People: Dec. 15, 1986

All hawks can fly. This one can do a heart-stopping double somersault in midair and then land on a tiny, moving plank of wood. But ask Tony Hawk, 18, what it takes to pull off an inimitable skateboard stunt and he blithely answers, "You just get the courage up and do it." That combination of aggressive athleticism and laid-back languor—lassitude with attitude—has propelled the lanky 6-ft. blond from Carlsbad, Calif., to the front of the professional skateboarding pack. Hawk (his real name) has won all three of the National Skateboard Association titles previously awarded and is expected to roll past the...

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