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A SPONGE BALL ROUTINE by Ali Bongo - adapted from 'The Three Pellets' by Wilfrid Jonson from his book 'Conjuring' (Foyles Handbooks 1950). Back in 2005, we were at a convention in SW France, in Arcachon. Ali, a fluent French speaker, was a Guest of Honour. He was at our stand chatting when a young girl came along, picked up some sponge balls and said, “What do these do?” Ali performed the effect which follows. A couple of weeks later, back in England, he sent the routine to us. Here’s the routine in Ali’s words. THE EFFECT
Three sponge balls are counted on to the table; two are placed in the right hand, while the third is placed in a pocket. The third ball magically returns to join the other two. This effect is repeated with variations, until the spectators assume that the result will always be the same - i.e. three balls in the hand. Finally the hand is opened and many sponge balls jump out for a very surprising climax. SET UP
As many sponge balls that can be comfortably squeezed into one hand are placed in the right-hand trouser or jacket pocket. Four more balls are placed in the left jacket pocket. All the balls should be of the same colour. WORKING
Take the four balls from your left pocket, keeping them squeezed in the left hand so that no-one can tell exactly how many there are. Make sure that one ball is held tightly under the curled third and little fingers. With your right forefinger and thumb pullout three balls - one at a time, and place them in a row on the table - counting 'One, two, three little balls'. The fourth ball is left concealed in the finger palm.
Immediately - with the LEFT hand, pick up two of the balls and put them into the RIGHT hand together with the third ball from the left finger palm. Now pick up the single ball remaining on the table, and pretend to put it into your left-hand pocket, bur really get it into the finger palm position as before.
Ask how many balls are in the right hand. At first, the answer will be, 'Two', and you show that there are really three, by counting them out in a line on the table from the right hand. Immediately the LEFT hand picks them up again, counting 'One, two, three'. You now have four balls in the left hand, and these are ALL placed into the right hand. You say, 'Three balls in my hand -I'll take one away - and that leaves how many? ' So saying, you pick out one of the balls from your right hand, and pretend to put it in your left pocket really finger-palming it as before.
Whatever the answer is (some clever people realize that there are always going to be three - and say so!) you open your hand to show three balls. Do NOT put the balls on the table, but keep them in the right hand while contriving to get one ball into position ready to be palmed by the third and little finger. Now you apparently pass the three balls quickly over to the LEFT hand, but what really happens is that you pass only two over while retaining one in the right finger palm. This is a variation of the 'Shuttle Pass'.
Now you have three balls in the left hand, and these are picked out one by one using your right forefinger and thumb, and counted on to the table. This gives you a chance to let your left hand be seen empty - but not too obviously, of course. Next you pick up two balls TOGETHER, and place them in the left hand - adding the third one from the finger palm. The ball remaining on the table is picked up by the RIGHT hand and placed in your right pocket (containing the extra balls) - where the hand stays out of sight for a few moments while you ask one more time, 'How many?'
By this time most people will have cottoned on to the idea and will answer 'Three'.
You say - 'Yes, you're absolutely right!' and count out the balls on to the table. Meanwhile your right hand has been busy in your pocket gathering all the balls together, squeezing them as tightly as possible into the right hand.
Saying - 'One more time!' you bring the right hand out and immediately pick up two balls from the table. The whole contents of your right hand are transferred to the left hand and the third ball is picked up by the right hand and really placed into the right pocket. When you bring your hand out again show it clearly empty. For the last time you ask, 'How many? '. Whatever the answer, you reply 'NO!' Let them make any alternative suggestions, then say - 'NO, IT'S EVER SO MANY!' Open your hand, and let the balls spring out over the table. NOTES
An alternative climax is to produce just one very large sponge ball. This means that you leave the single ball in your right-hand pocket, and bring out the large ball compressed in your right hand. Two balls are picked up from the table between right thumb and forefinger, squeezing them down out of sight against your curled second finger. Then the big ball ONLY is transferred to the left hand, and the right hand drops down to pick up the third ball from the table, then swiftly moves to your right pocket to deposit the three balls.
The whole routine should be performed in a flowing sequence, leaving the spectators little time to think, except for the last few moments when you have the big load ready to spring out for the climax.
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