We met Dick by chance and learned
that the unexpected pleasures are often some of the best. Larry Griswold
and George Nisson may have invented the trampoline, but it was guys
like Dick that mastered it. He was a genuine pioner and literally set
the standards for competition trampolining in the Midwest. He was a 2x
National Trampoline Champion in the 1940s.
When he moved to
Miami Beach and met Barney Cipriani, he was hooked on the magic of high
diving and everything in his life changed. He transferred those
phenomenal trampoline skills to the diving board and joined the ranks of
the early water show performers.
Dick now serves as the Nominating Committee Chairman for
the World Acrobatic Society, an organization based in Las Vegas that recognizes the achievements of outstanding acrobatic performers and athletes.
Pioneering
The Trampoline
April 2009
Dick
was one of the original TRAMPOLINE troopers. Athletes like
Dick Gutting not only
challenged the flexible mat, but were instrumental in it's development
as a competitive sport. He was the guy that "invented" tricks on a piece
of canvas
held in place with a set of flimsy springs and with a maximum height of
12'. Kids today get more spring on their first bounce than Dick
did struggling through an overexerting 1-minute routine. From where
they were to where we are today is truly fascinating story.
Timex Watch Commercial Featuring Barney Cipriani April
2009 Dick shares an interesting
story about high diving great Barney Cipriani
who was shooting a commercial for Timex Watches in 1967..."Takes a
licking and
keeps on ticking". "You couldn't have staged it any better" Dick said.
The watch strap broke and splashed up onto the deck at the feet of John
Cameron Swayze (Spokes person for Timex & commentator for ABC's Wide
World of Sports).
Johnny Bower Designs A 25' Mini-tramp Contraption April
2009 He describes the unique and
rather innovative mini-tramp contraption that John Bower had invented. The tramp was mounted
at the top of a 25' tower that was anchored
by a set of guy wires. They had set it up at one of Barney Cipriani's
hotel pools. On
one occasion Dick experienced an exhilarating fall to the concrete deck
when a support wire snapped during a show.
It's a wonder that
any of us
survived doing the extremely dangerous and sometimes stupid stunts we
did to entertain a
crowd and earn a living.
