Bob “The Bullet” Biniak Dies After Heart Attack

by The Editors on February 26, 2010

Bb%C2%A9CrsDogtown and Z- Boy legend Bob Biniak (pictured right in one our of favorite Craig Stecyk photos) died on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at approximately 12:51 PM after suffering a massive heart attack on Sunday, February 21, 2010. He was 51 years old.
In an email sent to friends and family by his wife Charlene quoted on Glen E. Friedman’s blog said, “Bobby loves Life and lived more in his short life than many us of can ever imagine to do,” she said.

Friedman remembered Biniak as a “Bad Ass Mother Fucker” in his post.

Back in DogTown’s heyday Biniak was known as one of the toughest, hardest skating dudes out there. Few could match his skills skating the infamous pipes out in Arizona or on the vertical flat wall of Mt. Baldy. In pool skating he was a clear innovator as witnessed by my lens, and Craig Stecyk’s even earlier when he was interviewed in SkateBoarder magazine’s first ever “Pool Riding Symposium.” . . . In my personal experience he was far and away the toughest guy on the original Zephyr skateboard team.. . . Bob waited for no one and was the ruler of every situation I ever saw him in.

Biniak leaves behind his wife Charlene and baby daughter Brie and an innumerable skateboarders whose lives were changed by Bob’s pioneering skating. Our thoughts are with his friends and family.

[Link: Idealist Propaganda]

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

Estes February 26, 2010 at 10:36 am

A sad day for skateboarding. Rest In Peace Bob.

Carl February 26, 2010 at 11:34 am

Very sad. Heart attacks have taken too many good ones.

Joey February 28, 2010 at 11:43 pm

Damn that’s too young to die. Great showing out at the Venice bowls today in tribute.

eh March 1, 2010 at 3:41 pm

peace bro!

Anna McGuirk March 9, 2010 at 4:39 pm

I’m an old “now 50” Venice breakwater local. (I have a picture of my mother pregnant with me at the breakwater.0 I grew up in Venice, graduated from Venice high and spent all my summers at the breakwater. I also spent as much time as possible there at all other times of the year. It was inevitable that I would be a part of The Locals. I followed these guys surfing and skateboarding for years. Then roller skating came along and off I went in that direction. I didn’t “roller boogie,” instead I took all I had learned from ice skating, such as jumps, turns, spins,etc and all the stuff I learned from watching the Z Boys surf the cove and skateboard. Bicknell hill was a lot of fun as was flying down the Santa Monica Pier as if it were a slalom run. Now a days it’s impossible due to gentrification. Personally I liked it better when it was a dive/slum.
I am grateful for knowing all the guys. I’m also grateful for all the pictures I took during that time. I have long shots and portrait shots. I have a killer shot of Bullet. It is on a slide if his family is interested.?
I wished I had taken more but none of us knew back then what we know today. I shot an awesome slide show of Stacy skateboarding for a media class we were in together. It was given to the teacher and never returned to me. It wasn’t a big deal back then. For me I didn’t realize they were trailblazers. I thought everybody surfed and skated as they did. It was all I’d ever known.
Unfortunately not everyone from those days did so well. It appears Bullet did. I was so sorry to hear Bullet had passed away. I remember him fondly. He was too young to go but I’ll always remember him as he was when he was young and one of the “foxes” that I had the privilege to hang out with only because I hung out there too.
My heart breaks whenever I hear of the death of a Local. My heartbreaks now for his family. May they find peace in knowing how many where touched by him.
Anna

charlene September 15, 2010 at 3:46 pm

Responding to Anna McGuirk, yes I am very interested in your photo of Bob, contact me via biniakbulletins@blogspot.com
thanx, Char

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