Major League Baseball

Tillman, the skateboarding, first-pitch throwing dog, dead at 10

Published Oct. 30, 2015 4:16 a.m. ET

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A 10-year-old skateboarding bulldog that became a celebrity and made it into the Guinness Book of World Records has died of heart problems.

The Ventura County Star reports that the dog's owner, Ron Davis, says that Tillman experienced an irregular heartbeat over the summer and developed a heart muscle disease. The dog died Tuesday on the way to a pet hospital.

Tillman became famous when Davis posted a YouTube video of him skateboarding in 2007. The video was extremely popular and Tillman was later featured in an iPhone commercial.

Tillman became a huge hit in the sports world, as well, throwing out the first pitch at baseball games, riding his skateboard outside of stadiums and taking part in several "Bark in the Parks."

Tillman achieved fame on a skateboard, but he also struck gold on the diamond. Here, he throws out the first pitch before a game between the Dodgers and Marlins at Dodger Stadium in 2011.

Davis could never get Tillman to do tricks like rolling over, but he showed an early interest in skateboarding. Davis says Tillman eventually earned the Guinness World Record for the fastest skateboarding dog.

Davis called Tillman a brother and a friend.

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