In 1967, he and others organized the "First Annual Western IJA Convention," which, for all its potential of splitting the IJA down the Mississippi River , was dedicated, as Dollarhide put it, "to reuniting the IJA, not dividing it."

A second western convention was planned for 1968. While attending a juggling picnic at the home of Stu Raynolds back East in Delaware on Aug. 4, Dollarhide proposed that the West Coast convention - which he purposely termed "convention" to distinguish it from less formal juggling picnics - be sanctioned as the 1968 alternate-sited national convention.

For those who relish such things, the parliamentary legalities were satisfied as well as possible. Although a sanctioning vote was passed by the members who attended the Delaware picnic, the real sanction came from the convention committee later through its constitutional authority.

Thus it was that on Aug. 25, 1968, 21 unbroken years of IJA conventions continued, this time in San Mateo, Calif., at the home of Bud and Gerry Raymond. Forty people showed up - a real stunner for those years. It was "a smashing success. "

There was such an air of youth at this convention that voting franchise was given to child members, regardless of age, as long as they "were mature enough to understand the business meeting."

Roger convened the meeting "as emissary of the executive committee as authorized at the meeting in Wilmington, Del.," and the IJA was back in business.

In his first message to the members as the new president, Dollarhide expressed the desire that the IJA get growing again, and that the IJA "make juggling a more popular form of recreation for people of all ages."

"I say let's go out there and find those people. Let the IJA be known, and many will find us!"

The Phoenix Rises in Youngstown

Almost immediately, the IJA changed. Stu Raynolds gave the "Newsletter" a new direction, pledging that it would no longer be used "to continue old feuds or instigate new ones," but to bring the IJA back together.

The publication improved steadily under Roger Dollarhide, Ken Benge, Hovey Burgess and Dave Walden - adding more pictures, better graphics, and more practical tips. Dollarhide instituted the family plan membership, inaugurated the championships and publicly affirmed that the purpose of the IJA was to popularize juggling rather than safeguard its secrets. He qualifies as the IJA's first "modern" president.

The IJA was refurbished just in time to catch the wave of the athletic generation. Attendance rose to 175 at the Youngstown , Ohio , convention in 1975.

Organizers Dick Franco and Joe Sullivan forsook the poor lighting and low ceilings that predominated earlier conventions for a YMCA gym. The convention also garnered a front-page spread in "The Wall Street Journal."

It was the first of the modern conventions, and, as Franco said, "proved what  the potential was for the IJA."  Indeed, two years later at the University of Delaware convention, the first to be held on a campus, attendance doubled. In 1979 at Hampshire College in Amherst , Mass., attendance grew to 450.  By 1982, well over 600 people were turning out for the IJA annual conventions.

Differences of Opinion

The overflow at the Delaware convention shocked the IJA into gearing for growth. As if mobilizing for war, rapid changes solidified the new image. Conventions had to be planned two years in advance, the "Newsletter" was copyrighted and microfiched, the IJA emblem was trademarked for royalty purposes and the IJA became a Delaware corporation.

This latter move was for the purpose of achieving tax-exempt status to pave the way for gifts and grants. But it pointed out how big and formal the IJA had become and some members started to complain. Many of their complaints were directed at President Gene Jones. His tenure from 1980 to 1983 was a complicated chapter in the IJA's history.