Seven Clubs

records as of 15 May 1995

Current bests

Anthony Gatto    230 catches in the '91 IJA Numbers competition, and 2 minutes
                 in practice (_JW_ 44.2, Sum. '92, p.24).  Renegade clubs.
                 Also see the '89 IJA video for 7 torch juggling.
Sorin Munteaunu  is also in _Guinness_ for 7 clubs in 1975, and was first to 
                 perform it publicly with a cane balanced on the forehead 
                 (Juggling:the Art and Its Artists", p. 354, and in a photo on
                 p.115 of "Juggling with Finesse", by Kit Summers).
Jian Ping Qian   performs a 7 badminton racket flash (8 catches when I saw him)
                 many times per week with "The Qian Brothers".  See 8 below.
Jack Bremlov     is listed in _Guinness_ for 7 clubs "currently" (in the '87
                 edition), and has performed it publicly (_JW_ 34.2, Feb.?'82).
                 A photo (on one knee) appears in "4000 Years", Vol. II, p.133.
Yevgeni Bilyauer does 7 in practice, according to Popovich (_Juggler's World_
                 37.4, Win. '86, p.10) and Michael Hesseling (_JW_ 40.4, p.11). 
Albert Petrovski is listed in _Guinness_ for 7 clubs in 1963.

Kit Summers      30 throws ("Juggling with Finesse", p.8).

Bruce Tiemann    28 throws (not to mention longer runs that weren't being
                 counted.  Renegade numbers clubs.
Albert Lucas     is listed in _Guinness_ for 7 clubs in 1985.  Some attempts of
                 his can be seen on the '84 IJA video.  Reynolds clubs.
Jason Garfield   has qualified it in practice.  Renegade clubs.

Viktor Filipovich 14 catches while at the '89 European festival.  See also
                 _Juggler's World_ 41.4, Win. '90, p.8.  Handmade clubs.
Stephan Gruss    does 7 in practice (_Kaskade_ 29, 3/93, p.28).  European 
                 clubs.
Dana Tison       11 catches in the '87 IJA Numbers competition, but has worked
                 on it since then.  American clubs. (or Todd Smith Europeans?)
Ken Burke        13 throws.

Jack Kalvan      more than a flash.  Todd Smith American clubs.

Anatoly Myakhostupov is working well on it, and is mentioned in _Juggler's
                 World_ 41.4, Win. '90, p.8.  Handmade clubs. 
Haggis McLeod    is said to juggle 7.

Jay Gilligan     7 catches (on video).  Renegade clubs.

Mark Peachock    7 catches at IJA Winter '93.

Demetrius Alcerese is mentioned in _Juggler's World_ 34.2, Feb.? '82, and on
                 p.8 of "Juggling with Finesse", by Kit Summers.
Jeff Taveggia    juggles 7 in practice, according to Kit Summers (_Juggler's
                 World_ 39.4, Win. '87-'88, p.6.
Mitica Virjoaga  (Rumania) juggled 7 in practice (_Circus Techniques_ by Hovey
                 Burgess, p.46, reprinted in '89).
Steven Geddes    (Australia) is working well on it.

Ken Falk         made some decent attempts in the '86 IJA Numbers competition.
                 Jack Kalvan thinks he had never tried it before then.

Toby Ayer        is working well on it.

Scott Sorensen   showed a good pattern at Fargo II ('93 IJA fest).

Claudio          (Switzerland) was working on it at Leeds ('93 European fest).

Jugglers of the past who did 7 clubs

John Breen       35 throws in practice. He died in 1912 aged 21.  Clubs were
                 were made of wicker! (_JW_ 37.4, Win.'86 back cover)

Historical note

From "Chinese Acrobatics Through the Ages", by Fu Qifeng (p.8):  "'Lie Zi'
('The Book of Lie Zi'), a philosophical work attributed to Lie Yukou of the
Warring States Period [475-221 B.C.], records that in the Spring and Autumn
Period [770-476 B.C.], Lan Zi, of the state of Song, presented a performance
for the ruler.  He could run to and fro on very high stilts and could also
juggle seven swords (Figure 5)."  Pictured is a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
woodcut of Lan Zi in flowing robes juggling seven swords extremely low.  This
ancient routine is later described in the book as "Seven Swords Pile Up and
Leap High" (p. 124).

List compiled by Ben S.
Reprinted with the permission of Serious Juggling and the JIS
hosted by Bogleg.com