Icons: Bloomer skips to fame with contest

Wally Mohrman wanted to keep kids exercising during the long winters in Bloomer. Instead, his idea became so popular that it focused the national spotlight on the Chippewa County city, and in the process set it apart from any other.

What Mohrman, a physical education teacher, devised in the 1960s was having his students participate in a rope jump contest.

The equipment was cheap and plentiful. And it was an activity that could be done even when it was 30 below. The contest traditionally is held on the last Saturday of January.

His idea grew and grew. It became so popular that Mohrman went on to appear on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” to explain the competition. He also appeared on a popular reality TV series called “Real Peopl,” that ran from 1979-1984 on NBC.

Children loved to show off their skills, trying to jump as many times as they could during 10-second spurts.

The students go so fast that it is impossible for the three judges to see how many times the students jump. Instead, the judges count the number of times they hear the jumper’s rope hit the floor.

And the contestants can move very fast. The record continues to be held by Paul Morning, jumping an incredible 72 times in 10 seconds.

“Bloomer has made itself into America’s swingingest town. Bumper stickers, T-shirts, and signs at the city limits all proclaim our fame. Many other schools are sponsoring speed jumping contests and sending their winners to the big world championship in Bloomer,” the Bloomer Chamber of Commerce says on its website, www.bloomerchamber.com.