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Bob Gill (daredevil)
Encyclopedia
Bob Gill is a former world-record holding http://www.cyclejumpers.com/bobgill.html motorcycle
stuntman
. He was one of the few jumpers to disdain the use of a landing ramp. His career was cut short in 1974 when he landed short on a world-record attempt to jump the 200 feet (61 m) wide Appalachia Lake in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia
.
, he jumped over a set of Ryder
trucks on May 10, 1973. The jump was filmed for a television commercial that was aired during Super Bowl VIII
http://www.bobgillwalksagain.com/history.htm.
The jump was performed without the aid of a landing ramp. He landed three feet short on the embankment of the far side of the lake. Thrown from the bike, he suffered severe spinal cord injuries that left him permanently paralyzed.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
stuntman
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
. He was one of the few jumpers to disdain the use of a landing ramp. His career was cut short in 1974 when he landed short on a world-record attempt to jump the 200 feet (61 m) wide Appalachia Lake in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia
Bruceton Mills, West Virginia
Bruceton Mills is a town in Preston County, West Virginia, United States along Big Sandy Creek. The population was 74 at the 2000 census. An early settler, John M. Hoffman, named this community for his stepfather, George Bruce, who claimed direct descendance from Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland....
.
Racer to jumper
Bob began as a motorcycle racer in 1962. Unsatisfied with the money he was making as a racer, he switched to jumping full-time in 1970. After several long jumps, including one over the Cajun Canyon in LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, he jumped over a set of Ryder
Ryder
Ryder System, Inc. , or Ryder, is an American-based provider of transportation and supply chain management products, and is especially known for its fleet of rental trucks. Ryder specializes in fleet management, supply chain management and dedicated contracted carriage. Ryder operates in North...
trucks on May 10, 1973. The jump was filmed for a television commercial that was aired during Super Bowl VIII
Super Bowl VIII
Super Bowl VIII was a professional American football game played on January 13, 1974 at Rice Stadium. in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 1973 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Miami Dolphins defeated the National Football...
http://www.bobgillwalksagain.com/history.htm.
World record
On July 17, 1973, Bob set a world record jump of 171 feet (52.1 m) when he jumped over 22 cars with no landing ramp at Seattle International Raceway http://www.bobgillwalksagain.com/history.htm in Kent, WA.Appalachia Lake
On August 18, 1974, Bob was scheduled to attempt a world record jump over the 200 feet (61 m)-wide Appalachia Lake in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. Heavy rains in the area forced the postponement of the jump to August 25.The jump was performed without the aid of a landing ramp. He landed three feet short on the embankment of the far side of the lake. Thrown from the bike, he suffered severe spinal cord injuries that left him permanently paralyzed.
Sources
- Morgantown, West VirginiaMorgantown, West VirginiaMorgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
Dominion-PostThe Dominion Post (Morgantown)The Dominion Post is the only commercial daily newspaper in Morgantown, West Virginia. It is the merger, over time, of the Morgantown New Dominion, the Morgantown News, which became the Morgantown Dominion-News and the Morgantown Post...
, August 19, 1974