area 216,632 km² (14th)  - Land 214,499 km²  - Water 2,133 km² (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. Motocross is form of motorcycle or ATV racing held on off road on enclosed circuits. ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Aon Corporation (NYSE: AOC) is a global risk-management consulting and insurance underwriting firm. ... 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, 1883–November 8, 1970) was an American author who is widely recognized as the founder 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 resentments about the attack on Pearl Harbor. At one point, Knievel offered a $100 discount to anybody that could beat him in arm wrestling. Despite his best efforts the store eventually closed. Moses Lake is a city located in Grant County, Washington. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire (D) Official languages None Area 184,824 km² (18th)  - Land 172,587 km²  - Water 12,237 km² (6. ... Honda Motor Co. ... The 1960s, or The Sixties, in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1960 and 1969, but the expression has taken on a wider meaning over the past twenty years. ... The Imperial Japanese Navy made its attack on Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941. ... Arm wrestling is an athletic contest in which two people place either their right elbows or their left elbows on a table, grip their hands, and try to force back the other persons hand to the table surface. ...

Daredevil

Evel Knievel in 1966.

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. Evel Knievel in 1966. ... 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 Blare, a distributor for Norton Motorcycles. Blare 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 Blare to allow him to use Evel instead of Evil. Norton is a British motorcycle brand from Birmingham and founded in 1898. ... Hells Angels logo (Smithsonian Institution) The Hells Angels (without an apostrophe), was formed in 1948 in Fontana, California (where the local chapter remains active), taking the name of the movie Hells Angels based on the Royal Flying Corps directed by Howard Hughes. ...

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 next booking was in Hemet, California, but had been 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 started almost a month prior. January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ... Indio, California, is a U.S. city located in the Coachella Valley of Southern Californias desert region. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... Harvard Street c. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Barstow is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. ... A crotch can be any region or an object, where a trunk splits into two or more limbs. ...

Knievel's daredevil show broke up after the Barstow performance because Knievel was unable to perform due to his injuries. After recovering, Knievel started traveling from small town to small town as a solo act. To get ahead of other motorcycle stuntmen that 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 show until June 19 in Missoula, Montana. There, he attempted to jump thirteen cars, the last one being a cargo van. The distance he had for takeoff didn't allow him go get up enough speed. His back wheel hit the top of the van while his front wheel hit the top of the ramp. Knievel ended up with a severely broken arm and several broken ribs. The publicity from the crash and subsequent stay in the hospital were a publicity windfall. June 19 is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 195 days remaining. ... Missoula, Montana viewed from the top of Mount Sentinel in 1999. ...

With each successful jump, the public want 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. May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gardena is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. ... July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining. ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Graham is a census-designated place located in Pierce County, Washington. ... Head injury is a trauma to the head, that may or may not include injury to the brain (see also brain injury). ... August 18 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, several of whom he had adulterous affairs with. Joey Bishop (born Joseph Abraham Gottlieb on February 3, 1918 in The Bronx, New York, USA) is an American actor. ... Adultery is generally defined as consensual sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than their lawful spouse. ...

Caesar's Palace

Knievel jumping the Caesar's Palace fountains

While in Las Vegas, Nevada to watch Dick Tiger fight a middleweight title fight, Knievel first saw the fountains at Caesar's Palace, and decided to jump them. To get in to see Caesar's Palace CEO Jay Sarno, Knievel created a fictitious corporation called Evel Knievel Enterprises and three fictitious Jewish 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 jumped filmed and it was as spectacular as he said it would be, they would consider using it later. Evel Knievel jumping the fountains at Caesars Palace File links The following pages link to this file: Evel Knievel ... Evel Knievel jumping the fountains at Caesars Palace File links The following pages link to this file: Evel Knievel ... Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip welcoming visitors to the city City nickname: The Entertainment Capital of the World Location of Las Vegas in Nevada County Clark Mayor Oscar B. Goodman Area   â€“Land   â€“Water 293. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th)  - Land 284,396 km²  - Water 1,971 km² (0. ... 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. ... The main entrance. ... 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 entrepreneour who owned some important hotels there. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... The ABC Circle logo, designed by Paul Rand in 1962. ... July 1999 cover showing soccer star Brandi Chastain Sports Illustrated is a popular weekly American sports magazine owned by media giant Time Warner. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the 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 that filmed Knievel's famous landing. On the morning of the jump, Knievel stopped in the casino and placed a bet on the roulette 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 Caesar's 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 received 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 (born August 12, 1926 – died May 22, 1998) was an American actor and photographer most famous for the beautiful women to whom he was married. ... Linda Evans Linda Evans (born November 18, 1942) is an American television actress. ... The Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey A casino is a building that accommodates gambling. ... This page is about the game. ... Wild Turkey is a line of Kentucky bourbon whiskey distilled and bottled by the Austin, Nichols division of Pernod Ricard, an international beverage corporation. ... A showgirl is a dancer or performer in a show, typically in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... 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, which may result from a variety of conditions including intoxication (drug, alcohol or toxins), metabolic abnormalities (hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, etc. ...

