Childhood hero of many, passed away of complications of diabetes. Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, Jr. (October 17, 1938 – November 30, 2007) was an American motorcycle daredevil, a well-known figure in the United States and elsewhere since the late 1960s, and arguably the most iconic motorbike stuntman of all time. Knievel's nationally televised motorcycle jumps, including his 1974 attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon at Twin Falls, Idaho, represent four of the top 20 most-watched ABC's Wide World of Sports events of all time.