Eli Bowen (1844-1924) The Legless Acrobat Eli Bowen was billed as a legless acrobat. He suffered from a birth defect known as phocomelia. He had no legs, but two feet of varying sizes. Charles Tripp (1855-1930) Armless Wonder Tripp is in my mind probably the most famous armless wonder. He paired with Eli Bowen (the legless acrobat) in an iconic photo where the pair ride a tandem bicycle together.He had a career spanning over 50 years, most of which with Barnum. Cabinet Card                        click thumbnails for additional items Back to the Freaks Home † Contact // All material ©Patt Kelley Illustration.