After his crash and recovery, Knievel was more famous than ever. ABC-TV bought the rights to the film of the jump and had to pay far more than if they had televised the jump live. Ironically, when Knievel finally achieved the fame and possible fortune that he always wanted, his doctors were telling him that he may never walk with out crutches again, 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. Grand Cañon at the foot of the Toroweap - looking east, by William Henry Holmes The Grand Canyon is a colorful, steep-sided gorge, carved by the Colorado River, in northern Arizona. ... May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Scottsdale (Pima Vaá¹£ai S-veá¹£onÄ­) is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. Named by the New York Times as The Beverly Hills of the Desert and by Travel Channel as one of the most luxurious destinations in the nation, Scottsdale has become internationally recognized and regarded... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano (D) Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 km² (6th)  - Land 294,312 km²  - Water 942 km² (0. ... The Ford Mustang is a popular sports car. ...

On August 3, 1968, Knievel returned to jumping, making more money than ever before. He was earning approximately $25,000 per performance. Everything was going great for Knievel, 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 a show piece than actual motorcycle, the X-1 had two jet engines capable of producing more than 14,000 pounds of thrust 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. August 3 is the 215th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (216th in leap years), with 150 days remaining. ... October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years). ... Carson City redirects here. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which was established in 1958, is the agency responsible for the public space program of the United States of America. ...

Marketing the image

The Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle

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 manufactures. 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. Evel Knievel stunt cycle File links The following pages link to this file: Evel Knievel ... Evel Knievel stunt cycle File links The following pages link to this file: Evel Knievel ... Triumph Motorcycles was a famous manufacturer of motorcycles based in Coventry. ... George Hamilton is a name shared by several notable persons: George Hamilton, actor (b. ...

Starting in 1972, Ideal started to release a line of very popular Evel Knievel toys, including the most popular toy of the 1970s, the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle. The first motorcycle toy ever, it appealed to both boys and their fathers, propelling the Evel Knievel toy line as it revitalized the depressed toy industry, and eventually grossed over $350 million dollars, of which Knievel received approx. 10-15% of the proceeds. 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... This article provides extensive lists of events and significant personalities of the 1970s. ...

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 Melviin Belli to fight the legal battle to obtain government permission. 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. ...

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 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. A.J. Foyt A. J. Foyt (born January 16, 1935) is considered by many as the greatest race car driver of all time. ... The BAR Formula One team executes a pitstop A typical pit lane and garages parallel to the start/finish straight at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway You may be looking for PIT maneuver. ... Indianapolis 500, 1994 The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, frequently shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, is an American race for open-wheel automobiles held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

Snake River Canyon

Knievel in the X-2 Skycycle

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 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 three-hundred acres for $35,000 to stage his jump. He set the date for Labor Day, 1972. Evel Knievel in the X-2 Skycycle File links The following pages link to this file: Evel Knievel ... Evel Knievel in the X-2 Skycycle File links The following pages link to this file: Evel Knievel ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge Saint Louis¹: 5,500 m³/s Vicksburg²: 16,800 m³/s Baton Rouge³: 12,800 m³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 km² Origin Lake Itasca Mouth Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... Taipei 101, the worlds tallest skyscraper by roof height on high rise. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States, and is at the center of international finance, politics, communications, music, fashion, and culture. ... The Reliant Astrodome, formerly the Astrodome, is a domed sports stadium, the first of its kind. ... Twin Falls is a city located in Twin Falls County, Idaho. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Official languages none Area 216,632 km² (14th)  - Land 214,499 km²  - Water 2,133 km² (0. ... Labour Day (or Labor Day) is an annual holiday that resulted from efforts of the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. ...

On January 7 and 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 fifty feet. Knievel broke his collarbone, suffered a compound fracture of his right arm and broke both legs. January 7 is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Ontario Mills Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... The current Pepsi logo Pepsi or Pepsi-Cola, is a carbonated cola soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo, and the principal rival of Coca-Cola. ... A fractured bone in a living person is typically treated by restoring the fractured pieces of bone to their natural positions (if necessary), and maintaining those positions while the bone heals. ...

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. March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... The Cow Palace (originally known as the California State Livestock Pavilion) is an indoor arena that straddles the border between Daly City, California and San Francisco. ... The downtown San Francisco skyline, looking east from the central part of the city. ... Anniversary badge on a 2003 Harley-Davidson The Harley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE: HDI) is a manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ...

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 brought in Sheldon Saltman to do publicity so that Knievel could concentrate on his jumps. Knievel then hired former NASA engineer Robert Traux 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 scheduled jump on September 8, 1974. Bob Arum (born December 8, 1931 in New York, New York), is a Harvard_educated lawyer of Jewish descent who helped the White House during President John F. Kennedys time there. ... Pay-per-view is the name given to a system by which television viewers can call and order events to be seen on TV and pay for the private telecast of that event to their homes later. ... Skycycle X-2 was the rocket used by Evel Knievel in his attempt to cross the Snake River Canyon near Twin Falls, Idaho on September 8, 1974. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ...

