The World Trade Center and Its Daredevils

"Buildering" is a term meaning the act of climbing on the outside of a tall building. In its fairly short history, the late great World Trade Center served as a challenge for buildering and other types of daredevils.

Like Mount Everest, these daredevils tackled it only "because it was there." The most famous of its daredevils included George "the human fly" Willig, French high-wire artist Phillippe Petit, and parachute daredevil Owen Quinn.

George Willig

In 1977, Willig was one of the best of the buildering daredevils. He saw the World Trade Center as a spectacular challenge. A former toymaker, George Willig used his mechanical skills in creating special clamps and gear that would fit inside the building's window washer tracks.

On May 24, 1977 at 6:30 am, "The Human Fly" began his ascent. As a crowd gathered below, he was soon met by police officers and a suicide expert. After a conversation with Willig, the suicide expert determined that he was a daredevil not a jumper.

As he continued his ascent to the top of the South Tower, the police aided Willig's trip as best as they could. The only obstacles in his path were some irregularities in the window washer tracks. Luckily, he was carrying a small hammer that he used to repair the irregularities. He was also able to sign his name on a piece of steel near the Tower's observation deck.

Upon reaching the top, The Human Fly was arrested by the police. His climb took 3.5 hours.

Willig was later sued by the city of New York for $250,000, but Mayor Beame lowered his fine to $1.10, one penny for each floor.

After the 9/11 attacks, George Willig initially regretted his 1977 stunt because it had helped draw worldwide attention to the World Trade Center.

Phillippe Petit

Tightrope artist Phillippe Petit's World Trade Center stunt predated Willig's by three years. Calling himself a "poet who writes in the sky", Petit flew from France to New York to perpetuate his stunt.

Late at night on August 6, 1974, Petit and his confederates talked their way past security guards and entered the upper levels of the World Trade Center's North and South Towers. They smuggled steel cable and other equipment needed to set up the high-wire act.

At 7 am, Phillippe Petit stepped onto the tightrope and began to dance!

A crowd immediately gathered below as Petit bounced up and down on the wire. In fact, several times during his 45-minute performance, his feet actually left the wire.

Owen Quinn

A Vietnam veteran, Owen Quinn had parachuted out of airplanes 850 times. In 1975, Quinn and a friend, both dressed as construction workers, made their way to the top of the World Trade Center's North Tower. A parachute was hidden inside Quinn's duffel bag.

When Quinn jumped, his friend recorded the event with a video camera. WTC office workers immediately called the police, reporting Quinn as a suicide victim.

On the ground, the police apprehended him and he was taken to a psychiatric hospital. After 19 court appearances, Quinn's case was thrown out.

Eleven years after his World Trade Center stunt, Owen Quinn parachuted into Shea Stadium during the World Series.

SOURCES:

"George Willig", Don MacLeod, New York Press

"Americana collapse", Michael W. Lynch, Reason

"Twin Tower Fall", C.J. Sullivan, New York Press

Larry King, CNN