2012-03 Ring Report

President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order with 28 members and several guests, Clem Kinnicutt and "Sammy, The Magician": both were accompanied by their wives.  Craig went on to report that Jack Kodell was recuperating from a recent health setback at a local rehab facility.  The plans for our annual Flea Market and Auction on March 10th were going well with the 30 available  tables going fast. Bob Swadling and Bob Moreland were scheduled to do lectures and the former will also do a Workshop.

Dan Stapleton did a brief book review of  The Life and Times of Augustus Rapp and So You Want To Be An Illusionist by David Seebach.  He endorsed them both.

 

Orlando SAM Chapter President, Craig Schwarz, presented Charlie Pfrogner with a fifty (50) year membership pin commemorating is service with them.  Charlie is also very active in IBM 170.  A brief film, from the 70's, was shown of  member Valerie Swadling performing her FISM award winning magic act.  Bev Bergeron came on to demonstrate and teach Bob Hummer's  Three (3) Item Prediction.

 

Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment No. 37.  His subject this month was Frederick Eugene Powell, a master magician who entered our world in 1856 and performed throughout his long life into the 30's.  Educated at Pennsylvania Military College in Engineering he gave up a teaching career to pursue Magic.  He teamed with several of the top magicians of the day to perform on stage some very unforgettable illusions. He was a contemporary and friend to Houdini.  Powell's most noteworthy illusions included 'Noah's Ark' and 'Cremation': his tricks included the burned and restored rope and coin ladder.  Powell died at the age of 82 in 1938.

 

This month we had 11 performers demonstrating their art to an appreciative audience.  Chuck Smith did a Keno Prediction effect followed by George Bernard showing a Chain Penetrating Spike.  Charlie Pfrogner was back, after an illness, performing a Card Transpo that was very entertaining.  Dan Stapleton performed Psycho-Psycometry with Valentines Day cards that were sent to him from audience participants.  Newcomer, Sammy, The Magician, entertained with Shots in the Deck, a novel playing card illusion.  Bob Swadling took the stage next and demonstrated his card handling techniques.  Craig Fennessey did a Cut, Mixed, and Matched Jumbo Card Routine.  J. C. Hiatt followed with a perplexing selected card routine.  Next,  Ed McGowan brought out his Cups and Balls and expertly performed the Vernon Routine to the delight of the membership.  Ravelli closed the evening performances with a shredded paper routine to restored paper and ended with the oral consumption of razor blades and then producing them, from his mouth, on a thread, as the curtain went down.