Steve Caballero is an American professional skateboarder and musician. Caballero is known for the difficult tricks and air variations he invented for vertical skating and for setting the long-standing record for the highest air achieved on a halfpipe. In 1999, Thrasher Magazine named Caballero the "Skater of the Century".
Career
Caballero was born with scoliosis, a condition which causes a curvature of the spine, although he has stated that the condition "really hasn't affected me too much." Caballero began skating in 1976 at the age of 12 and started his career at age 14. His first sponsor was Campbell Skate Park. In 1979, Caballero entered a national skate contest in Escondido. After finishing fifth place, he was approached by Stacy Peralta who offered him sponsorship with Powell Peralta. He turned pro in 1980 during the Gold Cup series at the Oasis Skatepark, Southern California. By this time, Caballero had invented the 'Caballerial', a skateboarding trick also known as the fakie 360 aerial. Caballero is also credited with inventing the frontside boardslide. In 1987, Caballero won both street and vert titles at the World Championships in Munster, Germany. The same year, he set the one-time world record for highest air achieved on a half pipe, which was 11 feet. Caballero's record was beaten by Danny Way in 1997. In 1999, Caballero set another record for the longest board slide on a 44 step handrail. Caballero is a member of the Bones Brigade, and has appeared in many of their videos, including The Search For Animal Chin. His current sponsors include Powell Peralta, Bones Bearings, Independent Truck Company, Bones Wheels, VansSkate Shoes, Skull Candy headphones, Ohana Boardshop, and Protec Helmets. His past sponsors included Tracker Trucks, Standard Trucks, and Red Dragon Apparel. During the first half of the 1980s, Caballero was arguably the best professional skater and featured on the cover of Thrasher Magazine several times. He also features as a character in five of the Tony Hawk video games, from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 to Tony Hawk's Underground, and as a downloadable skater in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD. Caballero featured in Stacy Peralta's 2012 documentary film, Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, which chronicles the life stories of members of the Bones Brigade skate team such as Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain and Tommy Guerrero.
Other projects
He has been a member of several punk bands including The Faction, Odd Man Out, Shovelhead, and Soda, and released a compilation CD of the various bands he has appeared in, titled Bandology, through Sessions Records. The Faction's song "Skate And Destroy" featured on the soundtrack of Powell Peralta's eponymous Bones Brigade Video Show. He also had an acting role as Juan in the 1984 Jimmy McNichol action movie Escape from El Diablo, together with fellow skateboarder Mike McGill. Caballero also paints, collects toys and comic books, rides motocross, and is a hot rod enthusiast.
Personal life
Caballero is of Japanese and Mexican descent. Caballero divorced from his first wife Susan, with whom he had a daughter, Kayla Leslie. He married his second wife, Rachael, on July 15, 2006 and together they have a son, Caleb Bela, and daughter, Clover Lavie. Caballero was raised Catholic and has also studied Zen Buddhism and Pentecostalism.
Contest history
All contest results are covered in Thrasher Magazine and can be checked at the Thrasher Magazine Archives.
