RIP Evel Knievel

[Sir_Galahad]

The end of an era. Dead at 69. In Florida of some lung ailment. If I remember correctly, he has supposedly broken every bone in his body at least twice.

[peacock2121]

hmmm

I thought he was already dead.

Sting had his NYS driver's license signed by him in the late 70's..

[cindy.wellman]

Wow! Wasn't it just the other day that word of the settlement regarding Kanye was finalized?

RIP Mr. Knievel

Thanks for the update Galahad.

[Bob78164]

The end of an era. Dead at 69. In Florida of some lung ailment. If I remember correctly, he has supposedly broken every bone in his body at least twice.

Including his stirrup? I disbelieve. --Bob

[nitrah55]

I understand the hearse will arrive at the funeral after jumping 69 motorcycles.

[starfish1113]

In September 1974, I had just begun third grade. I pleaded with my mom to let me stay home from school so that I could watch Evel Knievel try to jump the Snake River Canyon (I'm pretty sure that at the time I assumed it was the Grand Canyon). She quite wisely turned down the request, and I can still remember sitting in class, nervous as all get out as to whether he made it over or not. After school, I ran home and asked my mom if he made it. She said no. I was crushed and said, "So, he's dead??" No, she said, he's not dead. He just didn't make it. I couldn't reconcile those two things. How could he fail to make it over the canyon and not die in the process? I didn't realize at the time that he had the parachute insurance as a just in case.

So, 33 years and 2 months after I first believed him gone, it finally comes to fruition. I am shocked that he was only 69, which would have made him four years younger than I am now. Wow.

R.I.P.

[silvercamaro]

I am shocked that he was only 69, which would have made him four years younger than I am now. Wow.

I say wow, too. You've held up very well.

[peacock2121]

LOL

Whay mscamaro said.

You look shorter than him as well.

[starfish1113]

I am shocked that he was only 69, which would have made him four years younger than I am now. Wow.

I say wow, too. You've held up very well.

That's what happens when you don't proofread before hitting submit!!

Of course, what I meant to say was that that would make him four years OLDER than I am now. Sheesh.

[tlynn78]

LOL- great minds. My first thought at reading Fishie's post was whaa?? He's not THAT old, just short.


t.

[peacock2121]

LOL- great minds. My first thought at reading Fishie's post was whaa?? He's not THAT old, just short.


t.

snort

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

With his boots off, that doesn't seem right.

I remember him saying he could get a $100,000 life insurance policy for $110,000

[fantine33]

I am shocked that he was only 69, which would have made him four years younger than I am now. Wow.

I say wow, too. You've held up very well.

That's what happens when you don't proofread before hitting submit!!

Of course, what I meant to say was that that would make him four years OLDER than I am now. Sheesh.

So you're only 65?

I could have sworn the Snake jump was on a Saturday. Like on Wide World of Sports or something. I wouldn't have seen it otherwise. And it was quite the huge deal, I remember being on pins and needles.

[ontellen]

I must agree with Miss Fantine. I know it was on a Saturday because we were camping back in the woods that weekend and didn't find out that he didn't make it until a couple of days later when we came out of the wilderness with 36 cases of beer empties. Ah, the memories!

[mrkelley23]

Heard an interview with his son on NPR, which was quite refreshing. Host asked him (Kelly, I think his name was) about several of the Knievel legends and Kelly admitted that many of them were part of the PR machine. He was asked specifically about the breaking every bone thing, and Kelly said he probably broke every MAJOR bone at least once, with the exception of his neck. The host even made a joke about a few metatarsals perhaps escaping the breakage, and Kelly laughed and agreed.

I would've had a hard time beliieving hammer, anvil, and stirrup, also.

[VAdame]

I must agree with Miss Fantine. I know it was on a Saturday because we were camping back in the woods that weekend and didn't find out that he didn't make it until a couple of days later when we came out of the wilderness with 36 cases of beer empties. Ah, the memories!

If it was September 8, 1974, it was a Sunday! Megan was born July 12 of that year, & that was a Friday -- so Sept. 8 would be a Sunday. Even so, nobody should've had to skip school to watch him!

[wbtravis007]

Heard an interview with his son on NPR, which was quite refreshing. Host asked him (Kelly, I think his name was) about several of the Knievel legends and Kelly admitted that many of them were part of the PR machine. He was asked specifically about the breaking every bone thing, and Kelly said he probably broke every MAJOR bone at least once, with the exception of his neck. The host even made a joke about a few metatarsals perhaps escaping the breakage, and Kelly laughed and agreed.

I would've had a hard time beliieving hammer, anvil, and stirrup, also.

I heard part of that interview. Didn't hear the beginning, but heard the rest of it from some point, including what you're describing. Your description is perfect.

I was kind of hoping that he'd go ahead and ask about the wookus bone.*




* I know, I know. That's not always a bone. What? Do y'all think I'm dumb or something?

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

An British style obit for Evel

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... db0104.xml

[tanstaafl2]

In September 1974, I had just begun third grade. I pleaded with my mom to let me stay home from school so that I could watch Evel Knievel try to jump the Snake River Canyon (I'm pretty sure that at the time I assumed it was the Grand Canyon).

Yada, yada, yada...

So, 33 years and 2 months after I first believed him gone, it finally comes to fruition. I am shocked that he was only 69, which would have made him four years younger than I am now. Wow.

R.I.P.

I think I missed something!

Lessee, 65 now minus 33 = 32

So you were 32 in the third grade? I have heard of being held back but that seems a bit extreme...

