His claim to fame came in 1947 when Chuck Sligh was visiting Winter Haven and saw how easily A.G. mastered a pair of shoe skis Sligh had broght with him from Michigan. Sligh then challenged A.G. to try skiing without skis and he did so successfully. Sligh reported this amazing feat to Dick Pope at Cypress Gardens and Pope tried to get A.G. to come to the Gardens for a demonstration, but the youngster was committed to leave on vacation. Pope then encouraged his son Dick, JR.; to give it a try and the rest is history.