Juggler's World: Vol. 38, No. 3

U.S. Nationals Championship

Gatto, IJA's juggling giant, sets new standards at age 13

Anthony Gatto, 1986 U.S. Nationals Champion

Anthony Gatto came to San Jose to win, and did so big time. He scored the highest point total of any U.S. Nationals winner and did some of the most difficult tricks seen in that event.

The 13-year-old Las Vegas resident and professional juggler opened with balls, doing five with back crosses and overhead throws. He did a seven ball cascade with perfect sequential toss back into a net held by his father, Nick. Working with rings, Anthony did a pirouette and more than a dozen pancake throws with five. With a coyote prop balanced on his head, he juggled eight rings and flipped them up to be caught on the coyote's nose and hand.

He cascaded seven rings, pulled down four and then worked them back into the pattern, all without interruption. He finished with clubs, doing five with one balanced on his head. He tipped the balanced club over into a six club juggle.

From his opening trick there was no doubt in the audience of Gatto's superior juggling ability. His appearance in handsome long pants and long-sleeved shirt instead of the shorts and sport shirt he used to wear conveyed a message of professionalism.

With Gatto's act stronger than ever, people were left wondering what his eventual accomplishments will be.

Fans flabbergasted by his juggling were humored by Gatto as well when he was asked by championships director Holly Greeley to say a few words to the audience after the competition ended. Anthony approached the microphone and in a perfect Donald Duck squeak said four words, "Thank you very much!" He was awarded $1,000 and a trophy at the Awards Banquet for his victory. He was also featured in an August 18 "Sports Illustrated" article

Scott Burton finished behind Gatto in second place, "punching in" for seven minutes of hard juggling. Burton lay on the floor and juggled three balls all around his legs and body, and did five while lying on his back. He also did boxes and up to five clubs.

Benji Hill, a winner in last year's Team Championship, appeared solo in San Jose and finished third. He performed his trademark four ball solid shoulder throws flawlessly, as well as five rings with color changes and a pirouette. He flashed and pulled down seven rings, then finished strong with three, four and five club work.

Other competitors and highlights were:

• Larry Merlo - Unique ring manipulations and acrobatics. Comic, magical cigar box intro that eventually revealed a hidden box.

  Larry Merlo

• John Gilkey - Gentleman juggler style manipulations with hat, umbrella and ball. Tearaway costume change to upbeat work with up to five clubs.

• Jerome Ellis - Four tennis rackets, five balls caught in billiard pockets, eight ring flash with a pulldown.

  Jerome Ellis

• Dan Menendez - Comic ball spinning to the "2001" theme. Three balls while balancing one on the side of his head. Black light bounce of five balls.

• Dan Bennett - Extremely fast work with up to five balls, six ball shower, low cascade with seven, eight balls for 12 tosses.

  Dan Bennett

• Bob Nickerson - Balancing three pool cues and juggling them. Five balls and back crosses with hatchets.

  Bob Nickerson

U.S. Nationals Championship Results

                    Total  Tech   Perf  time home town
1.  Anthony Gatto   94.83  29.00  27.90      Las Vegas, NV
2.  Scott Burton    73.10  18.36  25.50      Minneapolis, MN
3.  Benji Hill      69.88  20.48  21.75  -.5 Thomasville, NC
4.  Larry Merlo     68.92  15.65  25.70      San Jose, CA
5.  John Gilkey     68.25  16.65  24.30      Los Altos, CA
6.  Jerome Ellis    67.85  17.91  22.80      Las Vegas, NV
7.  Dan Menendez    64.55  16.58  22.15      Aptos, CA
8.  Dan Bennett     57.72  15.68  19.25  -.5 Ogden, UT
9.  Bob Nickerson   57.65  13.64  21.25  -.5 Gallitzin, PA

Technical judges: Todd Smith, Rich DiGiovanna, Paul Bachman, Michael Kass, Alan Howard. Performance judges: Alexis Lee, Scott Meltzer, Ben Decker, Karen Grant, Mardene Rubio.