[TheCalvinator24]

An British style obit for Evel

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... db0104.xml

I loved this line:

"Knievel severely chastised Saltman with a baseball bat"

[TheConfessor]

In September 1974, I had just begun third grade. I pleaded with my mom to let me stay home from school so that I could watch Evel Knievel try to jump the Snake River Canyon (I'm pretty sure that at the time I assumed it was the Grand Canyon). She quite wisely turned down the request, and I can still remember sitting in class, nervous as all get out as to whether he made it over or not. After school, I ran home and asked my mom if he made it. She said no. I was crushed and said, "So, he's dead??" No, she said, he's not dead. He just didn't make it. I couldn't reconcile those two things. How could he fail to make it over the canyon and not die in the process? I didn't realize at the time that he had the parachute insurance as a just in case.

Not only was September 8, 1974 a non-school day (Sunday), but even if you had stayed home that day, you wouldn't have seen the jump on television. It was available only in theaters and arenas as a closed-circuit television presentation, with ticket prices of 5 bucks (?) and up. This was before the days of pay per view cable events at home. The Snake Canyon jump was presented by Bob Arum and Top Rank, who were best known for paid closed-circuit boxing matches. Back in that era, I saw the Rumble in the Jungle, the Thrilla in Manila, and a few other Muhammad Ali bouts on closed circuit TT, with crowds of 10,000 or more people.

[fantine33]

Not only was September 8, 1974 a non-school day (Sunday), but even if you had stayed home that day, you wouldn't have seen the jump on television. It was available only in theaters and arenas as a closed-circuit television presentation, with ticket prices of 5 bucks (?) and up. This was before the days of pay per view cable events at home. The Snake Canyon jump was presented by Bob Arum and Top Rank, who were best known for paid closed-circuit boxing matches. Back in that era, I saw the Rumble in the Jungle, the Thrilla in Manila, and a few other Muhammad Ali bouts on closed circuit TT, with crowds of 10,000 or more people.

According to ABC Sports, it was broadcast live on Wide World of Sports. I got the day wrong, but I knew it was WWOS because my mom watched that program every (I thought Saturday, but I guess it was on) Sunday. Probably because it was about the only thing on, since we didn't have cable.

Maybe Spunky went to CCD so he was in school on the weekends.

Personal aside to Ellie: 36 CASES of empties? You must have had a friend go with you. Maybe even two. Ha!

[TheConfessor]

Not only was September 8, 1974 a non-school day (Sunday), but even if you had stayed home that day, you wouldn't have seen the jump on television. It was available only in theaters and arenas as a closed-circuit television presentation, with ticket prices of 5 bucks (?) and up. This was before the days of pay per view cable events at home. The Snake Canyon jump was presented by Bob Arum and Top Rank, who were best known for paid closed-circuit boxing matches. Back in that era, I saw the Rumble in the Jungle, the Thrilla in Manila, and a few other Muhammad Ali bouts on closed circuit TT, with crowds of 10,000 or more people.

According to ABC Sports, it was broadcast live on Wide World of Sports. I got the day wrong, but I knew it was WWOS because my mom watched that program every (I thought Saturday, but I guess it was on) Sunday. Probably because it was about the only thing on, since we didn't have cable.

Maybe Spunky went to CCD so he was in school on the weekends.

Personal aside to Ellie: 36 CASES of empties? You must have had a friend go with you. Maybe even two. Ha!

Hmm, can you provide a link that says it was broadcast live for free on ABC? Many sites say otherwise, for example:
http://www.1wrestling.com/news/newsline.asp?news=30687

My unreliable memory says it was a paid event. I think it was shown on ABC on a delayed basis, perhaps a week or two later.

[fantine33]

Hmm, can you provide a link that says it was broadcast live for free on ABC? Many sites say otherwise, for example:
http://www.1wrestling.com/news/newsline.asp?news=30687

My unreliable memory says it was a paid event. I think it was shown on ABC on a delayed basis, perhaps a week or two later.

I think it was on espn.com. I'll look in my history to see if I still have the page.

I thought it was a possibility that it was a re-broadcast, but I remember (vaguely, I was a kid) there being hours of pre-jump nonsense and I couldn't imagine them having all the hype if it was already a done deal.

YAY! I found it! That's why I love Opera and I'm sad that I have to use IE for more stuff recently.

http://espn.go.com/abcsports/wwos/e_knievel.html

[TheConfessor]

Hmm, can you provide a link that says it was broadcast live for free on ABC? Many sites say otherwise, for example:
http://www.1wrestling.com/news/newsline.asp?news=30687

My unreliable memory says it was a paid event. I think it was shown on ABC on a delayed basis, perhaps a week or two later.

I think it was on espn.com. I'll look in my history to see if I still have the page.

I thought it was a possibility that it was a re-broadcast, but I remember (vaguely, I was a kid) there being hours of pre-jump nonsense and I couldn't imagine them having all the hype if it was already a done deal.

YAY! I found it! That's why I love Opera and I'm sad that I have to use IE for more stuff recently.

http://espn.go.com/abcsports/wwos/e_knievel.html

Thanks for the link. This was bugging me, because I didn't think my memory was that bad. So I did some digging and found that the ABC Wide World Of Sports broadcast of Evel's failed jump at Snake River was indeed delayed until the following Saturday, 9/14/1974. This info is on the same site as the article you provided, so the writer could have easily checked before spreading that error about it being a live broadcast.
http://espn.go.com/abcsports/wwos/milestones/1970s.html