Who was the first man to attempt rocket travel?

The year is 1937. The man is unidentified and drunk. The wind is perfect for a groundbreaking, pioneering idea: launching yourself into space with rockets strapped to your back. I suppose the fact that no one knows who this guy is should give you a clue as to the outcome, but had he succeeded, most probably wouldn't know about him anyway because gaining the knowledge would require reading something written in the 1930's and no one has patience for that.

-Binkie McFartnuggets