Meet The Preakness Jump Failure Guy

His name is Frank Casatelli, but you know him better as the drunk guy who tried to jump from the top of one port-a-john to another at the infield at Pimlico Racetrack last year.

Frank did not capture victory in that leap. But as he lay motionless on the grass in the aftermath, being jeered and pelted with beer cans, he did succeed in capturing our hearts.

A reader writes:

I was greatly entertained by today's Preakness Tradition story mostly because the man who unsuccessfully jumped from one port-a-potty to the other is one of my best friends. His name is Frank Casatelli, he's 21 years old and from the New York City area.

I called him to tell him that his picture was plastered all over Deadspin and he loves the idea of being a temporary celebrity for all the wrong reasons. He actually has a history of doing exceptionally retarded things while beligerently drunk, and this case is no different. Luckily, and unbelievably, he wasn't hurt by this jump, and we all laughed for, well, we haven't really stopped laughing.

Frank and some others went to visit a friend at Catholic University for the weekend, and to take part in the glorious shitshow that is the Preakness. Actually, the man hovering over Frank's body wearing shorts and boots and taking a picture is the man they were visiting. His name is Pat. — Andrew

The photo above is from Frank's Facebook page; I'm still waiting to hear from him, so hopefully by Monday we'll have an interview. Until then, please go out this weekend and take a big bite of life, as Frank would do. And I would probably wear a cup.