I always drop everything and read "Juggler's World" from cover to cover as soon as it comes in the mail. One little glitch caught my eye in the Fall 1986 issue. On page 10, in the paragraph toward the end of the first column about 9-year-old Mark Bakalor, aside from the typo "san" instead of "sang", the song "Kids" is stated to be from "The Music Man." Although there are many children in that production by Meredith Willson, I think you'll find that the song "Kids" is actually from the musical "Bye, Bye, Birdie."
Victor Nash
Falls Church, Va.
I live in Merced, Calif., "the Gateway to Yosemite." I'm one of Merced's proud jugglers. Juggling has become a contagious hit here, with quite a following. This spring I accomplished a goal that was a dream. I juggled on top of Half Dome in Yosemite, elevation 8,852 feet. I want to recommend it to everyone! The photo was taken on the beak. In the background facing West is El Capitan (my next goal!) elevation 7,564.
Margaret Richards
Merced, Calif.
I read with interest the article and controversy surrounding Anthony Gatto being described in a paper as the world's greatest juggler. With that in mind, I thought you'd be interested in this:
The Ronald McDonald Circus was travelling across Canada and I noticed in their print advertising that they, too, had, "The World's Greatest Juggler." I was interested to know if Anthony was coming... After ten days of phone calls to the public relations department, I was told that "The World's Greatest Juggler" was Arturo Allegria!
I was miffed and called Consumer and Corporate Affairs, who said that it was false advertising to bill anyone as "the world's greatest" unless it has been proven.
Perry Rubenfeld
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I always save Thursdays for juggling in the Downtown Square. I live 15 miles from Auckland and arrive by bus at 8 a.m. Take net bag from my packsack with 8 lacrosse balls and 3 small dog balls (for kids with tiny hands). Take hat and raincoat (to cope with Auckland's changeable weather!) and lodge them in the fork of a tree.
I follow a fairly rigid practice pattern of one hour on the 7 ball cascade. I find by practicing the most difficult things first, it makes the rest of the day a real breeze.
I also found the perfect method to stop people from talking incessantly about the world's problems is to hand them three balls and persuade them to put some real energy into something close at hand which can really change the world around them.
About six months ago I donated my stack of back issues of "Juggler's Worlds" to the Auckland Public Library and am pleased to note recently that they have become dog-eared from use. All the best!
Al Forbes
Oratia, Auckland, New Zealand
Here are some "gems of wisdom" I recorded from the San Jose convention:
Alexis Lee
Atlanta, Ga.
The letters to the editor in the last issue made me think I had lived too long. Three of the six were political and/or about racial imbalances throughout the world. Hey, I thought I had finally found a group of people that had one thing in common -- they live to juggle and juggle to live!
Let's keep the world's problems out of this magazine, and may we all strive toward not judging a juggler by the color of his balls!
Bert Bahnson
Advance, N.C.
Thank you for printing Sandy Brown's article about her visit to Moscow. I spend well over half the year on the road and am constantly asked, "Don't you get sick and tired of all the traveling?" Every time I'm asked that, a strange, knowing smile sneaks onto my face as I reflect back on the wonderful times I've had, the times others have told me about (Sandy's), and the times to come. I answer, "Well, I put up with it!" Thanks for the trip, Sandy!
Barry Friedman
Van Nuys, Calif.
Nicaragua's people need peace to continue building a new society. Because we feel they deserve our help, two juggling expeditions are headed there in March and April 1987. Through our performances and visits we hope to show our solidarity with the peoples' struggle to create an independent nation. The tours will be documented so we can share the experiences and lessons with others when we return.
Anyone wishing to support these campaigns but unable to join is invited to send a donation of money or equipment.
The U.S. government's support of the contras and trade embargo has cut off supplies of U.S. equipment for the revolutionary jugglers of Nicaragua. To demonstrate our opposition, our missions hope to deliver surplus Renegade MX missile clubs, a squadron of Dube's long range Europeans, a few Todd Smith fire torches, a fleet of high-velocity H.G.'s (the top secret Jugglebug projectile), lots of Rocky Mountain juggling supplies, and hundreds of the new multi-purpose icosahedron Zen ballistics.
Of course, we'll take odd sets, old sets or even new sets, but no elephants, please!
Here's a chance to support "juggling for peace" in action. Send donations to Graham Ellis, Jugglers for Peace, Box 283, Honokaa HI 96727; or Nancy Levidow, Womens Circus Tour of Nicaragua, 207 Fair Oaks, San Francisco, CA 94110.
Graham Ellis
Honokaa, Hawaii
"Outside in the narrow corridor of the Catinat a nervous young couple waited their turn to see Milligan. Jugglers, he said, shaking his head with both amazement and derision. Who the hell needs jugglers? he muttered. They went out with spats."
This is from a fine novel of the Vietnam War entitled "Laughing War," by Martyn Burke. Burke's image of a third-rate agent booking irrelevant entertainment on a remote base in Vietnam before a major engagement near the end of a losing war makes juggling the perfect, even the inevitable, choice.
Duane Starcher
St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada