The first time was when I was a kid and did magic shows in my neighbors garage. I charged 5 cents a ticket. My cups and ball consisted 3 paper cups. The balls were made of cotton with an adhesive tape around it. In those days I never even heard of a magic shop. (I was probably 9 or 10 years old). I made my own props to do tricks that I read about in books. The first magic shop I ever heard about was Al Flosso's, but I didn't get there until I was about 13.

I owned a Morrissey Combo Set when I was about 10 years old. At that time, I also found a copy of the Mendoza Routine (a little treasure that I still have today). Although I could perform all of the requisite moves for the routine, the final loads scared the daylights out of me. As a result, the cups and balls continued to be nothing more than a practice exercise for me during the several years that followed.

During that time, however, I continued to develop my skills and acquired a fair amount of performing experience. I read everything I could get my hands on dealing with showmanship and misdirection. As a result, my skills in developing patter, rhythm and misdirection began to evolve and mature. Eventually, I came back to the cups and balls and found myslef realizing that the final loads really weren't that difficult.

That's when I picked up the cups and balls again and started performing the full Mendoza routine. I must have been about 14 at this time. I remember performing the routine in front of as many friends and family members as could tolerate me. When I had it down cold, I incorporated it into my show (I was performing paid gigs by this time). I don't remember the exact show but I do know it went very well.

Ever since then, I've been completely enamoured with the effect. Although I no longer perform the Mendoza Routine, I do continue to perform the cups and balls, with a personalized routine that I'm proud to call my own.

Kent

I don't remember the first time I performed the C&B, but I do remember the first time I performed it with any type of sleights. I was performing at a cabaret and I dropped the ball like 4 times, letting it roll off the table. At one point I couldn't even find the ball when it rolled off for a few seconds. I also sped the routine up so fast that it took me less than a minute to get through, before the final lemon loads. I sucked pretty bad.

The first I remember, other than probably driving my parents nuts watching it was before "uncle harry". Dad and mom went on a trip to california and dad took me with him to visit this relative (actually grandfather's cousin) whom he called "uncle harry". I was never without my trusty Mark Wilson magic kit and its cups and balls was my favorite trick. Took it with me to Uncle harry's. I remember him asking me what I had and told him it was my "magic" which he asked to see. I did my routine. I have no doubt it was the worst routine he ever saw in his life, but he patted me on the back , told me I did good, encouraged me to keep practicing and learning. He made a bird cage disappear from between my hands (first magician I ever saw outside of Mark Wilson who was still in pre magicland of alakazam days) and one other trick with a ball. I remember repaying him for this delightful demonstration by telling him he needed to study magic from Mark Wilson and get a Mark Wilson magic kit if he really wanted to learn. My dad recalls he chuckled and said "Yes, I've heard good things about young Mark Wilson"
Was a couple of years that I realized that "Uncle Harry" was Harry Blackstone,Sr. the premier magician of the day. Well if ur going to mess up you might as well do it in front of a relative who will be encouraging.

For years the only routine I knew of was the basic one ball thru the top of the cups three times in a row ending with the suprise revelation of a mysterious fourth ball...lame, which is why I hardly ever did it with those cheap multi colored plastic cups.

I then got me a set of combo cups from Canada, came up with what I thought was a decent routine, boy was I wrong, I then went on public t.v. and performed my routine, I dropped balls, cups, my hands shook, I sped up the routine...

It was just an appalling attempt at a classic of magic and I butchered it horribly and it was on live t.v.! Argh!!!

So I swore off the cups for several more years and then one day I was an addict and could not put them down...for about six months straight. I practiced absolutly nothing else.

johnny

http://www.myspace.com/chris_robertson