Dave, how could you be in magic 30 years and not have done the sponge balls ;-) Seriously though, it's one of the greatest effects and packs the strongest punch imaginable, if you do it right. Take some sponge balls with you into a bar, find some people who are having a good time, and do the trick on the prettiest woman in the group - and they will literally scream and beg you to do more! Have fun...

Hey Jim, have you ever really pulled a rabbit out of a hat, just kidding here too, but with the thousands of magi here on the Café, not everyone has done everything, I have always done Bizarre and mentalism, with a short stint of stage illusion, recentlly I was at my local magic shop and they were playing with sponge balls, while driving home it hit me to try it.

Here is some thoughts for performing the sponge balls in restaurants, etc.

1) Use sponge cubes. They won't roll off the table. If they get dropped, they won't go far.

2) In this day of Purell, etc., some people find them frightening. They don't want to hold a set of grubby pieces of polyfoam.

3) Once you figure out the routine you want to do, order them in wholesale quantities.

Thanks Bill, some great advise.

Mark Wilson's routine and the one taught on 25 Amazing Magic Tricks With Sponge Balls Mastered in Minutes Video Library By: Hampton Ridge magic Creations Inc 1995. The only two I have ever learned, though I could always learn more.