Tag: Jr.

Rick Smith Jr. Magician and Record Holder

Inside Magic Image of Rick Smith Jr.Rick Smith Jr. is a former baseball pitcher and professional magician.

That means he is perfectly suited for throwing playing cards great distances with incredible accuracy.  It probably also means he can pull a rosin bag from a hat, tear and restore a scorecard or spit in different colors.

He used his card throwing skills this weekend to set a new Guinness Book of World Records record for highest vertical throw.  He currently holds the world record for horizontal throw of 72 yards (in metric that is really far) and this Saturday he threw a card 67 feet straight up in the air.

The news media claim he actually threw it higher but the Guinness are all about being exact and creditable so they only allow records based on “measurable events.”

They were willing to crown him the world’s most accurate card thrower based on causing 46 out of 52 cards to sail through a 10-inch aperture (in metric, that is really small) in less than a minute (we don’t know what a minute is in metric, maybe a nanohour).

Mr. Smith entertained the assembled well-wishers with his magic act before getting down to business as part of the science center’s Myth Busters exhibit.

Read more about Mr. Smith at The Cleveland Plain Dealer website here.

Check out Mr. Smith’s web site here.

IBM 2011 Closes on High Note

Inside Magic Image of IBM Convention LogoAnd now the 2011 IBM Convention is complete.

It ended with a wonderful show entitled “Legends of Magic & Comedy.” The show began with Jeff McBride. He was in top form and served as the perfect entreaty to the special night. His energy unique ability to take advantage of any unplanned surprise ensured a wonderful start.

The lovely Frances Willard introduced son-in-law Michael Ammar and his beautiful wife, Hannah as they performed their rendition of The Spirit Cabinet. Hannah has learned well from her mother — the effect was perfect.

Max Maven introduced the concept of “suspension” by correctly reading the minds of the sell-out house and segued into clips of Walter “Zaney” Blaney performing his Ladder Suspension over the years and in many venues. But this evening Walter did not perform his world-famous illusion. That honor was bestowed on Becky Blaney and Walter’s granddaughter. They did an outstanding job and Walter’s pride clearly showed.
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