Photograph of wild flowers growing up and through a wooden fence post. Through the fence wooded hills can be seen.

Slingshot John Milligan takes aim with his Milligan Special and prepares to fire. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS.

Photograph of a John's wife holding three balloons, one has been shot through by Slingshot John Milligan. In the image the balloon in her right hand has just been popped and the other two are next to be shot. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS. Clark PhotoFile: 6335-64

Photograph of slingshot expert, John Milligan knocking the ash off of his wife's cigarette. The woman stands in the foreground with her eyes closed as the ball from the fired slingshot hits the tip of her cigarette. Narrative by Junebug Clark: Impressive and captured in this photograph is proof that John was shooting the ash off of his wife's cigarette. The cigarette stayed lit. In real time people thought just getting close would do it, or his wife would flick the cigarette with her tongue. Not so, photographic proof of Slingshot Milligan's uncanny accuracy. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial …

Photograph of slingshot expert Johnny Milligan shoots a key midair that is being tossed up by his wife. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS. Signed by: Joe Clark, HBSS

Photograph of slingshot expert, John Milligan, shooting a penny midair. The penny is tossed into the air by his wife. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS. Clark PhotoFile: 6335-77

Photograph of Slingshot John Milligan Unleashing His Milligan Special. This photo appears on page 83 of the Life Magazine listed below. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS. Clark PhotoFile: 6335-83

Photograph of John Milligan using a slingshot to burst balloons being held in the mouths of his wife and a next-door neighbor. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS. Clark PhotoFile: 6335-86

Narrative by Junebug Clark: John Milligan's wife and next door neighbor each holding a balloon filled with two tablespoons of flour as John bursts the balloons with a steel ball bearing launched from his "Milligan Special" slingshot. The result is a dramatic explosion and plume that looks almost nuclear. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS.

Photograph of a Milligan Special slingshot, which bears a label reading: Milligan Special Slingshot Co., Model No. 1, P. O. Box 203, Lincoln Park, Mich. Made in USA. Four lead hunting slingshot balls lie beside the slingshot. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS.

Photograph of slingshot expert, Johnny Milligan, preparing to fire on balloons held in the mouths of two assistants. Narrative by Junebug Clark: The two assistants being his wife and their next door neighbor. (Spoiler Alert) An earlier photo in the Clark Family Collection shows John bursting a balloon in his wife's mouth. The photo was unsuccessful because the burst balloon was just flying bits of rubber and were unrecognizable. This photo shows how my father, Joe, put a couple spoonfuls of flour in each ballon. Another photo in this collection will show the 'explosive result' and a photo that made it into national newsmagazines. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February …

Narrative by Junebug Clark: John Milligan's wife and next door neighbor each holding a balloon filled with two tablespoons of flour as John bursts the balloons with a steel ball bearing launched from his "Milligan Special" slingshot. The result is a dramatic explosion and plume that looks almost nuclear. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS.

Photograph of slingshot expert, John Milligan, shooting the flame of a candle with his slingshot as his wife watches. Narrative by Junebug Clark: One of the things that makes this photo so amazing is that John had to actually hit the wick to put out the flame. Watching John do this, in real time wasn't that impressive. People just assumed that if you get within a couple of inches that the slingshot ball flying by would blow out the candle. John Milligan, a machinist in Detroit, Michigan who was also the “country’s greatest slingshot expert. “He won local fame by shooting the marks out of playing cards, hitting objects in mid air and bagging game in the field.” Joe took John national with his photos documenting his talent and accuracy. To assure accuracy, he has designed his own precision-built aluminum sling, called the Milligan Special. Additional photos and information can be found in the Clark Family Collection. Photos from this series appeared in eight national publications. Here you can find articles in “Life Magazine . February 3, 1961. Pages 80-83. And in a fifteen page pictorial in the book “Photojournalism” by Joe Clark, HBSS. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS. Clark …

Photograph of a machine at an airport in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania or Charleston, South Carolina. The machine appears to have several tubes that extend into the sky.

Narrative by Junebug Clark: Photograph of 15 year old Detroiter "John Hotia creates busted spring effect by four tricks in succession, Loop the Loop, Pineheel, Walking the Dog and Round the World." This photo and four others appear in the September 1, 1952 issue of Life Magazine. Pages 2 and 3 in the "Speaking of Pictures" feature story. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS. Signed by: Joe Clark, HBSS

Narrative by Junebug Clark: Photograph of Detroit, Michigan 15 year old John Hotia, yo-yo champion performs the "Pickpocket" maneuver. This photo appears in the "Speaking of Pictures" article, September 1, 1952 issue of Life Magazine. Pages 2 and 3. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS.

Narrative by Junebug Clark: Photograph of Detroit, Michigan 15 year old John Hotia, yo-yo champion performs the "Atomic Bomb" maneuver. This photo appears in the "Speaking of Pictures" article, September 1, 1952 issue of Life Magazine. Pages 2 and 3. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS.