Cannonball King For Saturday...!

At one time, strongman acts were all the rage. Sideshows, circuses, and the like were eating them up.

Some were fake, but others were the real deal. From Listverse, here is the story of the Cannonball King.

John Holtum – Cannonball King

b.1845 – d.1919

John Holtum, was a strongman from Denmark who drew immense crowds in cities around the world by perfecting the cannonball catch. He lost a couple of fingers the first time he tried, but he eventually got his technique worked out. With Holtum on one side of the stage and a cannon on the other, an assistant would fire a 50-pound ball which Holtum caught with his gloved hands and chest. The feat required immense strength, steely nerves, and lightning-fast reflexes. Several skeptics questioned the legitimacy of his act but were convinced after Holtum brought them on stage for a demonstration. Holtum appeared before Royalty in Europe and was a great success in the US as well.

Interesting Fact: Holtum’s initial attempt to catch the ball resulted in his losing three fingers. Holtum offered 3,000 francs to anyone who would perform a similar feat, but no one ever took him up on his challenge.

There is no way I'm gonna stand in the way of a cannonball. In fact, I'm not gonna stand in front of ANY firearm! Just seems to be asking for trouble to me.

Coffee out on the patio again.