Tall Ike Skates On 4-Foot Tall Stilts, And Does It Well
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For many people, balancing on two ice skates is tough enough, but one Minnesota man adds four feet to the challenge -- his name is Tall Ike.
When David Isaacson goes to the rink, he brings an equipment bag. And a friend brings his legs.
"There's a lot of prep work to get me ready for myself," Isaacson said.
Mike Nentl is his right hand man, strapping on the stilts that turn this 55-year-old father into the tallest thing on skates.
David is quite a sight when he practices at Fogerty Arena, enjoying his view from 10 feet above the ice.
"I saw a guy do this in college in the early 80s and I was just mesmerized by it," Isaacson said.
But it wasn't until he was 50, that he actually gave it a try.
His father-in-law helped build the four-foot stilts, and his children helped with a ladder for support.
They caught it all on video tape, and after three weeks of practice, and only one trip to the hospital, he was good to go.
That was five years ago -- he hasn't stopped since.
Isaacson's a natural performer. He dresses up like one of the Hanson brothers for shows between periods, and even brings a 7-year-old partner named Ben.
He has skated all over the hockey world, too.
"Columbus Blue Jackets, Final Five, NCAA, women's Olympics, even Soldier Field in Chicago when the Gophers played their outdoor game," he said.
And there's only one thing he hasn't considered -- trying regular stilts.
"I did have somebody call me and ask if do it for a baseball game," he recalled. "I said, 'Nah, wasn't interested. I'm a hockey guy.'"
He really wants to skate at a Minnesota Wild game, he said.
