ENTERTAINMENT
Evel Knievel dies age 69
Friday, November 30, 2007
Daredevil Evel Knievel, the man famous for his showmanship while attempting a series of death-defying stunts, died on Friday aged 69. He had been ill for some time.
Friday, November 30, 2007
By Reuters
ST PETERSBURG, Fla., Nov 30 (Reuters) - Daredevil Evel
Knievel, who dodged death in a series of spectacular motorcycle
leaps and crashes that made his name synonymous with
showmanship, died on Friday at the age of 69, according to a
message on his Web site.
Knievel, who dodged death in a series of spectacular motorcycle
leaps and crashes that made his name synonymous with
showmanship, died on Friday at the age of 69, according to a
message on his Web site.
The site <http://www.evelknievel.com/> read simply "Robert
Craig 'Evel' Knievel October 17, 1938 - November 30, 2007."
Craig 'Evel' Knievel October 17, 1938 - November 30, 2007."
He had been ill for some time.
In his heyday, the tempestuous showman dressed like a
superhero for his jumps, wearing a red, white and blue leather
jumpsuit with a cape and cane, his hair sculpted back in a tall
pompadour.
superhero for his jumps, wearing a red, white and blue leather
jumpsuit with a cape and cane, his hair sculpted back in a tall
pompadour.
Knievel's greatest stunt turned out to be a failure when on
Sept. 8, 1974, he tried to ride a rocket-powered motorcycle
across the Snake River Canyon in Idaho.
Sept. 8, 1974, he tried to ride a rocket-powered motorcycle
across the Snake River Canyon in Idaho.
With a nationwide pay-per-view television audience
watching, the parachute deployed when Knievel's Skycycle X-2
was only about two-thirds across, sending the cycle into the
canyon wall. It landed partly in the river but Knievel walked
away with minor injuries.
watching, the parachute deployed when Knievel's Skycycle X-2
was only about two-thirds across, sending the cycle into the
canyon wall. It landed partly in the river but Knievel walked
away with minor injuries.
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