Evel Knievel Dies

[Jaffa Cake]

Some sad news this evening – it's being reported that dare devil motorcycle stunt rider and double decker bus hopper Evel Knievel has died at the age of 69.

He'd had well-reported health problems for a number of years now – RIP Evel.

 

[MacNut]

Amazing he lived as long as he had with some of the stunts he did.

 

[olliebraves20]

Yeah it is amazing he lived so long....the rest of us probably could never get away with the stunts he pulled....

 

[mcarnes]

The man had balls. Huge balls.

 

[Moof1904]

He holds the world's record for the greatest number of broken bones. I don't remember the number, though.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

He holds the world's record for the greatest number of broken bones. I don't remember the number, though.

According at least to the BBC report on his death...

By the time he retired in 1980 Knievel had broken nearly 40 bones.

I'm not sure if that counts breaks to the same bones on separate occasions, or whether 40 individual bones ended up broken at various points. Either way, that's a lot of plaster casts.

 

[Markleshark]

Amazing stuff, really, that a man like that could live to 69.

RIP.

 

[Counterfit]

He holds the world's record for the greatest number of broken bones. I don't remember the number, though.

It's either him, his son Robby, or Jackie Chan.

 

[jackiecanev2]

 

[ibook30]

Sad Day

This is sad news. Evil Knievel represented risk and excitement to so many people. He was an icon of courage and persistence (perhaps poor judgement too, they always seem to go hand in hand). Knievel was inspirational, or at least had the potential to be, to anyone faced with a challlenge. His death at a late age is enccouraging in manyy ways. He lived. I hope all of us can say the same.

Goodbye Evil. Beautiful, flying, jumping, daring, Evil.

 

[simie]

 

[solvs]

Of all the things to get him...

 

[IDANNY]

defiantly someone that I look up to.

 

[Lau]

I rather liked this comment from the BBC website:

His legacy lies in dented skirting boards the length and breadth of the country; the result of the '70s toy wind up bike that had a mind of its own. For those of us who lived through these times, this news will come as a shock.

Fond memories of a larger than life character.

 

[Kamera RAWr]

I fondly recall the story of him beating the writer that supposedly published many lies about Evel in his book...

Evel beat the man with a baseball bat, had to hold it with both hands of course as Evel at the time had two broken arms with casts on them

 

[Kashchei]

I remember growing up with Evel and his latest jump, but I lost touch with him after his "jump" over the Snake river. Did the media stop covering him after that, or was that the end of his career?

Evel was the Jackass of his day (I mean that is the best possible way)

 

[IJ Reilly]

I remember growing up with Evel and his latest jump, but I lost touch with him after his "jump" over the Snake river. Did the media stop covering him after that, or was that the end of his career?

More like he lost touch with reality, even as he knew it. Evel was one weird dude even at the best of times. He had a real dark side. After the Snake River fiasco, he injured a bystander in another jump, then he beat somebody up with a baseball bat and served time, starting drinking heavily, etc.

 

[Kashchei]

More like he lost touch with reality, even as he knew it. Evel was one weird dude even at the best of times. He had a real dark side. After the Snake River fiasco, he injured a bystander in another jump, then he beat somebody up with a baseball bat and served time, starting drinking heavily, etc.

I'm sorry to hear that and thanks for he update--I had no idea. BTW, I love your avatar. Have you seen the statue of Ignatius in New Orleans? I ran into it once on a visit--I'm glad to see the city has embraced this character.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I'm sorry to hear that and thanks for he update--I had no idea. BTW, I love your avatar. Have you seen the statue of Ignatius in New Orleans? I ran into it once on a visit--I'm glad to see the city has embraced this character.

Thanks for getting the reference. Happens about once a year, so you're it for 2007. No, I've never been to New Orleans. Some day. For a brief while a few years ago a film version of "Confederacy" was in production. I believe the project is dead now.

 

[imac/cheese]

I rather liked this comment from the BBC website:

I remember that wind up bike. I loved that thing.

 

[Iscariot]

He holds the Guinness World Record for most broken bones, clocking in at 35.

 

[IJ Reilly]

He holds the Guinness World Record for most broken bones, clocking in at 35.

A statistic which causes me to wonder who keeps track of such things.

 

[Cheese]

Evel was one of my first hero's. Though his age has permitted him from stunts for some years now, our memories of him and the excitement he brought to our world was something we shall not soon forget. May his last jump be into the great beyond... "Color him gone--"

 

[SkyBell]

I had to do a double take when I saw the title of this thread.

Very sad indeed.

 

[solvs]

A statistic which causes me to wonder who keeps track of such things.

Guinness.