I still remember being in the 7th grade magic club, run by our print shop teacher Herb Downs (who later became an SAM president, I believe - can someone help me with this). I was shown the crosscut force, done as a prediction from a shuffled deck - I was fooled and floored.

Before that - I was maybe twelve years old. I was in Jack's Fun Shop on Bromfield Street in Boston, and Double X was performed for me, with the penny on the back of my hand VISIBLY changing to a dime with no cover. I'd seen many tricks, but nothing like this.

I'm interested in others' memories of a magic POW moment they fondly recall.

I remember my first visit at a magic shop in Munich. It was a private house and the shop was located in the basement. I was 22 back then and I knew nothing about magic. I wanted to learn magic because of a trick I saw repeatedly on the TV, which drove me nuts: The vanish of a lighted cigarette in a handkerchief.

The man behind the counter picked up two red sponge balls and did the 10-Count for me. That was absolutely flabbergasting, to say the least. It was the first time, I saw a magic trick done right under my nose. And of course I had no idea how something like this could be done. I'll never forget this moment.

My biggest pow moment came when I was about 10 years old.

My dad too me to a local magic convention int he midwest and we sat at a table to see a performance by a man we'd never heard of before.

It was Al Goshman and he totally blew us away! Even today, over a quarter of a century later, my dad still brings it up from time to time, marvelling "How did he get those coins under those salt shakers?!?!"

My first real magic memory is watching someone perform Hollow, or something very similar, on the Paul Daniels Show in what must have been the seventies (I was about ten at the time). Twenty years later, I was delighted to be able to buy and perform it myself.

I also remember reading Ray Bradbury and wishing we would have carnivals like the ones he described, with Mr Electric shouting, "Live forever!".

And, of course, the great Hans Moretti clambering into a cardboard box, having swords shoved through the box (and surely himself!), and emerging in a clown's costume with a chicken on his head! Amazing!

For me, you are one of those people who help me recapture that childhood feeling of wonder and delight, David.

For that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It's a rare gift you have.

My first memory with magic is a 5th grade after school magic course. As chance would have it, it was raining and thunderstorm that day, perfect dramatic effect with the noise of thunder outside.

The only effect I remeber was a little bit of mentalist comedy. You were asked to think of a famous person and write the name down. The magician produced a sealed folder marked "Famous Person" on the face. The magician bet that that name which I wrote down was in the folder. Sure enough when he opened the folder there was a card in it which read "That Name"

Later on I remeber seeing a copy of "The Secrets of Houdini" in my middle school library. I remember checking it out and I kept renewing it to learn more and more from the book. Of couse, I didnt really comprehend what was being written with respect to the illusions, but it is what I remember as my first magic book.

My first magic POW moment was when the magician that owns the store where I lived, his name was John King, performed the craziest magic trick I had ever seen, he spread out the deck of cards and told me and my friend to pick a card each and then switch places in the deck, next he told us to shuffle the pack(this was all done with his back to us) then he took the deck and found both of our cards by dealing the cards in six piles, but not in order but in random spots, we even got to choose the spot our selves, then he started to shuffle it again, the wierd thing is that he kept on saying it was a math trick and yet, all the cards were just in a big mess! Still even today I am amazed. does anyone know what this trick is called? or how its performed? or even heard of it? because he wont tell me lol.

-Chris

I was hit with a KING POW at the age of ten, or thereabouts, watching Fred Kaps perform his version of the 'Benson Bowl Routine' on an episode of "The David Nixon Magic Show".

This was conjuring performed at the highest level by a true master of our craft.

The first magic I remember seeing was my grandfather showing me a simple coin vanish and a few card tricks, I was amazed and thought it was real magic!

(remember how that feels?)

I started checking out books from the library and performing magic as often as possible.

To this day I am still amazed by magic that I see and magic that I perform, in the sense that I still remember the impact magic had and has on me. I am gratefull that I can pass the magic on to others.

Thanks Grandad!

I came upon magic in my late 30's. A fellow teacher, Biff Smith, came into my office and asked me to think of any card in the deck. He then proceeded to tell me that he knew I would choose that card. Not only was it the only face-up card in the deck, it also had a different colored back. I was totally blown away. When Biff saw how much I was taken with magic, he offered to be my teacher. He then gave me a second gift. He introduced me to Al Cohen.

-Marty

My uncle 'Red' got me started when I was about 12 years old. He used to show me card trick after card trick and drive me crazy by not showing me how they were done. Then I started reading magic books (Scarne on Cards) and proceeded to drive him crazy by always wanting to show him a card trick.

I gave up magic in my early 20's and took it up again in my mid 30's when someone showed me an excellent invisible deck presentation and then blew me away with a floating bill effect. I have been hooked again ever since and it's been wonderful!

Marty