For anyone who follows skateboarding, or even just sports in general, the image is seared into the collective memory: June 27, 1999. The X Games in San Francisco. A sea of people holding their breath as Tony Hawk, after ten grueling attempts, finally spins two-and-a-half times in mid-air and lands the "900"—a trick long considered the holy grail of vertical skateboarding. It was a moment that transcended the sport, a testament to a decade of dedication culminating in 12 seconds of pure, unadulterated history.

The board under his feet, a Birdhouse "Falcon 2" model, was instantly immortalized. It became as legendary as the man who rode it, a sacred artifact from one of action sports' defining moments. But what history often forgets is the element of pure chance, the twist of fate that meant the board that made history was never supposed to be the one. The real story of the 900 involves a different board, a last-minute replacement, and a crack that changed everything.

This is the story of "the board that should have been."

Before the "Vert Best Trick" competition, Tony Hawk was already having a successful X Games. In the "Vert Singles" finals, he was riding his trusted primary board, a signature Birdhouse deck that he felt perfectly dialed in. With that board, he battled his way to a bronze medal. It was his go-to setup, the board he planned to use to attempt the impossible. The 900 was a trick that demanded absolute perfection and familiarity; there was no room for error, and this was the board he trusted to get him there.

But on the morning of the Best Trick event, disaster struck. During a photoshoot, the unthinkable happened: the board cracked. For a professional athlete on the cusp of the biggest moment of their career, this is a crisis. A skater’s connection to their board is deeply personal—a unique combination of flex, weight, and wear that becomes an extension of their body. To lose that trusted tool just hours before attempting a trick that had punished him for years was a devastating blow.

Enter the understudy. A backup board, the Birdhouse "Falcon 2," was called into service. It wasn't the board he had spent the competition breaking in; it was simply the next one up. This piece of wood and urethane, once a mere replacement, was suddenly thrust into the spotlight.

As it turned out, fate had chosen its champion. This "Falcon 2" not only carried Hawk to victory in the "Vert Doubles" competition alongside Andy Macdonald, securing a gold medal, but it also became the vessel for history. It was this board that absorbed the impact of ten failed 900 attempts. It was this board that held strong on the eleventh try. And it was this board that rolled away cleanly, carrying Tony Hawk into the annals of sports legend as the crowd erupted around him.

A piece of equipment that began the day as a backup ended it as one of the most significant artifacts in skateboarding history. The board that cracked, the intended hero of the story, was relegated to a fascinating footnote—a "what if" that adds a rich layer of lore to an already legendary tale. It represents the razor-thin line between planning and destiny, proving that sometimes, history is made not by design, but by accident.

Now, for the first time, the complete story can be held in your hands. The entire collection of gear worn and used by Tony Hawk during his historic first-ever 900 at the 1999 X Games is up for bid in our exclusive "Tony Hawk: The 900 Collection"auction.

This once-in-a-lifetime collection features not only the legendary Birdhouse “Falcon 2” skateboard that landed the trick, but also the "board that should have been"—the cracked deck from the Vert Singles final. From the helmet on his head to the pads, sneakers, and even his credential passes, these are the very artifacts that witnessed one of the most triumphant moments in sports. Each item is a tangible piece of the grit, perseverance, and ultimate victory that defined one of action sports' greatest achievements.

Own a piece of the once impossible. Register and bid online now for the auction taking place LIVE from the Loews Hotel in Hollywood on September 23rd. Featuring 99 artifacts that chart his unparalleled career, the sale directly benefits The Skatepark Project, continuing the legacy of giving back that has defined Tony Hawk for decades.