Origins & Early Life

John Rodney Mullen (born August 17, 1966) is an American professional skateboarder who practices freestyle skateboarding and street skateboarding. He is considered one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. Mullen is credited for inventing numerous tricks, including the flatground ollie, kickflip, heelflip, impossible, and 360-kickflip. As a result, he has been called the "godfather of modern street skating".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Rodney Mullen won his first world freestyle skateboard championship at the age of 14; over the following decade, he won 34 out of 35 freestyle contests, thus establishing the most successful competitive run in the history of the sport. Over the following years, he transitioned from freestyle to street skateboarding, adapting his accumulated freestyle skills to street and inventing or expanding upon additional tricks in the process, such as primo slides, dark slides, and Casper slides. Mullen has appeared in over 20 skateboarding videos and has co-authored an autobiography, entitled The Mutt: How to Skateboard and Not Kill Yourself, with writer Sean Mortimer. Mullen was born and raised in Gainesville, Florida. His father was a dentist and property developer...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. R. Rahman — Contemporary (Born in 1966) (1966): Visionary Indian composer celebrated for blending global sounds with cinematic emotion.
• Abe Saperstein — Contemporary (Died in 1966) (1966): Founder of the Harlem Globetrotters, revolutionized black basketball.
• Abu Musab al-Zarqawi — Contemporary (Born in 1966) (1966): Jordanian jihadist militant known for orchestrating violence in Iraq (1966–2006)
• Alex Honnold — Shared historical date (08-17 · Born) (1985): Pioneering free solo climber, famous for conquering El Capitan.
• Benny Wenda — Shared historical date (08-17 · Born) (1975): Prominent West Papuan independence leader and political activist.
• Adam Sandler — Historical peer (Born in 1966) (1966): Acclaimed comedian and actor known for his prolific career in Hollywood comedy.
• Alain Mabanckou — Historical peer (Born in 1966) (1966): Congolese novelist and academic exploring contemporary Africa and the diaspora experience.
• Chaleo Yoovidhya — Shared historical date (08-17 · Born) (1923): Pioneering Thai entrepreneur, originator of Krating Daeng and Red Bull.
• Charles Horton Cooley — Shared historical date (08-17 · Born) (1864): Pioneering American sociologist known for the 'looking-glass self' concept.
• David Koresh — Shared historical date (08-17 · Born) (1959): American cult leader and preacher, central figure in the 1993 Waco siege.
• 1966 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1966
• August 17 (08-17) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 17