WORLD ACROBATICS SOCIETY The World Acrobatics Society Legends The World Acrobatics Society inducted its class of 2012 Gallery of Legends on September 20 at the Circus Circus Casino and Resort in Las Vegas during the WAS Congress. The Legends are elected annually in eight acrobatics categories or disciplines. The WAS has been making inductions since its first class in the year 2000. Standing from left to right are: Kelli Hill, Lifetime achievement; Gary Smith, Trampoline & Tumbling; Jennifer Chandler, Diving; Jon Culbertson, Lifetime Achievement; Megan Neyer, Diving; Jack Miles, Artistic Gymnastics; Stoyan Deltchev, Artistic Gymnastics; Tory Sharpe representing his deceased father David Sharpe, Professional Performer; Matt Chojnacki, 2006 WAS Legend; and Linda Peterson representing Linda’s deceased son Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, Extreme Sports. Each Legend was introduced and eulogized by Master of Ceremonies Dick Albershardt, a 2003 WAS legend. Additionally, each Legend was presented in video that highlighted various accomplishments of their careers in acrobatic disciplines. Legends of earlier WAS classes stepped forward to hang a WAS medallion on each of the 2012 Legends. It was a memorable evening with good food, fun, and an opportunity to hear each Legend speak about their career in an acrobatic sport or discipline. Written by: Bruce Davis Page 1 of 11 Edited by: Don Leas World Acrobatics Society 2012 Winter Newsletter The World Acrobatics Society Program Day Presentations George Hery made a video presentation called “Acrobatics now and then.” Using videos spanning over many years, George pointed out how acrobats in the sports of artistic gymnastics, trampoline, and tumbling have improved their skills in their respective sports activity due to coaching, equipment improvement, and knowledge of performance. The video comparisons with George’s expert analysis demonstrated how much the modern acrobat has improved over the last half century. Thank you George! Muriel Grossfeld, Artur Akopyan and Kelli Hill The next presentation was a panel discussion featuring three of the United States foremost women’s gymnastics experts. Muriel Grossfeld, Artur Akopyan, and Kelli Hill explained “The ‘Way’ US Women’s Gymnastics Became a World Power.” Muriel explained how it was to compete in the fifties and then lead the WAS membership over the next few decades of US development in women’s gymnastics and into the modern era when the US began to win medals in international George Hery competition. Artur, a former world vaulting champion, is regarded as one of the finest uneven parallel bar technicians in the world. Kelli is Dr. Jon Culbertson was the next presenter. Jon took us from one responsible for several of the US’s international medalists most notably men’s Pan American Games gymnastics competition to the next in his Dom Dawes. Thanks Panel. You were really informative! presentation titled “The Pan American Games (Men) Retrospective: ‘1971-2007.’ He provided comparative judging data from each of the Pan Am competitions giving us a perspective of the political jousting that occurs during competitions. Jon interjected comments from his own experience in judging that gave the WAS membership insight into the battles that ensue between the countries of the western hemisphere when medals are at stake. This political jousting was particularly evident between Cuba and the United States. Thank you Jon! Loren Janes and Jan Sanborn Loren Janes, with his wife Jan Sanborn, took the WAS membership on a visit to Hollywood when he presented his video “How The West Was Won.” The video presentation gave the WAS membership an up close look at movie making at it’s finest. Loren was seen performing many difficult stunts throughout the movie that was shot at two different locations. The former pentathlete and WAS legend has been stuntman for many of Hollywood’s top stars such as Steve McQueen. Loren was also Muriel Davis Grossfeld’s double in El Coyote Rides in 1957. Thank Dr. Jon Culbertson you Loren for giving the WAS members some insight into what a stuntman does in the movies! Page 2 of 11 World Acrobatics Society 2012 Winter Newsletter 2012 GALLERY OF LEGENDS JOHN “JACK” MILES Miles decided to leave FSU with his business degree and a masters and head to New York to try his hand at show business. Jack doubled for well known actors like Frank Sinatra, Tony Randall, Robert Shatner, Jamie Farr, Ray Bolger, and Andy Williams. Miles followed the film production crew to Florida to Ivan Tours Studios and played small parts in Gentle Ben, Car 54, Flipper, and The Defenders. He had bit parts in Lady in Cement in Ft. Lauderdale and Tony Roma in Miami. Miles appeared in commercials for Nabisco Shredded Wheat, Perrier, Wrigley’s Gum, Coco Cola, and Florida Orange Juice. Jack made some stage, off- Broadway theatre, and road show appearances in Carnival, Jack & Annie Trampoline Comedy, and