Eddy King

Eddy King

photo by Patty Whisenhunt
Personal information
Full name Edward King
Nickname "King Edward", "Eddy the King"
"Silver Bullet"
Born October 9, 1964
Philippines
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight 65.8 kg (145 lb)
Team information
Current team Retired
Discipline Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
Role Racer
Rider type Off Road
Amateur team(s)
1975-1976 S & W Bike Shop
1976-1977 The Bike Shop of El Cajon
1977 D.G. Performance Specialties
1977-1978 Wheels N' Things/R & R Racing
1978 Wheels N' Things/Torker
1978-1980 Torker Engineering
1980-1983 Diamond Back
Professional team(s)
1983-1989 DiamondBack
Infobox last updated on
December 7, 2008

Edward King (b. October 9, 1964 in the Philippines[1] (in 1970 his family settled in Chula Vista, California[2])) is an "Old School" former professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1985.

Eddy King is the elder of a sibling combinations of Mike & Eddy King in BMX racing. Only the brother combinations of Ronnie & Richie Anderson and Brent & Brian Patterson were more successful. His best known nickname "King Edward" is an obvious play on his name feeding off of the cultural knowledge of famous British kings named Edwards. Other nicknames included "Silver Bullet" "Eddy the King" and "The Dynamic Duo" which he shared with Diamondback teammate Harry Leary.[1] He was particularly dominant as an amateur winning most of his racing titles at that stage of his career. He would go on to be a professional for the remaining six years of his 14 year career. King would stay his entire professional career with Diamondback and would be associated with that company.

Racing career milestones

Note: Professional first are on the National level unless otherwise indicated. Included under the title of "National" are American Bicycle Association (ABA) Gold Cup Qualifiers.

Milestone Event Details
Started racing: Friday January 15, 1975[3] age 10. He noticed a flyer for a race tacked on the door of his local bicycle shop near his home in San Diego, California and went to the Sliver Wing Park track in San Diego, California to watch a few times. After that he decided to race.[4]
Sanctioning body: San Diego BMX Association (SDBMXA).
Home sanctioning body district(s): National Bicycle Association (NBA) District "S" (1975–1981);
American Bicycle Association California 2 (CA-2) (1977–1989)
First race bike: A purchase from K-mart in December 1974. It cost US$29.95[1]
First race result: First Place 9 & 10 year old class. No proficiency divisions at the time.[4]
First win (local): See above.
First sponsor: S & W Bike Shop in 1975. He was offered a sponsorship the second race he entered.[1]
First national win:
Turned professional: First week of March 1983.
First professional race result: Made 20" "B" Pro main but DNF'ed (Did Not Finish) at National Bicycle League (NBL) War of the Stars Nationals in Memphis, Tennessee on March 26, 1983 (he collided with a photographer[5]). He won US$25,[6] the equivalent to US$52.03 in 2007 (Cost of Living Calculator).
First professional win: "A" Pro main at the American Bicycle Association (ABA) Wheaties Gold Cup Qualifier on April 9, 1983 in Lubbock, Texas on the weekend of ABA the Lone Star National.[7]
First Junior Men/pro* race result: See "First Professional race result"
First Junior Men/pro win: See "First Professional win"
First Senior pro** race result: Crashed in the semi-finals and did not make main in the first of the NBL sanctioned ESPN Pro Spectacular race series on May 8, 1983 in Miami, Florida.[8] He had moved himself up from "B" pro to "A" pro for this race.[8]
First Senior pro win: In "A" Pro on June 4, 1983 at an NBL national in Peoria, Illinois.[9]
Height and weight at height of his career (1983): Ht:5'5 Wt:~145 lbs

Retired: In February 1989. He was 24 years old. He retired after his contract with Diamondback expired.[10] He was basically burned out of the sport and felt it was time to do other things:

