The Portland daily press., 1894-12-29
THETRlPLE soMERsAULT.
Men Who Have Thrown 1t, and Others
Who Have Failed and Been Killed

{: Walter L. Main. who at life's thirty-second
milestone, has one of the largest circuses
in the world, is one of the best informed
men concerning the fine and intricate
poiuts of all acrobatic reats. One day last
summer Mr.. Main was interviewed by Har-
rison's Family Magazine concerning that
that doubted acrobatic achievement, the
triple somershult.
Pointing to splay-footed camel nibbling
hay in the rear Mr.. Main remarked sit is
the last straw that breaks the camel back.
The best that can be said of triple somer-
sault is that it crowds the possible and ex-
ceeds the practical limit.
'To turn double someIsault from a
spring board it is necessary to make leap
at an angle of about 80 degrees to obta in
the necessary ballast or impetus to turn
twice. If an almost perpendicular leap is
made, the acrobat would not have leverage
enough to turn. In order to accomplish the
double the performer has to leap from the
springboaId with all his might to get the
VI opar angle as well as to obtain sufficient
height, SO that he may have time to turn
twice before alighting. The same conditions
govern the triple somersault only that it is
necessary 10 go about one-thiid higher in
the air. 1t was said few years ago that.
with the exception of Sam Reinhafdt. now
dead, the famous Bob Stickney, and an
English leaper whose name has escaped
memory, no gymnast in America had sLfi-
cient power to leap any higher than is nee
essary to accomplish double. Not that
these three men could at that or any other
time accomplish triple somersaults at will,
but they could do more than a double.
''Some assert that the triple somersaults
might be accomplished by higher and more
powerful spring boards than those in use,
but first-class performers say that these
would merely change the angle and the re-
suit would be the same. OF course the board
could be placed high enough, hut the. spec :
&c gravity oflthe performers body would be
Increased in descending. The height il not
the only trouble. If it were only height,
leaping experts, by improved alipliances
and practices would overcome that diff
Guilty. But after the body has turned twice
the performer loses his CATCH or control
at his body, and the law of 81 aviation over
comes bodily dextsrity. His head. being
heavier than his feet. he is apt to light on
it first and break his neck
1.-The first remembered attempt to throw a
triple somersault in this country was by a
nerformer in Van Amburgh's circus in Mo-
bile. Ala, in 1912. He fell on his head and
broke his neck. Another attempt was
made in 1864. at Astly's Amphitheatre. Lon
don, England. then leased to Howe Cush-
ing, the American managers. In the CON-
pany we're Mr. l. Lipman fine vaulter.
now in Cincinnati the late Levi j. North,
famous equestrian the late William O.
I'D aofr xuhn ffor
ward lost his sight and died in Cincinnati.
and William I. Hobbs, champion leaper.
It was previously announced that Hobbs
would atteml t a triple. and the honse was
damned. He tried it, and was instantly
killed.
."rhe next to attemp the dangerous feat
was John Amor, who was born in the home
of Dan Rices father, near Girard, fa.
Amor trav sled for years in this country
with Dan Rice's circus, and in that day was
lea, if not in the world. He was said to be
the first person in America to turn double
somersault over four horses.
In 1879 he went ircn to III hng fhaogb ana me
United Kingdom. III the same year he al
tented to turn triple somersault IN the
Isle of Wight, but landed on his forehaed
after he had turned tWlce ana pioKe MS
neck.
sBiliy Dutton performed the great feat
while member of Lakes circus, at Elk
horn, ILL.,, in 1860, at rehearsal in the pres
ence of John Lowlow. tho famous clown.
Tuition was ambitious to have it to say that
he did it, but did not make the attempt
with the intention OF repeating It. he
actually turned three Times. Button was
vary M oud but sensibly said hat he would
not try 1t again. and that his ,alighting on
con troll his body after turning the second
time.
the fee t at the fair gorunds in Indianapolis
IN 1879 Tor a wager OF 500. In the inst at
TENT he turned three times but lighted on
his ha nds. Everybody was satisfied with the
result. and the money was rendered nun;
He proudly refused it. saying he feat had
not been perfectly acc omplshrd mat he
" mid repeat 1t and alight upon hls '@et os-
fore lie fclt justified in taking the Gu !. re
did repeat it, but struck on his hesd: ols-
locating his neck, and death resulted in
few hours aft erward %
bob Stickney, the Apollo belvedere OF
the modern arena, accomplished the gre.
feat at the age Of fourteen years While
pTacticing in the Hippo Theatre. in four
tenth street. Nav York. William stein. at
that time al attache of the circus, ana VINO
now, with his wife, gives a second sight
performance, was one of the persons who
held the common woolen catch blanket IN
which Stickney alighted.