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13 Impressive Feats of Beginner's Luck

In his first ever 20 minutes of using a metal detector, one guy found over $150k of Roman gold coins.

13 Impressive Feats of Beginner's Luck

May 20, 2023

Welcome to our list of 13 people who succeeded beyond all odds on their first try at something. We’ve all heard the phrase “practise makes perfect”, but these remarkable individuals prove that sometimes, luck is all you need. From mathematicians to grandmothers, these stories are sure to inspire.

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We’ve included stories of people who succeeded in unexpected ways, too. Take Ferdinand Demara, for example. He managed to help all the Korean War casualties on board a Royal Canadian Navy Destroyer, even though he had no medical knowledge. Or Scott Foster, a 36-year-old accountant who was unexpectedly called up to play in the NHL and managed to save every shot he faced in his debut game.

And last but not least, we’ve included the story of Juliette Lamour, an 18-year-old who made history by becoming the youngest Canadian to ever win a massive $35.8 million lottery jackpot on her first try.

So, without further ado, let’s get to the list! Here are 13 people who succeeded beyond all odds on their first try at something. Enjoy.

13

"Impossible" theorem proven, career launched.

CRACKED A STUDENT PROVES THE IMPOSSIBLE In 1939, George Dantzig, a doctoral student at Berkeley, managed to prove a theorem that was thought to be impossible. This breakthrough led to his first paper and a successful career in mathematics. т/2 + 2, A1 p= - <°م N App. AL arg 2)(S) (u - + - Uk)Go(u) f(=)/a,=] p(x) = -G( no x2)] paid — 5 People Who Succeeded Because They Didn't Know It Was Impossible / Twitter

12

Nazis infiltrated Dutch network, confirmed by "HH" reply.

CRACKED ROOTING OUT THE ENEMY Leo Marks, who was in charge of secret codes for the British, suspected that the Nazis had infiltrated the Dutch network, so he tested his theory by adding HH (Heil Hitler) to one of his replies. Не got an HH back, confirming his suspicions. — 5 People Who Succeeded Because They Didn't Know It Was Impossible

11

Marvin 1, Engineers 0.

CRACKED THE ELUSIVE FROSTED LIGHT BULB Marvin Pipkin managed to make a frosted bulb on his first attempt, even though other engineers said it couldn't be done. His two-step acid treatment for frosting glass kept it strong and made the light look brighter, and it's still used today. — 5 People Who Succeeded Because They Didn't Know It Was Impossible / Wikipedia

10

Oops, wrong bank.

CRACKED HACKING A BANK Jayson Street, a security expert, hacked a Lebanese bank on his first try --he was hired by one bank to test their security, but made a mistake and went to the wrong building and hacked another bank, almost fully compromising them by accident. - — 5 People Who Succeeded Because They Didn't Know It Was Impossible / The National News

9

Mission: Impossible, accomplished.

CRACKED SOLDIERS EVADE THEIR OWN RESCUE In 2020, five Lithuanian soldiers on a practice scouting mission were running late to the exfiltration point, so the army sent helicopters and search teams to look for them. The soldiers successfully evaded them, thinking it was all part of the mission. — 5 People Who Succeeded Because They Didn't Know It Was Impossible

8

Lucky find: $156K in Roman coins.

CRACKED FINDING BURIED TREASURE IN 20 MINUTES In 2012, Wesley Carrington had a stroke of luck when he used a metal detector for the first time in a field near St. Albans, England. Не found a huge collection of 158 Roman gold coins worth $156,000, and it had taken him 20 minutes. Statutory Services itiership Unit Coroner stration Cert erriage 3 WILL — HuffPost / Daily Mail

7

Imposter saves the day.

CRACKED PERFORMING INVASIVE SURGERY, ON A WHIM Ferdinand Demara, a con man, managed to medically treat all the Korean War casualties aboard a Canadian Navy Destroyer while posing as a surgeon. Не hastily studied a medical textbook, which was apparently enough to successfully perform a major chest surgery. — Time / Independent

6

Accountant saves the day.

CRACKED FROM ACCOUNTANT TO NHL GOALIE IN ONE DAY Scott Foster, a 36-year-old accountant, was unexpectedly called up to play in the NHL when the Chicago Blackhawks had two goalies get injured. Не managed to save every single shot he faced in his debut game. — Boston / NY Times

5

Rookie Team Takes on Big Project.

CRACKED GOLDENEYE 007 A small team of nine people created GoldenEye 007, and eight of them had never made a game before. Somehow, they managed to make one of the most beloved video games ever. — Source

4

Grandma wins big at craps - literally.

CRACKED BEATING THE HOUSE Patricia Demauro, a grandmother from New Jersey, was incredibly lucky when she played craps at Atlantic City's Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa. She rolled a pair of dice 154 times in a row without getting a seven, which is a 1 in 1.56 trillion chance. — Time

3

Old man wins race.

CRACKED WINNING AN ULTRAMARATHON Cliff Young, a 61-year-old farmer who was an inexperienced runner, shocked the world when he won the Sydney to Melbourne race in 1983. This race was a grueling 543.7 miles and he set a new world record in the process. - Westfield — Elite Feet

2

Pizza perfection achieved.

CRACKED BRYAN CRANSTON On the day they were filming the scene in Breaking Bad where Walter throws a whole pizza onto the roof of his house, Bryan Cranston somehow managed to get it right on the first try. 308 — Time / Youtube

1

Lucky 18-year-old strikes it rich.

WINNING THE CRACKED JACKPOT At just 18 years old, Juliette Lamour from Canada has made history by becoming the youngest Canadian to ever win a massive $35.8 million lottery jackpot on her first try. I still can't believe I hit the Gold Ball jackpot on my very first lottery ticket! she said. TTO 649 LOTTO GOLD BALL 9 MILLION $ 48 Juliette L. of Sault Ste. Marie DAY - THE Decem ONTARIO LOTTERY AND GLAMING CORPORATION DONATURE February . 2022 Date — BBC

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