With the X Games kicking off in Minneapolis this Thursday, The Onion looks back at memorable moments in the event’s 22-year history:
1904
Dr. Elijah Witherspoon debuts his marvelous “foot-powered skating board” at the St. Louis World’s Fair
1934
U.S. athletes boycott Games hosted by Nazi Germany
1995
Organizers decide to stage the Games in Newport, Rhode Island to make use of the state’s extensive sailing parks
1998
Opening ceremonies feature Tony Hawk igniting the X Games cauldron with a flame-shooting, gasoline-filled Super Soaker
2001
Danny Harf’s corpse is the first to land a 900-degree spin in wakeboarding
2002
After intense political pressure, organizers announce they will only use American dirt in motocross events
2004
Debut of tandem rider BMX event
2006
Travis Pastrana action figure completes record-setting 15 backflips in one jump before crashing onto the living room floor
2007
Jake Brown disappoints a record crowd of 150,000 by walking away from a 45-foot fall
2015
Curren Caples becomes the first skateboarder to win an event while wearing a helmet
