Modern Milo

Ever since Milo of Crotona, in the 6th Century B.C., lugged a four-year-old cow to a sacrificial altar, farm boys have been trying to duplicate his legendary feat. Rural jokesters long ago figured out how a man might lift better than his weight in beef. If a growing boy lifts a small calf, they say, and keeps lifting it day after day, why shouldn't the grown man eventually be able to lift the full grown cow? For the Borden Co.'s farm-flavored radio show, County Fair, the ancient gag looked good as new. Last week, Borden's Milo, a husky, hay-haired youngster named Allen ("Buck") La Fever, had hoisted his Jersey calf, Phoebe, on 61 consecutive days and was still going strong.

Buck, 17, was in ABC's New York studio Oct. 9 when Phoebe was offered to a farm boy willing to try the stunt. The calf weighed only 75 Ibs. then, an easy lift for 149-lb. Buck, a football hero at Somerville, N.J. high school. For each day he gets her off the ground, County Fair pays him $5.

Once a week, Phoebe is pushed into the back seat of a car, driven to Manhattan, led awkwardly through crowds, and into the studio. Before the show, both kid and calf weigh in. Last week, as the show moved to CBS, Phoebe outweighed Buck. Weight gains in the 61 days: Phoebe, 86 Ibs., Buck, 1 Ib.

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