Action Sports Legend, Who Turns 58 Today, Ranks Among the 'Best Skateboarders of All Time'

Skateboarding is now an Olympic sport and one of the most popular activities for kids and teenagers in the world. It wasn't always like that, obviously. In fact, skateboarding and many other action sports were taboo and viewed as reckless pastimes for rebellious youth with no direction.

Tony Hawk changed all of that in the 1990s. He made skateboarding palatable for those who didn't believe in its credibility. He brought an aura to playgrounds all around the country. At 58 years old today, Hawk should continue to be celebrated for his ability to be an ambassador for the sport decades after he popularized it.

Stoked Ride Shop ranked Hawk as the greatest skateboarder ever, citing his influence outside the world of skating, such as in gaming.

"Is there anything Tony Hawk hasn't done? Not only is the best skating video game named after him (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater) - he did the first 900, and took skateboarding ten levels past where it previously was - which has made the skating world better for everyone involved."

Rock artist Jesse Hasek talked about how Hawk's greatness inspired people in all types of careers, making the sport acceptable and mainstream. He ranked Hawk as one of the top skateboarders ever.

"When I first started skateboarding it was not widely accepted or nearly as popular as it is now, in fact it was even criminalized in the small town I grew up in. So when Tony Hawk started commercializing the sport with video games and clothing in big stores like Walmart and Target I was a little apprehensive to accept the change from underground to mainstream. Now it has become an Olympic sport that's globally accepted and that's exactly why Tony Hawk is the most popular name in skateboarding."

Hawk's most famous achievement on a board is probably his signature "900". This is when a skateboarder spins two-and-a-half times in the air before landing. He became the first athlete to successfully pull off this move at the 1999 X-Games.

He was part of the inaugural class inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009. His 10 million followers on Instagram prove his fame is still growing with age.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 6:00 AM.