Gymnastics team parachute performance, c. 1963
- Image
- View Full Item
- Created Date
- 1963
- Description
Invented in 1963 by legendary SC gymnastics Coach Frank A. Wolcott when the exhibition team became co-ed, “the Parachute Number” replaced the dangerous fifteen foot high ladder and parallel bars men’s pyramid building number in the exhibition team performances. The original forty-by-forty nylon parachute was homemade by women on the team, but was soon manufactured by the JayFro equipment company using Wolcott’s design. It was later modified to twelve feet and used throughout the country in physical education classes for elementary schools. In a few years there were a hundred thousand sold!
This photograph shows the gymnastics exhibition team doing a parachute performance outside of Judd Gymnasia. A circle of gymnasts was made underneath the parachute, while one female and one male gymnast remained in the center of the circle. There are members of the team also holding up the parachute. The photograph is said to be taken around 1963.
- Partner
- Digital Commonwealth
- Contributing Institution
- Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
- Collection
- College Archives Digital Collections
- Publisher
- Springfield College
- Subjects
- Springfield College--Gymnastics--Exhibition team
Springfield College--Gymnastics
Springfield College--Gymnastics--Men
Springfield College--Gymnastics--Women
Springfield College--Sports
Springfield College--Sports--Men
Springfield College--Sports--Women
Springfield College
Judd Gymnasia
Springfield College--Buildings
Springfield (Mass.)
Gymnastics
Gymnasiums
Parachutes
Athletes
Performance art - Type
- image
- Format
- Photographs
- Rights
- Contact host institution for more information.
Text and images are owned, held, or licensed by Springfield College and are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership is properly cited. A credit line is required and should read: Courtesy of Springfield College, Babson Library, Archives and Special Collections. Any commercial use without written permission from Springfield College is strictly prohibited. Other individuals or entities other than, and in addition to, Springfield College may also own copyrights and other propriety rights. The publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for any infringement of United States copyright law.
- Chicago citation style
- Gymnastics team parachute performance, c. 1963. 1963. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America, http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/8602. (Accessed April 18, 2024.)
- APA citation style
- (1963) Gymnastics team parachute performance, c. 1963. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America, http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/8602
- MLA citation style
- Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America <http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/8602>.