Evel KinevelEvel Kinevel has contributed more to extreme sports and motorcycling than any other athlete to date. Evel's full name is Robert Craig Kinevel, given by his parents Chase and Ann Kinevel. He was born in Butte, Montana on October 17, 1938. It didn't take long for young Robert to begin taking an interest in the world of motorsports. In fact he attended a Joie Chitwood Auto Daredevil show when he was just eight years old, he credits that show as the main influence on his later career choice. Evel dropped out of high school during his sophomore year and began working at the Anaconda Mining Company. However, his reckless nature got the better of him. One day at work, while Evel was driving a digger, he did a wheelie on his motorcycle and knocked out the city's power lines. This left the town without electricity for several hours and of course Evel was fired from his mining duties. Oddities like this followed Robert throughout his life, in fact a later event even led Robert to his well-known name "Evel Knievel". It happened in 1956; Evel had started a chase with police and pushed his motorbike to the limit until he couldn't maintain control and crashed. He escaped with his life and found a place to sleep for the night. Robert was charged with reckless driving and taken to prison. The night watchman commented that "Awful Knofel" (William Knofel) and "Evil Knievel" were the residents of the night. Robert later chose to use the spelling "Evel" to match his surname and also eliminate the negative connotation of the word "Evil". Without a doubt, Evel Knievel is a true athlete as well as an over-the-top thrill seeker. These qualities are what led Evel to participate in activities such as ski jumping, rodeos, and even serving in the military throughout the 1950s. When Evel returned to Butte from military service, he met his wife Linda Joan Bork (who was later replaced by Krystal Kennedy). After marriage, Evel's interest in hockey became his main focus. He played briefly in the minors, but soon realized he wasn't destined to become a pro and that more money could be made by owning a team.