Next month we’re due to see the remastered Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 launching, which allows players to relive the skateboarding classics. As the game approaches its launch, Tony Hawk shared a story yesterday regarding a specific skateboarding trick that has been renamed.
The trick in question is the “mute” air/grab trick that has been famously known for around 40 years. Tony Hawk took to Instagram to share the backstory of this trick. “around 1981, a deaf skater and Colton skatepark local named Chris Weddle was a prominent amateur on the competition circuit. The “Indy” air had just been created & named so somebody proposed that grabbing with the front hand should be known as the “Tracker” air. Others countered that Chris was the first to do, so it should be named after him.”
Hawk explains that people “referred to him as the “quiet, mute guy.” So it became known as the mute air, and we all went along with it in our naive youth.” According to the professional skateboarder, in recent years Chris Weddle has had people reaching out to him to ask about the trick and the name behind it. “He has been very gracious in his response but it is obvious that a different name would have honored his legacy, as he is hearing impaired but not lacking speech.”
Hawk said that he spoke with Weddle last year about the trick and Weddle revealed that he would have rather named it the “deaf” or “Weddle” grab if he was given the choice. “I am deaf, not mute.” Weddle told Hawk. In response to that, Tony Hawk has revealed that players who have pre-ordered Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 and currently have access to the Warehouse level demo will probably notice a name change to the mute trick name. It’s now named The Weddle Grab.
Personally, I think this is fantastic, and would be great to see the trick called The Weddle Grab from here on out in general. Hawk does state that “It’s going to be challenging to break the habit of saying the old name but I think Chris deserves the recognition.”
Vicarious Visions is developing the upcoming Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 and we’ll see it officially launching on September 4, 2020, for PS4, Xbox One, and PC through the Epic Games Store.
