Trevor Bale and the Tigers (ca 1950). Trevor Bale, animal trainer, acrobat, aerialist, ringmaster and clown, realized his dream of working for the Ringling Brother and Barnum and Bailey Circus, heralded as “The Greatest Show on Earth!”, in 1953. Bale had gained worldwide recognition for his stunts with wild animals and was urged by Ringling to join the circus. Unfortunately, shortly after he made it to “the biggest of the big tops,” diminishing public interest in the circus forced it to close and Bale had to find work elsewhere. -- Chelsey Lucas

Photo courtesy of the Sarasota County Department of Historical Resources.