THE BALLOON MAN

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus King Charles Troupe’s extraordinary feats
from:  vindy.com
By John Benson
April 4, 2013
Kim Anthony Jones is always up for a challenge.

As a 15-year-old, the gymnast decided to tag along with a friend who was trying out for some sort of sport. At the time, the Bronx, N.Y., native had no idea what he was getting himself into.

“I was hanging out with a friend, and he mentioned he was going to try out for some team,” said Jones, calling from Long Island. “I was thinking it would be basketball or football. Then we walked into this gym with these guys doing all these amazing things on unicycles. I was hooked ever since.”

Jones said within a couple of months he learned the basic principals of riding a unicycle and was a full-fledged member of the King Charles Troupe, which returns as a featured act in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. The “Built To Amaze!” tour comes to Youngstown for eight shows Friday through Sunday at Covelli Centre.

The history of the King Charles Troupe begins in 1918 when a young boy named Jerry King sees a circus. Years later, all he remembers are the elephants and the man on the high wire riding a unicycle.

Fast-forward 40 years, and King, who at that point is now a father, teaches his son Charles and every kid in the neighborhood who wanted to learn how to ride a unicycle. He started a unicycle club and laid down certain rules to follow, such as discipline, direction and Christian principals.
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http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/apr/04/ringling-bros-and-barnum-amp-bailey-circ/