Los Domenech. Jack’s modeling and print-photo work includes Parade magazine, Sears catalog, and Hollywood Dog Track. Miles even had his hand in a unique entertainment venue. The traveling diving horse show played at Steel Pier in Atlantic, NJ, and in state fairs throughout the US and Canada. Miles took a special events position with the Ft. Lauderdale recreation department and eventually became the departments well-liked director. Jack ran a very successful gymnastics program at the Holiday Park Recreation Center that was the home of the USGF Eastern Gymnastics Clinic of the seventies. Miles was the founder of the Florida Gymnastics Association and provided the 2008 Legend Vitaly Scherbo presents gymnastics community with a from the heart Florida Gymnastics Miles with the WAS Legend Medallion Newsletter for ten years. Jack operated a private gymnastics school in Ft. Lauderdale and sold equipment for American Athletic John “Jack” Miles began his gymnastics competition career at Equipment Company. Germantown High School in Philadelphia coached by Dr. Leopold Jack was a mentor to many young male and female gymnasts Zwarg. He continued to improve his gymnastics during workouts at among which were Ron Galimore a 1980 Olympian and Carrie the Germantown YMCA and the Philadelphia Turners. Miles Englert Zimmerman a 1976 Olympian. would often spend time in high school daydreaming and drawing In later years Miles became the organizer and spokesperson for new gymnastics moves. Jack is an excellent graphic artist. a group of former Florida State University gymnastics alumnae Jack Sharpe, the 1952 NCAA ring champion and Jack’s friend, who continue to meet annually first at a series of different locations recommended that Jack attend Florida State University. Jack was a and more recently in Panacea, FL at Alligator Point. The group has big part of the FSU gymnastics dynasty that captured five national met with the FSU administration to determine a way that the AAU and NCAA championships during the 1950s.. Miles also gymnastics programs of the fifties and sixties will be remembered performed in Gymkana, a gymnastics performance show created and recognized on campus. A final decision was made to create a by Dr. Hartley Price. Miles even coached the team while Price was stained glass window in the graduate library building that is away from campus on a Fulbright Scholarship. representative of the FSU gymnastics programs. The building has Jack won the NAAU flying ring championship in 1951. In other stained glass windows that depict other historical programs at 1947, while still in high school, he was responsible for creating and FSU. In support of the annual reunions Jack began to write the performing the “whippet” on flying rings that would be performed FSU Gymnastics, Gymkana and Friends Newsletter. Over a span of four on the (still) ring event more than a score of years later and which is years Jack has produced nearly seventy newsletters that can be read now called a Homma. Miles continued to medal in regional and on the fsugymnastics.org. website. The newsletter has been national competitions and tied for first in the 1955 NAAU all- responsible for the reunion of many individuals who are in some around championship which lead to his top berth on the 1955 US way attached to FSU gymnastics from relationships that were Pan American games team to Mexico. The US team and Miles forged more than fifty years ago won the team gold medal. Jack also took silver on vaulting and Jack Miles has come full circle in his accomplishments as an horizontal bar and bronze on rings and the all-around. In 1956 athlete, performer, coach, teacher, mentor, artist, writer, director, Miles placed ninth in Olympic trials at Penn State and became a organizer, and friend. Now Jack can add Legend to his list. As the member of the 1956 Olympic squad but did not finish high enough FSU Gymnastics Gymkana Friends Newsletter heading states: to go to Melbourne for the games. “Once teammates, always teammates.” Jack Miles is a 2012 World Acrobatics Society Legend and his teammates are proud of him! Page 3 of 11 World Acrobatics Society 2012 Winter Newsletter JENNIFER CHANDLER 1976 Olympic gold medalist Jennifer chandler is presented her WAS medallion by Don Leas 2004 Legend and former WAS President 2012 Galley of Legends Jennifer Chandler was born June 13,1959, in a small Chandler made the USA Olympic Games Diving Team and Chattahoochee River town in Alabama. She is the oldest of three won the three-meter springboard gold medal by a fifty point girls. Chandler first learned to swim when her family moved to margin; however, she had to combat and overcome a serious case Athens, Georgia. She changed to diving from swimming after her of nerves during the competition. family moved back to a Birmingham, Alabama, suburb and her After the Olympics Jennifer completed high school in family joined the Mountain Brook Swim and Tennis Club.