Essay On Evel Knievel

Evel Knievel: His Influence on Modern Day Extreme Sports

"He's a motorcycle daredevil driver. All his life he's been doing death defying feats. Death has nearly defied him several times. His longest jump was fifty yards, a fifty-yard jump over the fountains of Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. This jump did not go well. You may have read about it. Or seen some still photos of it. He has some film with him of what happened. He seems to spend his life, or what he has left of it, it sometimes seems to be, seeing what he can do to shorten it. Incredible things he does... Will you welcome the legendary Evel Knievel"(Montville 7). Born Robert Knievel, “Evel” was not your average Joe. Going through many job and family changes in his life, he went from a life of crime behind bars to becoming one of the most influential and popular people of his time. While going through adulthood, Knievel picked up many hobbies, including riding motorcycles, which he is still remembered for today. After many years, tricks and attempts, his stunts he performed for the world were always known as successes, even after going home with broken bones, if he even got to leave a hospital bed. Evel Knievel influenced today's' daredevils with his bold attempts that are still legendary considering his exemplary maturation, innovative hobbies, and successes at unimaginable stunts.

Many people wonder why or how he got his nickname, “Evel” whenever they first hear or see his name. Although it was not a good situation for his record, when Knievel was arrested after a police chase on his motorcycle, he was sitting in a cell with William Knofel. A jailer sitting on duty played around with their names and called William “Awful Knofel”, and going for consistency, the jailer ref...

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...nda Bork. Together, they raised four children: Kelly, Robbie, tracey and Alicia. Years later, the couple divorced which led to Evel meeting his new wife, Krystal Kennedy, whom he married in 1999. The twosome, divorced not long after, but stayed together until death did them part. With consideration of both wives and several children, Evel had ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild by the age of 69.

Over Evel Knievel’s motorcycle career of around thirty years or more, he performed hundreds of stunts and acquired an absurd amount of broken and fractured bones. Even though almost every single one of his stunts failed horrifically, everyone, including himself, considered the shows successful. If Evel Knievel was still alive at the end of the day, then all was well with the world.

Around 1965, Knievel formed a stunt team that was known as the Motorcycle Daredevils.