The Mutt

The world–champion freestyle skateboarder and the man who brought the ollie – the trick that revolutionised the sport by taking it from the ground to the air – to street skating shares the history of skateboarding, as he tells the dramatic story of his life.

At the age of 13, Rodney took the freestyle skating world by storm. He won 35 world titles in less than five years. But through it all, his father looked down on his son's love for skating and pressured him to walk away from the sport and leave behind his fans and status as the most famous skateboarder of his era. After years of stress and conflict, Rodney gave in and promised his father he'd quit for good. But by the time he finally broke free from his suffocating and abusive home life, the popularity of freestyle had waned and given way to vert and street styles. So Rodney picked up his board and started from scratch. With the help of mentor Mike Ternansky, Rodney used his freestyle background to usher in a whole new era of street skating.

Today Rodney is more popular than ever. The videos in his series Rodney Versus Daewon are among the most popular skateboard videos ever produced. He won the 2002 Transworld Skateboarding readers' choice award for favourite street skater and is the most popular character on the top–selling Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video games.

Sean Mortimer was the editor of Skateboarder magazine and coauthored Hawk: Occupation: Skateboarder with Tony Hawk. He lives in Oceanside, California, with his wife and son.  Rodney Mullen is a freestyle world champion with the best contest record in professional skating. He's credited with laying the foundation for street skating and was voted the 2002 Skater of the Year. He lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife.  

Rodney Mullen is the Godfather of Skateboarding-the World Freestyle Champion of the 1980s, the Most Admired Street Skater of the 1990s, and Today a Multimillionaire Skateboard Company Owner. But at Age Six, Rodney was the Family Misfit Who had to Wear Braces to Straighten Out his Pigeon-Toed Feet. He Learned to Skate by Himself, and Eight Years Later he was a World Champion-But his Father Looked Down on the Sport and Pressured Rodney to Quit. By the Time he Finally Broke Free from his Abusive Home Life, the Popularity of Freestyle had Waned and Given Way to Vert and Street Styles. So Rodney Picked Up his Board and Started from Scratch-Using his Freestyle Background to Usher in a New Era of Street Skating. The Mutt is a Sometimes Sad, Often Hilarious, and Ultimately Triumphant Chronicle of the Curious Life and Times of a World-Champion Skateboarder.

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