Classic Magicians

Last night I ran tech at the theater for the Tucson Society of American Magicians Parlor Magician of the Year competition. I dabbled in magic a bit in my younger days and had a good time chatting with the competitors and watching the show.

One thing I told them about was going to a magic convention in St. Joseph, Missouri. I think I was 14 or 15. My father pretty much told me I HAD to go to the midnight lectures and shows (even though I technically wasn't old enough) because some of the giants of magic were performing and speaking: Dai Vernon and Slydini. There were both very elderly but still agile enough to pull off a good variety of close up magic and tell tales from their long careers in magic.

What really got all the magicians jealous is when I told them I had gotten autographs from both of them on playing cards.

I look back now and think, REALLY? I had them autograph a two of diamonds and a four of spades? What was I thinking! (Actually, if I remember correctly, they preferred low value cards as they had more room to sign them so maybe I wasn't so stupid after all!)