Interesting facts about new I.B.M. and S.A.M. presidents
Category: Article Posted by: C. DENNIS SCHICK
The combined convention this year of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Society of American Magicians will establish a number of firsts, as well as other interesting and historic events. Until someone actually researches the archives, some of these are more assumptions than facts. They are interesting to speculate about anyway. Besides, astute magic historians likely will come forward to set the record straight whatever we say. But until then, here are a half-dozen observations and tidbits about the two new presidents of the largest (I.B.M.) and the oldest (S.A.M.) magic organizations in the world.
1. Back in 2001 two good friends were on the cover of The Linking Ring. Kenrick “ICE” McDonald appeared on the cover of the May issue; three months later -- August -- Shawn Farquhar and his wife, Lori were on the cover. Two close friends on the cover the same year.
2. Now -- thirteen years later -- the good friends share the cover of the July issue of The Linking Ring, at Shawn’s request. Further, a similar dual photo is on the cover of the S.A.M.’s magazine, M-U-M. This HAS to be a first.
3. Is Shawn Farquhar the first Canadian to be president of the I.B.M.? No, in fact the very first I.B.M. president -- Len Vintus -- was a Canadian, according to Sammy Smith. The last Canadian to be I.B.M. president was Joan Caesar, in 2008, from Ontario.
4. Is Kenrick McDonald the first African American to become president of one of the two major magic organizations? So far my research has not found another, so our tentative answer is, “yes.”
5. Are Shawn Farquhar (52) and Kenrick McDonald (54) two of the youngest presidents of the two major magic organizations? Yes, it appears that you have to go back over ten years -- to 2003, when David Sandy was president of the I.B.M. at age 39 -- to find someone younger. (Was David the youngest ever? Go look it up and report back. How about the S.A.M.? Ditto.)
6. Are Shawn Farquhar and Kenrick McDonald the two magic organization presidents who have won the most magic awards? Again, without some detailed, time-taking research, it is hard to know. But on the surface that appears to be a true statement.
What else? Will the two new presidents perform a dual magic effect at the convention? What surprises will one or both of them deliver? Come to St. Louis and see!