Sparky: "Most of us from time to time decide to more on from companies of employment, but was there any particular reason for leaving DB, was it simply to progress your career?"
Eddy: "I was tired and my body was tired. I had just purchased a new home and I wanted more time to pursue other interests and move forward in a different direction in life. Racing left little to no time for anything but racing, training, traveling, product development, and photo shoots. That is why I retired."[1]

The 1988 ABA Grandnational in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for Eddy King represented a changing of the guard. It was the same race in which his younger brother Mike King won the 1988 ABA National No.1 pro title. Eddy himself came in sixth place in Pro Open, winning US$210[11] (US$367.99 in 2007).
Eddy King's last race as a Senior Pro was the ABA Winternationals on February 19, 1989. He came in eighth place last in "AA" pro.[12] He would race on at least two more occasions post retirement. He raced in the ABA Springnationals in Bakersfield, California on March 20 & 21, 1993 in the new Veteran Pro class with fellow retired pros including Tommy Brackens, Perry Kramer and Rod Beckering. He came in fourth on Saturday and fifth on Sunday. His old teammate Harry Leary won both days.[13] He also raced Veteran Pro at the ABA Fall Nationals in Burbank, California on October 22, 1994, coming in sixth with Brian Patterson winning the event.[14]

*In the NBL "B" Pro/Super Class/"A" Pro/Junior Elite Men (depending on the era); in the ABA "A" Pro.
**In the NBL "A" Pro/All Pro/Elite Men; in the ABA "AA" Pro.

Career factory and major bikeshop sponsors

Note: This listing only denotes the racer's primary sponsors. At any given time a racer could have numerous co-sponsors. Primary sponsorships can be verified by BMX press coverage and sponsor's advertising at the time in question. When possible exact dates are given.

Amateur

Professional

Career bicycle motocross titles

Note: Listed are District, State/Provincial/Department, Regional, National, and International titles in italics. "Defunct" refers to the fact of that sanctioning body in question no longer existing at the start of the racer's career or at that stage of his/her career. Depending on point totals of individual racers, winners of Grand Nationals do not necessarily win National titles. Series and one off Championships are also listed in block.

Amateur

National Bicycle Association (NBA)

The RC Cola/Two Wheeler's Race of Champions was a seven race NBA series sponsored by RC Cola and Two Wheelers. Racers raced six regional qualifying races in California and Arizona. Only racers who made at least the semi finals or mains (if the class was too small for a semi final) were invited to race the Championship event held on May 15, 1977 in Gardena, California at Ascot Park.[20]

National Bicycle League (NBL)

Bicycle Motocross Association of San Diego (BMXA)

International Bicycle Motocross (iBMX)

United Bicycle Racers (UBR)

American Bicycle Association (ABA)

United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)

Independent race series and invitationals:

*The California Cup was a non sanctioned series of three qualifying races held at three tracks (for a total of nine separate races) in three different regions of Northern California. Then the finals were held. The series was sponsored and promoted by BX-Weekly Magazine, a BMX newspaper and Rick Ankron & Rick Varner (R&R) Racing Products. The finals were held at the famous Corona Raceway on September 5, 1976. Side note: Brian Patterson came in second in 11 Boys behind Eddy King.[21][22]

Professional

National Bicycle Association (NBA)

National Bicycle League (NBL)

United Bicycle Racers (UBR)

American Bicycle Association (ABA)

United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)

Pro Series Championships

Notable accolades

BMX Product Lines

Product evaluations:

Significant injuries

Miscellaneous

In an interview in the August 1987 issue of BMX Action Eddy King admitted that himself and allegedly Harry Leary along with four other people considered using anabolic steroids to race since BMX tracks at that time was focused on the power racer more than the racer that relied more on finesse and jumping ability. He also stated that he knew of a couple of racers that actually used them:

"Right now, pro racing is all power. I know of a couple of pros who are taking steroids and about half a dozen have looked at it, including myself and Harry. The doctors told us, 'No way. Don't do it.' Maybe the association will have to crack down on it like in other sports. Or change the tracks."[28] ---BMX Action August 1987

Ironically, the tracks did change from an emphasis in power to those of skill and finesse in the mid-1990s. During this time comparatively small framed pro racers like Alan and Brian Foster and in the early 21st century Mario Soto and Donny Robinson racers that relied on finesse to make up for a lack of power started to do well. This coupled with drug testing instituted by the ABA in the late 1990s and later by the NBL, USA Cycling and the UCI, allegations of steroid use against BMX racers-either out of jealousy or real knowledge-fell.

