Circus Polska, a small traveling circus in Poland was moderately successful. A lot of people attended just to see Jerzyk, The Human Cannonball.
His act consisted of him being shot out of a cannon-like tube by compressed air. The blast was simulated be a carbide explosion. He flew about 30 meters into a net.
One day the crew placed the net a bit too close to the cannon and Jerzyk hit the cable at the edge, getting a bad bruise. "That's it, I quit", he told the owner.
"But Jerzyk," replied the owner, "Where will I ever find another man of your caliber?"
-------------------- "Being deeply learned and skilled, being well trained and using well spoken words; this is good luck."