The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1931-08-13
Member of Troupe Coming Here
Tuesday Explains Game
and Its Origin

The following is composed of write
ups taken from many newspapers
drafted into one story.
Originated, it is said by Paul Bun
yam, mythical hero of the logging
woods, there came into being on the
turbulent rivers of the midwest tim
Der states a few decades ago the vir-
lie sport of birling Or log rolling.
A round, smooth, perfectly-turned
white pine log, anywhere from IL to
16 inches in diameter, lies in the
water. Two men, with swimming
suits and light calked shoes, mount
the log, one on each end. At a word
from the referee, they throw the
poles with which they first balance
themselves, and then try, by spinning
and snubbing the tricky timber, to
throw each other from the log into
the water. The log is whirled and
stopped with bewildering rapidity,
providing plenty of thrills for the
spectators. The climax comes when
one man succeeds in wetting his OPP
ponent. Both may go into the water
at almost the same time, but the first
one to hit the water loses the fall. Two
falls out of three constitute a match.
The great pine forests have vanished
into the limbo of forgotten things and
with them have gone the hardy river
men who developed the sport of log
rolling and lent glamour to its early
days. But the sport remains and to
a younger generation-the inheritors
of the old river traditions-has fallen
the task of keeping it alive.
Never a Lumberman
Wilbur Marx is a typical member
Of the little group of athletes who are
adept at birling. He has never work.
ed in lumber camp and never saw
a river drive, yet he is the holder OF
many titles.
Wilbur first became interested in
log rolling in the spring of 1925,
when he was only IA years old. He
couldn't very well avoid it. Eau
Claire, Wisconsin, the town in which
he lives, is richer in birling traditions
than any other city in America. Sew
eral world meets have been held
there and it has produced several
expert log rollers. So the birling bug
bit Marx and he began training.
Morning, noon and night he practiced
and when the eighth worlds "Roleo"
opened at Washburn, Wisconsin he
was on the scene of action after only
three of four months of practice. A
gawky, awkward boy, he had the Ill
luck to draw for an opponent in the
first round of elimination big Joe"
Madwayosh, then champion of the
world. The sensation of the tourney
was provided when the 14-year old,
after losing the first fall in one half
minute, fairly defeated big Joe" in
the second round, racing him off the
log after twenty-one and one-haf
minutes of breathless birling. Mad
wayosh won the third and deciding
fall but the kid had shown his posi-
bilities and the prophets tongues
started wagging with prophecies
which were soon to be surpassed by
facts.
When the ninth worlds roleo open
ed in August 1925, Marx was again
present, only Is years old, but now
well-muscled, seasoned athlete in
stead of an awkward boy. Losing a
third round elimination match in the
Northwest titular tourney steadied
him and he won the Wisconsin State
title without difficulty. Twenty-six
of the most accomplished log cutters
in the game were entered for the
worlds title and young Marx defeat
ed four of them in swift successor,
winning his way through the first,
second and third rounds of elimina-
ton and the semi-fnals.
Runnerup at Fifteen
Then he faced little Billy Girard of
Gladstone, Michigan in the final
match. Fifteen years old with
worlds title within reach! Over
eager and over-confdent, he made the
mistake of thinking himself speedier
than Girard and Little Billy" raced
him off the log for two straight falls
in the fastest match that has ever
been rolled, feet twinkling so fast
they could hardly be seen,>s spiked
shoes chewing the log to slivers,
white water" splashing the contest
ants legs, and both birlers almost
continually on the verge of a wet
ting.
But when the tenth worlds roleo
opened in August 1927, Marx was
again present, and this time could not
be stunned SMaeninn throuuh all