Post BMX career

After retiring after the 1988 season, Eddy King became a full time real estate broker (fellow BMX racer Cheri Elliott would become one as well approximately 14 years later after her mountain bike (MTB) racing career). Indeed, his career in that field started before retirement selling his first house, his own in the summer of 1987 for US$180,000,[29] which was the equivalent to US$328,468.31 in 2007(Cost of Living Calculator).

Other significant sibling combinations in BMX

BMX press magazine interviews and articles

BMX magazine covers

Note: Only magazines that were in publication at the time of the racer's career(s) are listed unless specifically noted.

Bicycle Motocross News:'''''

Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:

Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:

BMX Plus!:

Total BMX:

Bicycles and Dirt:

NBA World & NBmxA World (The official NBA/NBmxA membership publication):

BMXA Newsletter (The official BMXA of San Diego membership publication):

Bicycles Today & BMX Today (The official NBL membership publication under two names):

ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer (The official ABA membership publication under three names):

USBA Racer (The official USBA membership publication):

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Eddy King August 1, 2008 interview
  2. ↑ Bicycle Motocross News June 1977 Vol. No.6 pg.4
  3. ↑ BMX Plus! 1988 Calendar. Month of January in day 15 box.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 BMX Plus! May 1982 Vol.5 No.5 pg.42
  5. ↑ Super BMX July 1983 Vol. No.7 pg.58
  6. ↑ BMX plus! July 1983 Vol.6 No.6 pg.50
  7. ↑ Bicycles and Dirt July 1983 Vol.1 No.10 pg.49
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 BMX Action September 1983 Vol.8 No.9 pg.26
  9. ↑ BMX Plus! October 1983 Vol.6 No.9 pg.13 ("A" Pro winners listing)
  10. ↑ BMX PluS! July 1989 Vol.12 No.7 pg.47
  11. ↑ BMX Plus! March 1989 Vol.12 No.3 pg.38
  12. ↑ BMX Action June 1989 Vol.15 No.6 pg.24 (results)
  13. ↑ BMX Plus! July 1993 Vol. No.7 pg.58
  14. ↑ American BMXer December 1994 Vol.16 No.11 pg.91 (results)
  15. ↑ BMX Plus! July 1988 Vol.11 No.7 pg.26
  16. ↑ Bicycle Motocross News April 1975 Vol.2 No.3 pg.10
  17. ↑ BMX Plus! May 1980 Vol.3 No.5 pg.21
  18. ↑ Bicycle Motocross News October 1976 Vol.3 No.10 pg.14 Results page.
  19. ↑ Bicycle Motocross News June 1977 Vol.3 No.6 pg.12
  20. ↑ Bicycle Motocross News June 1977 Vol.3 No.6 pg.10
  21. ↑ Bicycle Motocross Action December 1976/January 1977 Vol.1 No.1 pg.19-23
  22. ↑ Bicycle Motocross News October 1976 Vol.3 No.10 pg.15 Results page.
  23. ↑ BMX Action May 1983 Vol.8 No.5 pg.86
  24. ↑ BMX Action February 1983 Vol.9 No.2 pg.47 (photo caption).
  25. ↑ BMX Plus! July 1987 Vol.10 No.7 pg.
  26. ↑ BMX Action July 1987 Vol.12 No.7 pg.41 photo caption
  27. ↑ Super BMX & Freestyle October 1987 Vol.14 No.10 pg.7
  28. ↑ BMX Action August 1987 Vol.12 No.8 pg.72
  29. ↑ BMX Action November 1987 Vol.12 No.11 pg.16

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