This gallery exists because certain unnamed people have challenged me to produce evidence that there really was a Peek Gymnastic Triples Act.
This last weekend, Mar 6, 2011, Jerry (my brother) was able to provide me with some scanned photos that were taken years after our prime. Hopefully, we will find more pictures to scan and add to the gallery.
The Peek boys first became interested in gymnastics when we tried to imitate our dad who could do handstands and walk on his hands until his mid 70's. At one point all four of us would follow each other around the house on our hands and Ron was able to go up and down stairs. Click on this link to see parts of the Life Magazine coverage -
http://books.google.com/books?id=U08EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA10&dq=peek%20gymnastics&pg=PA10#v=onepage&q=peek%20gymnastics&f=falseThe July 18, 1960 issue of Life Magazine featured two or three pages of this activity showing handstands on the roof of our home, on top of water fountains and walking down the sidewalk upside down with hands in shoes.
In High School the three boys (Bob on the bottom, Jerry in the middle, and Ron on top) were featured in a Triiples Act that performed on stage and at other venues. There were few pictures taken during that period and as far as we can tell they have all been lost. However, many years later on several occasions we were asked whether we could still perform the act. In each case we changed into bathing suits and with no practice whatsoever were able to do most of the tricks. This was due in large part to the fact that Ron (the guy who does the handstands) had continued in gymnastics -- first in college at the national level --and then as gymnastic coach for Sacramento State in California. During that time he co-authored several books on gymnastics where he demonstrated different moves on the still rings and parallel bars.
Out there somewhere in boxes are pictures of handstands on picnic tables, canoes, bridges, and parking meters. My goal over time is to find them, scan them and add them to the gallery.