Skateboarding's Best Seller.

• Author: GIVENS, RON
• Position: Skateboarder Tony Hawk - Brief Article

Legendary Tony Hawk hawks it all for his sport

In the skateboarding world, the 32-year-old Tony Hawk is old enough to be in a museum. Literally.

Last month, the San Diego Hall of Champions opened an extensive exhibit on the hometown Hawk's career. On display is everything from his first skateboard as a kid prodigy to the board he floated on in nailing the first-ever 900, 2-1/2 airborne rotations, the holy grail of skating tricks, at last year's X Games.

In becoming a living legend, Hawk has turned what was once an extreme sport into a mainstream business. Unanimously respected for his skills in the spotlight, he's faced charges of being a sellout for pushing everything from bagels to books. But he says it's all for the good of the sport.

"What's reasonable and what's not pertinent to what I do? That's kind of a fine line to walk," he says about being a one-man corporation. "If it's something I feel has nothing to do with skating or just isn't appropriate, I don't get involved."

Hawk has his own equipment and clothing lines. A documentary featuring him, and his autobiography, Hawk--Occupation: Skateboarder, were both released in August. The megaselling Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 video game released in October may eclipse the original. And if you eat enough Bagel Bites, you have a chance to meet Hawk at the 2001 Winter X Games.

Is there no end to what Hawk will promote? Well, actually, there is. Pasta shapes. "You know how they have macaroni and cheese in the shape of Pokemon or whatever?" he asks. "Well, they wanted to do that with me." Hawk decided against it, and he turned down a tour of the Far East because it was to be sponsored by a tobacco company.

Still, Hawk's schedule is so jammed that he has limited...