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With larger numbers of objects, the juggler's task becomes that of balancing the entire pattern rather than making single throws. As Jim Strinka of Phoenix, AZ, noted, "They mold into one bundle.

Still, more people are involved in juggling today, and many begin training in childhood. David Lee, brother of Albert Lucas, was able to flash 7 rings at age 9 when he performed with the Ice Capades.

The IJA's own Juniors Champion, Anthony Gatto, showed Cleveland conventioneers six rings at his tender age of eight.

The 17 entrants in the seven object competition at last summer's IJA convention was more than ever, probably representing more seven ball jugglers than existed in the entire world a half-century ago. Unless the tide is stemmed by an inviolate law of physics, it seems logical to believe that someone will break the present records.

Several IJA members have Rastelli in their sights. Strinka, 21, from Tuscon, AZ, executed 23 throws of a nine ball cascade at the Cleveland Convention, and says he would like to do 10. Robert York, from Tulsa, OK, was tossing and trying to catch 10. Susan Kirby, the IJA's premier woman numbers juggler, is working on nine balls.

Demetrius Alcarese, a 17 year old member from Queens, NY, can flash and catch eight balls.

As Dollarhide noted, better equipment will also play a part in new juggling records, as it has in running, pole vaulting and skiing competitions.

The lighter, more evenly balanced clubs and thinner fiberglass rings available today explain in part why jugglers of yore might have juggled ten balls, but never did 11 rings.

The new wave of youthful members which began the current IJA membership explosion in the 1970s took an immediate interest in juggling larger numbers of objects. Dollarhide remembered, "At the convention in Delaware in 1977, Barrett Felker was the only person doing five clubs."

Felker and others from California, Colorado and Massachusetts began to rekindle the fires of accomplishment. As Kit Summers, one of today's seven club jugglers, pointed out, "As people see good juggling, they tell themselves they can do it, too, if they work at it. The level of juggling seems to be improving over the past few years with increased exposure. "

For example, who ever thought of doing five club back crosses until Sergei Ignatov showed it was possible during two United States tours in the 1970s. Dick Franco picked up the idea from Ignatov in 1977, and others are working on it now.

And fathers teach their sons. Several early and pre-teenagers attending the past two IJA conventions have juggled five objects. But, as good as they already are, they are in the same room with older people practicing seven clubs and nine balls. If Summer's theory of rising skill level holds true, the number of objects to be juggled by future generations might astound us all.

It will be interesting to see whether performing jugglers or hobbyist jugglers break existing records. Though the current records are all held by performers, many find numbers anathema to their work.

Dick Franco, winner of the 1980 Circus World Championships, discovered that the path to fame and fortune does not follow a rule of increasing numbers. Franco credits much of his success to. Bobby May, who steered him away from a grueling determination to juggle more.