This Sunday, September 8, marks the 50th anniversary of the famous televised event.
Tracy Cassel, Evel Knievel memorabilia collector and friend, recalls the moment.
“My brother told me that he was working at Kaiser Aluminum and they stopped production of the whole line to watch the jump,” Cassel said.
Cassel met the legendary stunt performer in the 1980s, and the two became business partners and friends.
“He would stop into Spokane probably once or twice a year and visit with a lot of his old friends and talk story,” Cassel said.
Cassel also developed a small museum in his house dedicated to Knievel. His collection includes posters, tickets to Knievel’s jumps, lunchboxes, cigars, helmets and more. All autographed by the world-famous daredevil.
“Everywhere we went people would recognize him and want to shake his hand and Evel also wanted to shake their hand and greet them because he loved the limelight,” Cassel said.
Fond memories of a daredevil recognized around the world, with ties right here in the Inland Northwest.