<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A daredevil stuntman nearly died in front of a </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/topic/baseball-hps" rel="" target="" title="booing baseball crowd"><span>booing baseball crowd</span></a><span> in Philadelphia on </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/today-in-history" rel="" target="" title="April 17, 1972"><span>April 17, 1972</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As part of the season opener, the Phillies booked a stunt performer who would slide down a ramp in the upper deck of the stadium with a massive hang-glider, sail off the edge, and deliver the game ball for the opening pitch.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A massive ramp was built, and advertisements went out promoting "Kiteman".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-16-what-happened-on-this-day-chinese-lottery/5f8b5664-b13a-4178-92d4-d65a7461aa93"><strong><span>The bank robbery lottery scheme that worked until it didn't</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the opening game was delayed because of a players' strike, and the stunt performer was unable to make the rescheduled game.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Instead, the experienced stuntman was committed to teaching the Mexican president how to waterski.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The man tasked with promotions at the Phillies, Bill Giles, found a hardware store owner with some kite-flying experience to do the stunt. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-17-what-happened-on-this-day-kiteman/ce990119-c137-4a93-ae54-920cbcbe3706" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The replacement stuntman was not willing to risk his life for $US1000. But he said yes for US$1500.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite the risk, he refused to do a practice run.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-15-what-happened-on-this-day-tommy-cooper/578471a8-4f56-49ff-8208-e5368c376112"><strong><span>Audience thought comedian's fatal heart attack was part of the act</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If I'm going to kill myself, I want someone other than just you watching me," he told Giles.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When the day finally came, 38,000 fans were on hand to watch the stunt.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the Kiteman was frozen in fear when the moment came. As he stood at the top of the ramp, paralysed in terror, the crowd started to boo.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Eventually, he began his run, sliding down the ramp at speed. But about halfway down, he was picked up by a gust of wind and thrown hard into the stands.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I thought he was dead," Giles said later.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The near-fatal accident didn't stop the Phillies crowd from booing even louder.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-12-what-happened-on-this-day-franklin-roosevelt/c4f51afb-ef2f-48fb-8686-917911521add"><strong><span>President dies midway through having portrait painted</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The failed stunt was a bad omen for the team, which finished the season last in National League East.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nevertheless, Kiteman came back to reattempt his stunt several other times. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The failure became a tradition, and the crowd would cheer when the stunt went awry.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When Kiteman finally succeeded in landing in the outfield in 1990, the disappointed crowd booed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-1-what-happened-on-this-day-ronald-wayne-apple/0630abf2-5deb-43ca-ac0a-9cd5665c3748"><strong><span>Ron made the worst deal in business history for $800</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-march-21-what-happened-on-this-day-collyer-brothers/d420209f-80bc-49c4-8745-b09ffc292bb8" target="" title="Brother starves to death after hoarder killed by own booby trap"><strong><span></span></strong></a><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/today-in-history" target="" title="For more from our Today in History archive, click here."><strong><span>For more from our Today in History archive, click here</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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