On Saturday, it was easy to see how the only real household name in skateboarding got to be where he is today. Tony Hawk can land some of the most difficult tricks out there, but he also knows how to connect with his fans.

The professional skateboarder, video game character and CEO of Birdhouse Skateboards rewarded his most faithful followers with a free skate demo Saturday. It was his last stop on a tour of cities named only in cryptic messages on Hawk’s Twitter page.

Between skate sessions, Hawk also took time to talk to the Free Tiger in his makeshift locker room. Hawk dressed in a faded, white T-shirt and jeans and spoke in a casual voice that belied his celebrity status.

Though skateboarding began as an urban sport, Hawk said a skate scene can develop anywhere there is a park. On his tour, he visited small towns in Missouri, Kansas, Indiana and Arkansas.

The Tony Hawk Twitter Hunt began on Oct. 12 in Kingscliff, Australia. Five days and three continents later, the hunt ended at Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area in Columbia, Mo. with free pizza and a skate demo for attendees.

“We came (to Columbia) because we wanted to do something in the central U.S,” Hawk said.

Hawk posted information about the event at 11 a.m. Saturday on his Twitter page.

“It’s kind of the most prolific networking tool right now, and we wanted something where people had to be in on it,” Hawk said. “If you knew, you knew. For those who knew, we’d be there.”

It seems news traveled fast. According to Hawk’s Twitter page, more than 1,500 people came. Many brought skate decks, notebooks and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game cartridges for autographs and watched as Hawk and his team showed off their flips, spins and grabs.

Hawk and other members of his Birdhouse team began skating the park’s concrete ramps and rails at 2 p.m. before moving to a halfpipe temporarily constructed in the parking lot.

At a booth next to the halfpipe, employees from Shakespeare’s Pizza gave away 100 pizzas and 125 cases of water.

“We really wanted to try to get some sort of free food,” Hawk said.

Kurt Mirtsching, Shakespeare’s Pizza’s self-titled Director of Everything, said Hawk’s promoter called him and asked him to help sponsor the event.

“I didn’t know who Tony Hawk was,” Mirtsching said. “At first I thought it might be one of those guys selling ads for the Ad Sheet.”

Mirtsching said he eventually found out Hawk was like “the Michael Jackson of skateboarding” and was offering for him to tag along for the publicity by setting up a free pizza booth. He was happy to oblige.

Hawk and his promoters also gave away free gifts. Standing on top of the halfpipe, they threw T-shirts and tote bags into the crowd.

Jackson Sartain, 10, traveled from Ashland, Mo. with his mother. Sartain and his friend were clutching their own skateboards as they watched the halfpipe demo.

“The handstands were sweet,” Sartain said.

Hawk has his share of young fans. He has an action figure, a video game series and a line of plastic McDonald’s Happy Meal toys.

“Skateboarding is a healthy activity for kids of all ages,’’ Hawk said. “We just want to show them what’s possible.”

Older fans were also impressed. MU senior Steve Addison said he heard about the event from one of his friends, the younger brother of Randy Ploesser, a skater on Hawk’s team.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen pro skating other than on TV,” Addison said. “It’s awesome.”