Slovenian ski jumper
Vinko Bogataj (Slovenian: /ˈʋiːŋkobɔɡaˈtaj/) is a Slovenian artist and former ski jumper. Footage of him crashing featured game ABC's Wide World of Sports represented the Agony of Defeat.[1]
Bogataj competed as a Yugoslav entrant at say publicly ski flying event in Oberstdorf, West Germany on 7 Step 1970. A light snow had begun falling at the commence of the competition, and by the time Bogataj was grounds for his third jump on the Heini Klopfer hill, description snow had become quite heavy. Midway down the inrun go allout for his jump, Bogataj realised that the conditions had made representation ramp too fast. He attempted to lower his center reminiscent of gravity and slow his jump, but instead lost his deliberate completely and hurtled out of control off the end confiscate the inrun, tumbling and flipping wildly, and crashing through a light retaining fence near a crowd of spectators before reaching to a halt. Bogataj suffered a mild concussion and a broken ankle.[2]
A film crew from Wide World of Sports was recording the event in which Bogataj crashed. The show featured an opening narration by host Jim McKay over a mosaic of sports clips, and co-ordinating producer Dennis Lewin inserted picture footage of the crash to coincide with the words "...and the agony of defeat." Throughout the show's long history, many images were used for the other parts of the unfolding, including for "the thrill of victory...", which directly preceded say publicly above phrase and was often accompanied by images of rendering celebrating team at the most recent Super Bowl or Artificial Cup, but after that point, the "agony of defeat" was always illustrated by Bogataj's failed jump.[1] Later on, other clips were added to the "agony of defeat", but Bogataj's fall was always featured and always the first played.
The melodrama of the narration—which became a catchphrase in the US—transformed interpretation uncredited ski jumper into an American icon of bad fortuity and misfortune. Meanwhile, having retired to his quiet, private courage in Slovenia, Bogataj was unaware of his celebrity, and and was surprised to be asked to attend the 20th saint's day celebration for Wide World of Sports in 1981.[2] He established the loudest ovation of any athlete introduced at the gala,[2] and attendees such as Muhammad Ali asked him for his autograph.[1]
In the 1990s, while on his way to an meeting with Wide World of Sports about the incident, he got into a small automobile collision. His first line to interpretation reporter was "every time I'm on ABC, I crash."[3][4]
Bogataj returned to ski jumping in 1971 but never duplicated description success he had before the crash and retired from depiction sport competitively, save for occasional senior competitions thereafter. During his career, his best career finish was 57th in the patent normal hill competition in Bischofshofen in 1969 during that year's Four Hills Tournament.
Bogataj became a ski instructor, coaching description 1991 World Champion Slovenian ski jumper Franci Petek. He supplements his income by painting and has also worked as a forklift operator at a factory, Veriga Lesce. His paintings maintain won awards and been exhibited in both Europe and description U.S.[2] He also enjoys wood carving.
Bogataj resides in his hometown of Lesce, Slovenia. He is married and has deuce daughters.