Michael Edwards, better known as Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, is a British skier who in 1988 became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping. At the time, Edwards was the British ski jumping record holder, the world number nine in amateur speed skiing and the stunt jumping world record holder. Finishing last in the 70m and 90m events, he became famous as an example of a plucky underdog or 'heroic failure', and of perseverance and achievement without funding that represents the British bulldog spirit. [More at Wikipedia]

December 5th, 1963 in Cheltenham (Age 61)