New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-29
4 TRIPLE SOMERSAULT.
Successfully AcaeUed By Dan
O'Brien at the Hippodrome.

Dan O'Brien achieved the ambition OF his life
at the Hippodrome morning recently when
he executed a triple somersault from spring
board. The feat has never been S--sylphshed
before a lay audience. and a bare sEszen
athletes have ever performed 1t and nved- II
has slain it's scores That O'Brien escaped with
nothing worse than strained muscles is mar
vel to his acrobatic associates. They expected
to carry him off the stage to a hospital
OrBrien has spent his life leaping over ele-
plants and camels. He claims the record dou-
BILE somersault distance of thirty-two feet, but
had been deferred from attempting a third turn
by the fate of comrades of the ring.
This keen fall weather has put new LIE and
energy in me-" he announced one night to bis
fellow leapers at the Hippodrome. BE hero TO-
morrow morning and III do something 10 ooast
about quit leaping for good
Frank Melville equestrian director, ard ColAy
MoreIIa John Davenport and Thomas Cook,
acrobats assembled with OBrtan On the big
stage at o'clock, and the long, narTow run
way and springboard were put In position.
O'Brien limbered up with series OF single and
double somersaults, and announced himself
ready for the supreme trial Property men. car
penters and chorus girls and men awaiting ro-
hearsaI call gathered in awesome silence.
The straw "bed' on which the acrobat anxhts
was placed twenty-five feet from tho spring.
board and Melville gave the signal Tho sDAn-
gled athlete dashed at his highest speed down
the runway and hit the elastic plank with
terrific bound. Up he was thrown for almost
fifteen feet with hands tightly claspinS both
legs between the Aree and ankle and praau1ns
them closely together. The play OF thu muscles
of shoulder and back was distinct Twice Ia
revolved and then. when to the white coed an
lockers his energies seemed exhausted and no
appeared about to fall. he turned again and
Tho ~ H.
Before his comrades had reached his s1do be
his feet, pale but smiling.
II lost all brain sense after the second turn
he painted. land expected to land On my: haAA O.
the back OF my neck I'm content With tie
double hereafter
O'Brien's exploit the sole topic OF dtscns-
sion among the Hippodrome performers hast
week The first to turn triple sonar-
sault." said Frank Melville. was a perforrnas IN
Van Amburghs circus in Mobile Ala In 18<2
He broke his neck. William ]. Hobbies made tho
attempt at Astleys Anphitheatre. London, In
the season of 1S45-'46. He instantly killed
The next John Arnar He hid bean
successfully turning a double and was the
original in accomplishing It over four horses
He tried triple at the Isle of Wight. England
in 1889 turned twice. landed on his forehead and
broke his neck. Sam Reinhardt. while travelling
with Cooper & Bailey's circus. became sssatis-
lied with the OOuDle SOmerSauit teat and was
anxious to do u triple. He did it at. Toledo.
Ohio. in 1870 making high leap. turned twice
and half. alighted the broad OF his back
and was disabled for some time. Billy Dutton
accomplished the feat at sElkhart, Ind. in the
summer OF 1860. but he never made another at
tempt. Bob Stickney did il while practising at
g gymnasium in 14th-st. He alighted IN a
blanket but he never successfully did lt by
alighting on his feet. Frank Starks undertook
the feat at Indianapolis IN June. 1879 He
alighted on his head dislocating his neck. and
died in few hours.
THE only person. living dead. who accom-
plished the feat successfully more than once was
John Worland. living at Cornwall n T.
He threw triple somersault six times from q
trampoline board The first time he attempted
II at St Louis in September, 1874. with
John Wilson's San Francisco circus. He made
three trials over five horses, In two OF which he
landed on his feet The next time no tried We
at ST. Louis In 1875 with Howe's London circua
This time he landed bed In sitting post
ure. He did IL again at Eau Claire IN 1881 With
Adam Forepaugh's show; also few days after
at La Crosse The last time that he accom-
pl'ehed the feat at New-Haven In 1884
with the Forepaugh show. In the presence e IT,
Mayor ot tie city and many nswspapae easEo-
AnondantA"