Ralph W. Samuelson became known as the father of water skiing after discovering the sport on Lake Pepin at Lake City, Minnesota, in 1922. Thomas C. Hardman of the American Water Ski Association said Samuelson had been an amazing asset to the sport ever since, citing his modesty and his genuine wonderment at what he had started quite innocently. Samuelson later said that if he had to do it over again, he could not have chosen a better place for it to happen than Lake City, Minnesota, on beautiful Lake Pepin.