Rudolph Maki, former athlete and long time ski jumping official and judge from Ishpeming, MI passed away last Saturday at age 80.

Rudy Maki started competing in ski jumping events at age eight. In the mid of the 1950s he won national and North American championships and set hill records in Ishpeming and Iron Mountain. His first jump on 300 feet (about 91.4 m) in Iron Mountain is still regarded as a historical event.

He was a member of the US Olympic teams 1956 and 1960 and was inducted in the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1982.

Also after his career end in 1960 he stayed involved in ski jumping as an official and a judge. Since 1992 he travelled to the Ski Games in Lahti every year with a group of friends. He was also named an honorary member of the local ski club in Lahti.

Source: fis-ski.com