Named "The dashing, splashing father of water skiing" by <a href="https://www.si.com/vault/1987/08/10/115909/the-dashing-splashing-father-of-waterskiing" target="_blank">Sports Illustrated</a>, an 18-year-old Ralph Samuelson "unwittingly" invented water skiing on Lake Pepin, Minnesota, in 1922 (not pictured). Already partial to riding a board off the back of his brother's powerboat, Samuelson also partook in winter sports. He tried snow skis on the lake and promptly sank. He tried other modifications to no avail until he increased the skis' surface area, using two 8-foot by 9-inch pine planks. He added leather foot straps, held on to an iron ring tied to a 100-foot tow rope and, after trying a few starting positions, he was off.