I don’t know how they do it.  Really.  What possesses a person to even try to swallow a sword?  How does it work, or is it all just made up?  When I was a kid, a boy next door had one of these fake, plastic swords that collapse when you pushed a button. You could make it look real, without any trouble.  I was wondering if that’s what they do, the real sword swallowers.

What made me start thinking about the whole thing was a press release that showed up in my inbox the other day.  It’s a mad, mad world – at least at Odditoriums around the world when Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is “crossing swords” with the Sword Swallowers Association for a special celebration of the Fourth Annual World Sword Swallower’s Day.  Nowadays everyone seems to have a “day”,  so why should sword swallowers be any different.  Go “Fourth and Swallow” I say.

A Bitter Pill To Swallow

Back to the issue at hand, is it real or is it all a fake? To find the answer, I went and did some research online. The first place I visited was of course the www.sword swallow.com – a website with a lot of general information about…should we say, the sport or maybe the art form?

Before you click on the link below, I must warn you. I found these xrays a bit difficult to stomach, but the images proved it to me.  There’s no magic or funny business going on here. All you have to do is to repress reflexes in your throat so you can swallow the sword.  Sounds like a logical explanation, but I’m wondering how on earth you practice to get to that point?

If you feel inclined to learn more about sword swallowing, and you want to check out the xrays for yourself – click here.  Remember, I did warn you.
Watch xrays of sword swallowers here
I still wonder, who wakes up one day and says “I really would like to learn how to swallow a sword”?  Apparently some do, because on February 27th more than 25 sword swallowers will be performing around the world to honor the special Sword Swallower’s day.

Sword Swallowing will take place at Odditoriums worldwide on February 27 at exactly 2:27:10 pm.  Get it – 02/27/2010 – all this is  in celebration of the Fourth Annual World Sword Swallowers Day at Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

Swords to be Swallowed in St Augustine Too!

Sword swallower Ted Campbell will perform at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! St. Augustine Odditorium on Saturday, February 27th at 2:27 pm local time – all part of World Sword Swallowers Day.
Come watch Campbell show off his amazing sword swallowing skills for free. Sword swallowing shows begin around 1:30 pm local time, with the grand finale set for 2:27 pm.

The Odditorium is located at 19 San Marco Ave., 904-824-1606.

Nerves of Steel
It is said that more than 100 feet of solid steel is set to go down the hatch – hopefully without a scratch! Just the thought of it makes me nervous.

It all started a long, long time ago.  Actually the art of sword swallowing began more than 4,000 years ago in India.  According to the information we received the practitioner “uses mind-over-matter techniques to control the body and repress natural reflexes to insert solid steel blades from 15 to 25 inches down the esophagus and into the stomach”.  Sword swallowers used to be common in traveling circuses, but now there are less than a few dozen full-time professional sword swallowers around the world.

World Sword Swallowers Day was founded by the Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI) and is co-sponsored by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! locations around the world.

On February 27, SSAI sword swallowers will be performing at more than a dozen Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, including: New York City; Orlando and St. Augustine in Florida; Hollywood, Calif.; Niagara Falls, Can.; Ocean City, Md.; Atlantic City, N.J.; Gatlinburg, Tenn.; Branson, Mo.; Grand Prairie, Texas; Surfers Paradise, Australia; and Guadalajara, Mexico.

Highlights at Believe It or Not! locations during the day will include:

· Red Stewart will attempt to swallow a world record 52 swords at one time in Atlantic City.
· Dai Andrews will attempt to swallow a very dangerous 120-degree curved Sword at Ocean City.
· Dan Meyer will swallow hedge clippers and a giant straight razor in Grand Prairie, Texas.
· Erik Kloeker, the youngest professional sword swallower in the world will perform in Gatlinburg.
· Travis Fessler will swallow a sword with his mouth full of live cockroaches in Gatlinburg.
· George The Giant, the world’s tallest sword swallower, will attempt to swallow a giant 33-inch long sword in Hollywood.
· A bevy of swallowers, led by legendary Todd Robbins, will perform at New York City’s Ripley’s.
· Mike Harrison will swallow a bayonet, rammed down his throat by a rifle, in Orlando.

For more information, visit www.ripleys.com