DAREDEVILS

Last Saturday, Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel Jr. passed away at the age of 69. He was a "professional daredevil".


From the late 1960's through the middle 1970's, Evel was one of the most famous Americans. Everyone knew Evel Knievel. He went flying on a motorcycle. Why? Only because he could. Every month or two, he jumped over a greater and greater lineup of cars and buses. Each time in a new spot or a new arena. Its how he made his living. More accurately, he made his living trying to jump over things. As often as not, he failed. He broke some 40 bones during his jumping career. Of course, he was a super promoter.


Before Evel Knievel, there was the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show of the early 1960's. Chitwood's crew did auto stunts. The Ringling Brothers had a host of daredevils perform around the country for many years and still do. Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart performed individual feats in aviation. Astronauts, especially the early ones, were surely daredevils. Once, we had airplane wing walkers as well as others doing air acrobatic feats. Harry Houdini excited everyone in the first quarter of the 20th Century.


In the last 30 years, we've been thrilled by bigger-than-life daredevils on the silver screen: Indiana Jones, James Bond and Jackie Chan, to name a few. The X-games guys and the Jackass crew might be considered part of this genre.

Americans have always loved daredevils. They are real American heroes. Most of them, today, work for the United States Armed Services. God bless them one and all.