Necessity might be the mother of invention, but for Bill Giduz, novelty is a close relative. Apparently needing to do more than simply master the art of juggling, Giduz took three balls to a running track at North Carolina State University in 1975 and invented a new sport: joggling. The rules are simple, although mastery is no doubt a handful. Participants must jog or run while maintaining a juggling pattern with at least three balls. If they drop a ball, they can pick it up and start again. The new sport quickly attracted attention, and in 1980, Giduz organized a joggling race at the International Jugglers Association festival. It caught on, and now the World Joggling Competition is held every year at the festival, with an assortment of racing competitions. In fact, the sport has even been recognized by Guinness World Records, which currently lists Boston University student Zach Prescott as holding the record in the mile, joggling the route with an impressive time of 4:43:02. There are also joggling records over many other distances, including the 100-meter sprint, marathon, and 4 x 400-meter relay.
Juggling some facts:
- The earliest known depiction of juggling appears on the walls of an Egyptian tomb dating to approximately 2,000 BC.
- Italian acrobat and performer Enrico Rastelli is often considered the greatest juggler in history; Vanity Fair credits him with elevating juggling to an art form.
- Juggling beginners are often encouraged to start with scarves.
