Juggler's World: Vol. 39, No. 3

Numbers Championship

Numbers Challenge: Tison takes the trio

by Russ Kaufman

Dana Tison, who has done well in many events at recent conventions (he has competed in everything but joggling) took the top spot in all three Numbers Challenge events in Akron.

In the ball category, 16-year-old Tison edged out Ken Falk by catching 69 times at the seven level before missing. Neither Tison, Falk or the other seven ball qualifier, Jack Kalvan, made the 16 catches necessary to place at the eight ball level.

Only two entrants tried rings -- Tison and Bob Mendelsohn. Both qualified at seven and progressed to try eight. Tison made 20 catches while firing off one-liners throughout his two-minute time period. One of the funnier moments of the evening was Mendelsohn's assistants carrying him kicking and screaming onto stage, "forcing" him to try eight. He didn't make 16 catches there, nor did Tison made the requisite 18 catches when he tried nine.

The club event featured the same people who tried balls (Denton, Falk, Kalvan and Tison). All four made ten catches to qualify at the five level, with Falk leading the pack by juggling one run from start to finish for the entire two minutes -- 463 catches!

When they moved on to six, Kalvan tried an unusual pattern, described by championships director Barry Bakalor as a crossing triple double pattern. It was a combination of high right handed triple spins and lower left handed doubles. But only Tison qualified with six, barely making it with 14 catches. He went on to seven clubs but could not make 14 catches.

Numbers Championship Results

Barry Bakalor, Championships Director

Balls

1. Dana Tison, Baltimore, MD
      * 7 balls 67 catches
        8 balls 13 catches does not qualify
2. Ken Falk, Cupertino, CA
      * 7 balls 39 catches
        8 balls  7 catches does not qualify
3. Jack Kalvan, Pittsburgh, PA
      * 7 balls 33 catches
        8 balls  8 catches does not qualify
4. Andrew Denton, Santa Cruz, CA
        7 balls 10 catches does not qualify


Rings

1. Dana Tison, Baltimore, MD
        7 rings 89 catches
      * 8 rings 21 catches
        9 rings 15 catches does not qualify
2. Bob Mendelsohn, Culver City, CA
      * 7 rings 18 catches
        8 rings  8 catches does not qualify


Clubs

1. Dana Tison, Baltimore, MD
        5 clubs 213 catches
      * 6 clubs  16 catches
        7 clubs  11 catches does not qualify
2. Ken Falk, Cupertino, CA
      * 5 clubs 463 catches
        6 clubs   9 catches does not qualify
3. Jack Kalvan, Pittsburgh, PA
      * 5 clubs  78 catches
        6 clubs  11 catches does not qualify
4. Andrew Denton, Santa Cruz, CA
      * 5 clubs  10 catches
        6 clubs   1 catch   does not qualify

Judges: Daniel Holzman, Arthur Lewbel, Owen Morse. Timer: Steve Westren.