skills origins

[Ruizb@aol.com]

John Foss says:
>Aren't we forgetting something, like the rest of the world? Let us remember
>that many of these skills...

No, we have not forgotten the rest of the world. That is one of the reasons we
want to develop this skills origin series and give a chance to people on E-Mail
to comment. We want to credit people who has contributed. The more that time
elapses, the more truth may get distorted.

In another letter John wrote:
>Javier Ruiz claims to have executed this skill (450 to hopping on wheel) first
>having done so within the past year, yet it is listed in the IUF Standard
>Skills List from 1988, which is perhaps where he got the motivation... The
>trick was invented, but had not yet been done.

All is correct. The trick had been invented, by Javier back in 1987, when he
mastered the 270 to hopping. Sem Abraham was working in an updating of the
Skills List. Carlos Medina sent most of the new skills that had been
developed by himself, Jose Roman, Javier Ruiz & Javier's cousin, Ernesto.
Among those trick was the 270 to hopping which Javier & Ernesto did on tandem
at UNICON IV in 1988. Also the 450 to hopping which he still couldn't do,
Remember, he was 14.

I plan to discuss in the future other skills developed on the last 7 years.
Stuff like backward gliding (John Foss?), side ride on a giraffe (Brett
Bernard), etc.

I would like somebody else to initiate discussion on skills developed
before 1986. Remember, I was too young to ride then (I learned when I was
40 years old).

How did Walk the wheel got started? How about Gliding?

For definition purpose, walk the wheel is when both of your feet are off the
pedals & at least one is on the tire, pushing
it. Gliding is similar except only 1 foot may touch the tire & it cannot push
it.

Gliding is more difficult than wheel walking probably for the same reason that
you have more control of your car when you acelerate than when you brake.

Coasting is when your feet are off the pedal & off the tire. That, of course is
more difficult than gliding. In a previous letter, John Foss, who probably knows
as much as anybody about unicycling worldwide, credits a Swede named Joakim Malm
for doing coasting first.

Alberto Ruiz, Director International Unicycling Federation Ruizb@aol.com

[Ken Fuchs]

Alberto Ruiz wrote:

>I plan to discuss in the future other skills developed on the last 7 years.
>Stuff like backward gliding (John Foss?), side ride on a giraffe (Brett
>Bernard), etc.

>I would like somebody else to initiate discussion on skills developed
>before 1986. Remember, I was too young to ride then (I learned when I was
>40 years old).

I'm also interested in who invented, first performed, first performed in public
various unicycling skills. (It should also be stated exactly when and where each
of these "first" events occurred.) I add to and slightly modify John's list of
"unicycling skill firsts" below:

A. Who thought of a skill first.
B. Who thought of a skill first and told other people about it.
C. Who thought of a skill first and it was published (newsletter or mailing
list) soon afterward.
D. Who did it first.
E. Who did it first in front of people.
F. Who did it first captured on a photograph.
G. Who did it first captured on film or video tape.
H. Who did it first in front of people, published in print media.
I. Who did it first captured on a photograph, published in print media.
J. Who did it first published in film or on video tape.
K. Who did it first on local TV or cable.
L. Who did it first on national TV.
M. Who did it first on satellite TV.
N. Who did it first in a national or international show or competition.

This list could be even longer, but the point I'm really trying to make is there
are really only four (not exactly the same as John's) "unicycling skill firsts"
that are truly important:

1. Who thought of a skill first WITHOUT convincing proof to back the claim.
2. Who thought of a skill first WITH convincing proof to back the claim.
3. Who did a skill first WITHOUT convincing proof to back the claim.
4. Who did a skill first WITH convincing proof to back the claim.

Point 1 and 3 will be important to at most one person.

It is points 2 and 4 that we, as unicyclists and unicycling fans really
care about:

WHO THOUGHT OF A SKILL FIRST WITH CONVINCING PROOF TO BACK THE CLAIM.

WHO DID A SKILL FIRST WITH CONVINCING PROOF TO BACK THE CLAIM.

The only problem with determining these is, unicycling as a sport is over a 100
years old, and in its early days it was very popular and there were many highly
skilled unicyclists in the decades that precede us now. Most of these
unicyclists and the people who saw their feats are longer alive, may not know
how or may not even care to supply us with convincing proof of their "unicycling
skill first". Even our contemporaries, particularly the Japanese and other
unicyclists who do not know english, or those that simply don't know where or
how to submit their claims will be left out of unicycling history.

An established, proven example of a very difficult skill performed, many
years ago:

There are numerous newspaper clipping from around the 1930s or so, of "Woods and
Larsen", one of the many performance teams with highly advanced unicycling
skills. In at least one of the clippings, Woods and Larsen are shown doing a
barrel roll (sideways wheel walk in modern terminology) in a circle together at
opposite sides of the circle, I believe. I've never heard of anyone doing this
since then. I believe, Ken Woods himself stated that there were many other
performers even more highly skilled. Many similar "unicycling skill firsts" may
be lost to unicycling history!

So let us continue with our skills origin history with the knowledge that there
may be more holes than substance to it. However, we won't let that stop us from
trying our best to fill the holes or establishing contemporary skills origin
history. (Recall Alberto's interest in establishing this contemporary history
beginning with 1986.)

Stay on Top,

Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com