Groundhog Gets Icy Nose in Atlanta!

article by Bill Giduz published in Jugglers World magazine

Winners were (l-r) Larry Vaksman, Benji Hill, and John Mallery.

A groundhog peeping out of its hole in At­lanta on Sunday, February 6, would've seen snow and ice all around. There was no sign of spring in the air. But more than 75 jugglers converged on that city from all over the country that weekend to warm up each other and large crowds of spectators at the 5th Annual Groundhog Day's Jugglers Festival.

The states of Washington, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and other far-away places were represented at the event, which was sponsored by the IJA-affiliated Atlanta Jugglers Association. President Toni Shifalo and more than a dozen AJA members organized the proceedings and opened their homes to the out of town guests.

The private school gymnasium in which the festival occurred was overflowing with jugglers and about 300 members of the public who attended the competitions Saturday afternoon. Seated in a semi-circle, the crowd cheered 13 competitors vying with four minute routines to win the titles of "Most Spectacular," "Most Incredible," and "Most Stupendous" jugglers.

Three judges, an Atlanta Constitution newspaper sports columnist, director of the Atlanta Arts Festival and a promotional director for a nearby resort, were chosen specifically for their lack of juggling knowledge.

They chose Benji Hill of Thomasville. North Carolina as "Most Incredible," John R. Mallery of San Mateo, California as "Most Stupendous," and Larry Vaksman of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as "Most Incredible."

It was the third straight year Vaksman took home a "Punxsutawney Phil" trophy, but was the first time the other two winners had ever attended the Groundhog Day Festival.

With his usual flawless precision, Vaksman presented combination tricks such as juggling two clubs and two basketballs while bouncing on a pogo stick. He kept seven hula hoops twirling around his stomach and knees while juggling three balls in one hand and a basketball and club in the other hand. He also presented a recently perfected trick, spinning rings around both wrists while juggling three balls and riding a unicycle.

Hill presented a flashy stage routine, including three club back crosses, five rings, four hatchets and three long-handled axes.

The 16-year-old high school student said he has been juggling for 3 1/2 years, and has won a statewide talent contest.

Mallery won for a comedy routine which included manipulation of a devil stick and juggling three furry, bewhiskered clubs. He introduced the home-made clubs as his cats ­ Sparky, Fluffy and Frederick, then commanded them to perform tricks for the crowd. Among other feats, Fluffy did a tail stand and Sparky successfully completed the famous "Leap of Death."

Mallery said he and his wife, Roseanne, have been street juggling all over the country as the "Juggling Gibertinis" since last June.

Others competing were:

David Lowe of Atlanta, a winner last year, who juggled Frisbees, six rings, cigar boxes, clubs and did kickups and pirouettes with a devil stick.

Robert Calloway, 'The Rhythmic Juggling Machine," from Commerce, Georgia, who danced three balls around the stage to musical accompaniment.

Tim Nolan of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, who performed a three ball comedy routine, five and six balls in a half-shower pattern, and did two ping pong balls with his mouth.

Alabama's Bill Boulding left the floor littered with props as he juggled and disposed of sharp implements, hand grenades, baseball bats, plates and bowling balls.

Henry Slack of Atlanta, "H. Uggler," presented a comic skit about "Winning Juggling in Five Lessons. "

Tom Roos, from Bronston, Kentucky, demonstrated head rolls with a lacrosse ball, juggled five balls with a neck catch and did some fast cigar box work.

Pat Cox of Charlotte, North Carolina, performed a musical routine with three and four clubs and five rings.

Lorenzo Caruso of Gainesville, Florida, juggled objects on his skateboard, including four clubs, seven balls and five rings.

The Jongleur Jugglers from Gainesville, Florida, (Mike Stillwell, Yvonne Wetherell and John Creveling) presented the only team act. Juggling clubs, they performed takeaways, dropbacks and comic pass-arounds.

Louis Zeller of Marshall, North Carolina, "Captain Slow," another former trophy winner, put on four minutes of foolishness. Besides emptying jumper cables and a hammer out of a tote bag, he juggled three Cheez-It crackers and passed out a deck of cards to the crowd.