The launch at the Snake River Canyon was at 3:36pm local time. The steam that powered the engine had to get up to a temperature of 700 degrees Fahrenheit. About two-thirds the way up the ramp, the drone 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

On May 31, 1975, in front of 90,000 people in Wembley Stadium in London, England, Knievel crashed while trying to land a jump over 13 double decker city buses. After the crash, despite breaking his pelvis, Knievel addressed the audience and announced his retirement. After recuperating, Knievel decided that he spoke too soon and that he would keep jumping. On October 26, 1975, Knievel successfully jumped 15 Greyhound buses at King's Mill, Ohio. This event scored the highest viewer ratings in the history of ABC's Wide World of Sports. After the jump, he again announced his retirement. May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining, as the last day of May. ... 1975 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Old Wembley Stadium (1923-2000) New Wembley Stadium (2006) England captain Bobby Moore with the Jules Rimet trophy. ... St. ... A double decker is a bus, airplane, train, tram, ferry, or any public transit vehicle that has two levels for passengers, one deck above the other. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... Greyhound Lines is the largest intercity common carrier of passengers by bus in North America, serving 2200 destinations in the United States. ... State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft (R) Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th)  - Land 106,154 km²  - Water 10,044 km² (8. ...

Knievel made several television appearances, including a guest spot on The Bionic Woman where he played himself. He was a frequent guest on talks 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 Ampitheatre, Knievel crashed, breaking both arms and his collarbone. In the process, a misplaced cameraman was injured, losing an eye. In June of 1977, Warner Bros. released, Viva Knievel!, a movie staring 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. ... Johnny Carson John William Johnny Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American actor, comedian and writer best known for his iconic status as the host of The Tonight Show from 1962 until 1992, and for tutoring Al Gore. ... The First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush and current host Jay Leno. ... January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1977 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1977 calendar). ... CBSs first color logo, which debuted in the fall of 1965. ... Chicago, Illinois — officially the City of Chicago and colloquially known as Chicago, the Second City and the Windy City — is the third largest city of the United States after New York City and Los Angeles and is the largest inland city of the nation. ... Warner Bros. ... Lauren Hutton (born November 17, 1943) is an American actress and model. ... Gene Kelly (1912-1996) Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996 in Beverly Hills, California) was an American dancer, actor, singer, director, and choreographer. ... Red Buttons (born February 5, 1919) is the stage name of American comedian and actor Aaron Chwatt. ...

While healing from his injuries, the book Evel Knievel on Tour was released. Authored by Sheldon Saltman, the book attacked Knievel's character and claimed 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, while a friend held Sheldon, Knievel used a baseball bat to break the left arm of Saltman. On October 14, 1977, Knievel pled guilty to battery and was sentenced to three years probation and six months in the county jail. October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ...

With no income, Knievel eventually had to declare bankruptcy. In 1981, Saltman was awarded a $13 million judgement against Knievel in a civil trial. In 1983, the IRS determined the 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 Knievel and returned home to Butte. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their creditors. ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... . The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the United States government agency that collects taxes and enforces the tax laws. ... State nickname: Treasure State Other U.S. States Capital Helena Largest city Billings Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) Official languages English Area 381,156 km² (4th)  - Land 377,295 km²  - Water 3,862 km² (1%) Population (2000)  - Population 902,195 (44th)  - Density 2. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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. ... City nickname: City of Fountains, Heart of the Nation Location in the state of Missouri Country State County United States Missouri Clay/Jackson/Platte Mayor Kay Barnes Area   â€“Land   â€“Water 318 sq. ... Missouri, named after the Missouri Siouan Indian tribe meaning canoe, is a Midwestern state in the United States with Jefferson City as its capital. ...

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 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. In 1993, Evel Knievel was diagnosed with hepatitis C, apparently contracted during one of his numerous reconstructive surgeries. He had a liver transplant in 1999. Robbie Kaptain Knievel (born May 7, 1962 in Butte, Montana) is the one of the four children of famous stuntman Evel Knievel. ... // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but keeping the same mind-set. ... Little Caesars is a fast-food restaurant owned by Detroit-based Illich Holdings, that specializes in pizza. ... Anniversary badge on a 2003 Harley-Davidson The Harley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE: HDI) is a manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... Location of Sunnyvale within Santa Clara County, California. ... Domestic violence, by barest definition, is violence within a home. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Hepatitis C is a form of hepatitis (liver inflammation) caused by a virus, the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

References

• Ace Collins (1999). Evel Knievel: An American Hero. St. Martins Press. ISBN 0-312-267339.
• Steve Mandich (2001). Evel Incarnate: The Life and Legend of Evel Knievel. Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 0-283-063629.
• "Evel Knievel time line". Evel Incarnate. URL accessed on June 17, 2005.

June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (169th in leap years), with 197 days remaining. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

External links

• Biography
• Evel Knievel on ABC's Wide World of Sports
• The Evel Knievel Stunt Bike
• Evel Knievel at the Internet Movie Database