Tony Hawk is one of the most successful and influential persons of modern vertical skateboarding. He is credited with the invention of many skateboard tricks including the Stalefish, Madonna, and over 80 others, but is most famous for being the first to land the 900 (two and a half rotations in the air before landing back on the pipe) during the televised 1999 X Games, for which he received an enormous amount of attention. It marked the next level of his rise to fame, solidifying his status as a household name. He retired from competitive skateboarding afterwards.

Tony launched the Tony Hawk Foundation, which has given away more than $3.4 million to help build well over 400 skateparks around the U.S. The Foundation supports projects in low income areas and helps underprivileged kids. In 2007, Hawk, Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Andrea jagger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning, and Cal Ripken, Jr. founded the charity Athletes for Hope which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and aims to inspire all people to volunteer and support their communities.