TIL: The 'real Super Mario', Italian-American business owner Mario Segale, has died at the age of 84.

In the early 80s, Nintendo of America President Minoru Arakawa was looking for a new, Americanized name for the 'Jumpman' character seen in Donkey Kong. At the time, Segale owned the property housing Nintendo's arcade operation, and as the story goes, Segale came to Arakawa to demand payment for a late rent bill when inspiration struck.

The rest, as they say, is #GamingHistory!

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/11/mario-segale-namesake-for-nintendos-mascot-dies-at-84/