The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16
TINE TRIPLE soMERSAU UT.
Men who Have Thrown It, aud Others who
Have Failed and Been Killed.
Prom trank Harrison,s tamilp Maga.ine.

From Frank Hdrrison's Eumiiy Magdzine.
Walter l.. Main, who ut life's tlirty-second
milestone has one of the largest circuses in the
world, is one of the best informed men concern
ing the fine and intricate points Of all acrobatic
feats. One day last summer Mr.. Main was in
terviewed concerning that doubted acrobatic
achievement, the triple somersault.
Pointing to n splay-footed camel nibbling hay
in the rear. Mr.. Main remarked 1t is the last
straw that breaks the camel's back. The best
that can be said of q triple somCrsault is that it
crowds the possible and exceeds the practical
limit.
ITO turn a double somersault from a spring
an angle OF about 800 to obtain the
necessary ballast or impetus to turn
twice. II an almost perpendicular leap is made,
the acrobat would not have leverage enough to
turn. In order to accomplish the double the
performer has 10 leap from the spring6oard
with all his might 10 get the proper anglo as well
as to obtain Il sufficient height, so That he may
have time to turn twice before alighting. The
same conditions govern the triple somersault,
only that 1t Is necessary To 20 about One-third
higher in the air. 1t was said a few years ago
dead, the famous Rob Stickney. and an English
lcapcr whose name has escaped memory, no
gymnast in America had sufficient power TO leap
any higher Than IL necessary to accomplish a
double. Not that these three men could n that
or any other time accomplish triple somcrsaults
ut Will, but they could do more than n double.
"SuIne assert that the triple somersaults might
be ACCOMPLISHED by higher and more powerful
ktflhE Dbil Us tItuI lIlHt III uAt, Dul HItl-tlASS
performers say that these would merely change
The angle ard the result would be the came. OF
Goar. e the board could be placed high enGngh:
would be increased. In descending. The height
is not the only trouble: II 1t were only height,
p]rarctisc. Would overcome that dtdicaity. Hut
after the body has turned twice the performer
law OF Gravi,ation ovcrcomcs bodily dextcrity.
His head being heavier than his feet, he is apt to
light ON it first and hrCak his neck.
- The first remembered uttDfnnl to throw n
triple somcrslulL,i in this country was by a per-
former in Van Amburgh's circus in, Mobile,
Ala, in 1872. He fell on his head and broke his
neck. Another attempt was, made in 1916, at
.Astley's Amphitheatre, London, England. then
leased to Howe n Cushing, the American mun-
ayers. In the company were Mr.. |. Lipman, a
hnc yaulter. nov in Cincinnati;, the late Levi j.
o. Dalr. an acrobat and equestrian, who after.
ward lost his sight and died in Cincinnati. and
MILAN !; n0n n,, "a fhTnips1Wn is@per; IL was
tempt n triple, and the house was jamIned. lie
tried it, and was instantly killed.
THE next to attempt the dangerous feat was
John Amor, Who was born IN the home of Dan
Rice's father, near Girard, Pa. Amor travelled
for years in this country with Dan liice's circus,
and in that day was considered thn greatest
gymnast In America, II not in the world. He
Was said 10 he the first person in America 10
turn u double somersault over four horses.
I'm 1899 he went to England and travelled
with a circus all through the United Kingdom.
a triple somersauit in the Isle of Wight,
but landed on his forehead after he had turned
Nv = anu AA0 i'Ahs
BILLY Dutton performed the great feat while a
member OF Lakes circus. at ElkhOrn, ILL.,, in
1850, at II rehearsal in the presence of John
lowlOw, the famous clown. button was am
bilious TO have IL to say that he did ii. but did
not make the attempt with the intention of re-
heating 1t, lie made the leap from a high SPRING
board and actually turned three times. button
was very proud, but sensihly said that he would
not try it again. and that his alighting on his
feet was an accident, as he could not control his
body after turning the second time.
Frank stark, who was reared by John Robin
son, the circus manager, undertOok the feat at
the fair grounds in Indianapolis in 1879 for "A
wager Of 500. In the first attempt he turned
three times, but HliEhted ON his hands. Every
body was satisfied with the result, and the
money was rendered him. lie proudly refused
H.. saying the lrat had not been perfectly aC-
cumpliShed; that no would repeat II aud alight
upon his feet before he felt Justified in taking
the 500. lie did repeat II, but struck on his
in a few hours Hfterward.
" Bob Stickney, the Apollo Relvedere Of the
modern arena, accomplished the great feat at
the age of fourteen years while practising in the
Hippo Theatre, ia Fourteenth street, Now York.
William stein, at that tlme an attaCh6 OF the
circus, and who now, will his wife, gives n 's,C-
ond sigh. performance, was one OF the persons
who held the common wuollCn catch blanket in
which StiCkney alighted. The late sam Rein
Cooper a Bailey circus in 1870. became dissatIs-
fled with the double sOmersault feat, at which
he was an adept, and burned to perform the
triple. At Toledo, o.. he announced that
he would make the attempt, aud did so.
Notwithstanding the advice of his friends.
sam made u splendid high leap, actually
turned three times, but landed ON his seat in