Steve Caballero

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox sportsperson Steve Caballero (born November 8, 1964) is an American professional skateboarder. He is known for the difficult tricks and air variations he invented for vertical skating and for setting the long-standing record for the highest air achieved on a halfpipe.<ref name=sydney /> In 1999, Thrasher Magazine named Caballero the "Skater of the Century".<ref name=extreme>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

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Caballero skating, c. 1987

Caballero was born with scoliosis, a condition which causes a curvature of the spine, although he has stated that the condition "really hasn't affected me too much."<ref name=scoliosis>Template:Cite web</ref>

He began skating in 1976 at the age of 12 and started his career at age 14.<ref name=sydney>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=juice06>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=champs>Template:Cite book</ref> His first sponsor was Campbell Skate Park. In 1979, Caballero entered a national skate contest in Escondido. After finishing fifth place, he was approached by Stacy Peralta who offered him sponsorship with Powell Peralta.<ref name=juice>Template:Cite journal</ref> He turned pro in 1980 during the Gold Cup series at the Oasis Skatepark, Southern California.<ref name=psb>Template:Cite web</ref> By this time, Caballero had invented the 'Caballerial' (also known as 'Cab'), a skateboarding trick also known as the fakie 360 aerial.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Caballero is also credited with inventing the frontside boardslide.<ref name=vansinterview>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1987, Caballero won both street and vert titles at the World Championships in Münster, Germany. The same year, on September 7, 1987, he set the world record for highest air achieved on a half-pipe by successfully executing an eleven-foot backside air at the Raging Waters Ramp in San Jose, California.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Caballero's record was later beaten by Danny Way in 1997. In 1999, Caballero set another record for the longest board slide on a 44 step handrail.<ref name=ign>Template:Cite web</ref>

Caballero is a member of the Bones Brigade, and has appeared in many of their videos, including The Search for Animal Chin. His current sponsors include Powell Peralta, Bones Bearings, Independent Truck Company, Bones Wheels, Vans Skate Shoes, 187 killer pads, Merge4 socks, and Protec Helmets.<ref name=vans>Template:Cite web</ref> His past sponsors included Tracker Trucks, Standard Trucks, and Red Dragon Apparel.

During the first half of the 1980s, Caballero was arguably the best professional skater and featured on the cover of Thrasher Magazine several times. He also features as a character in five of the Tony Hawk video games, from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 to Tony Hawk's Underground, and as a downloadable skater in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD. Caballero's most recent video game appearance was in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, a remake of the first two games in the Tony Hawk series.

Caballero featured in Stacy Peralta's 2012 documentary film, Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, which chronicles the life stories of members of the Bones Brigade skate team such as Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain and Tommy Guerrero.<ref name=wolfe>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Other projects

He has been a member of several punk bands including The Faction, Odd Man Out, Shovelhead, and Soda, and released a compilation CD of the various bands he has appeared in, titled Bandology, through Sessions Records. The Faction's song "Skate And Destroy" featured on the soundtrack of Powell Peralta's eponymous Bones Brigade Video Show.<ref name=bands>Template:Cite journal</ref> He also had an acting role as Juan in the 1984 Jimmy McNichol action movie Escape from El Diablo, together with fellow skateboarder Mike McGill. In the 1980s, Caballero published a skate zine entitled 'SPEED ZINE,'<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which replaced 'Skate Punk,' an earlier zine that he discontinued, in part, because he "didn't like the name anymore."<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Caballero also paints, collects toys and comic books, rides motocross, and is a hot rod enthusiast.

Caballero started a new punk band called Urethane, who has signed to the Cyber Tracks record label. Their debut album, ‘Chasing Horizons’, was released on September 24, 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Caballero is of Japanese and Mexican descent.<ref name="Francey">Template:Cite web</ref> Caballero was raised Catholic<ref name="surfertoday">Template:Cite web</ref> but now attends a non-denominational Christian church in Carlsbad, California named Daybreak since 2005.<ref name="faith">Template:Cite web</ref> He lived with his family for several years in San Jose until they relocated to San Diego, where the family currently resides.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Contest history

Template:Columns-list All contest results are covered in Thrasher Magazine and can be checked at the Thrasher Magazine Archives.<ref>Thrasher Magazine Archives. Website Thrasher Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2015</ref>

References

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Brooke, Michael (1999). Concrete Wave: The History Of Skateboarding. Template:ISBN.

External links

Template:Official website