Sam Hartford Biography
Sam Hartford first became interested in juggling at around six years old while on a family vacation to Key West Florida. There Sam witnessed a performance by seasoned Sunset Celebration Juggler and Tightrope artist Will Soto. Upon returning home to Biloxi Mississippi, Sam proceded to begin enthusiatically tossing broken chair legs (imagining they were flaming torches) while standing on a stool (a la highwire). After a trip to the local library to check out a book on how to juggle, Sam was incessantly throwing oranges, golf balls, rolled-up socks, and basically anything round that he could get his hands on.
By age seven, Sam could juggle 3 balls, as well as 2 with one hand fairly well. At age 10, Sam brought home another book from the library; the Guinness Book of Records. Sam immediately found the section on world records for juggling, and was captivated by the fact that one person held the record for most balls, most rings, and most clubs juggled. Albert Lucas had juggled 7 clubs, 10 balls, and 12 rings. Sam was particularly impressed by the feat of 12 rings; at this moment, he realized his lifes ambition; to juggle 12 rings... to juggle more objects than anyone else on earth.
With a renewed interest and focus in juggling, Sam began practicing dilligantly every day. Soon he could juggle 4 balls at once, then 5, then 6. At age 14 he was juggling 9 balls, and at 17 he could juggle 11 balls for one cycle. In 2000 Sam entered his first juggling competition at the International Jugglers Association annual festival in Montreal Canada. His highlight of the competitions was winning the 5 ball event, in which competitors would juggle 5 balls continuously for as long as possible. Sam won in a time of 43 minutes, 24 seconds, an event record which has stood to this day.
In 2002, Sam Moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to train full time with his coach-- boyhood inspiration Albert Lucas. After a Summer of hard work, he managed to become the first person ever to juggle 7 balls in one hand, as well as the only person ever to juggle both 12 balls and 12 rings.
After taking a few years off from juggling to get married, start a family, and become a PSIA level III alpine ski instructor in Colorado and Oregon, Sam returned to serious training. Sam now resides in Myrtle Beach with his wife and three children, works as a full time performing juggler. You can contact Sam for professional appearences here.
By age seven, Sam could juggle 3 balls, as well as 2 with one hand fairly well. At age 10, Sam brought home another book from the library; the Guinness Book of Records. Sam immediately found the section on world records for juggling, and was captivated by the fact that one person held the record for most balls, most rings, and most clubs juggled. Albert Lucas had juggled 7 clubs, 10 balls, and 12 rings. Sam was particularly impressed by the feat of 12 rings; at this moment, he realized his lifes ambition; to juggle 12 rings... to juggle more objects than anyone else on earth.
With a renewed interest and focus in juggling, Sam began practicing dilligantly every day. Soon he could juggle 4 balls at once, then 5, then 6. At age 14 he was juggling 9 balls, and at 17 he could juggle 11 balls for one cycle. In 2000 Sam entered his first juggling competition at the International Jugglers Association annual festival in Montreal Canada. His highlight of the competitions was winning the 5 ball event, in which competitors would juggle 5 balls continuously for as long as possible. Sam won in a time of 43 minutes, 24 seconds, an event record which has stood to this day.
In 2002, Sam Moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to train full time with his coach-- boyhood inspiration Albert Lucas. After a Summer of hard work, he managed to become the first person ever to juggle 7 balls in one hand, as well as the only person ever to juggle both 12 balls and 12 rings.
After taking a few years off from juggling to get married, start a family, and become a PSIA level III alpine ski instructor in Colorado and Oregon, Sam returned to serious training. Sam now resides in Myrtle Beach with his wife and three children, works as a full time performing juggler. You can contact Sam for professional appearences here.