Author Topic: Did anyone else take part in the yo-yo craze (Read 1690 times)

cosine · « **on:** February 17, 2007, 10:51:39 AM »

about 10 years ago?

I was. I had a collection of quite a few yo-yos, and wasn't too bad at flipping and spinning them. I was, of course, no where near the level of talent of some of the national masters, but I could yo-yo circles around pretty much everyone I knew. I even gave several local demonstrations at some chiropractor-sponsored kids events.

I remember I read everything I could get my hands on about yo-yoing.

If I recall correctly there was at that time some great strides being made in yo-yo technology. Fixed axles were being replaced with sleeve bearing and ball bearing axles that could spin for literally minutes on end. Of course, the old fixed axles still had their aficionados, especially for looping tricks, but those bearing axles literally rocked for string tricks. I wonder what type of advancements they've made in yo-yo construction lately. I should poke around the web and see what's big in yo-yo technology now.

I haven't picked up a yo-yo for years. Maybe I should dig out the old collection from the back of my closet and see what I can still do.

BakerMikeRomeo · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2007, 11:29:38 AM »

The yo-yo was in when I was in sixth and seventh grade, but my parents would never buy me a good yo yo.

~GnSx

Car Knocker · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2007, 12:22:58 PM »

The only yo-yo craze I remember was about 45 years ago.

cosine · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2007, 12:34:50 PM »

If you look at the history of the toy, every 20 years of so the yo-yo has seemed to make a popular comeback. In the middle '90s it did enjoy a resurgence in popularity.

mustanger98 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2007, 12:40:13 PM »

I remember picking up yo-yo from Tom Smothers and Daniel Volk. grin

I never got goofy with it like Tommy, but I was a pretty fair hand with it.

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2007, 01:05:28 PM »

my favorite yo:
http://funstorecom.stores.yahoo.net/tomkunhsb2yoyo.html

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2007, 01:27:43 PM »

I grew up about 1200 yards from a place called Flambeau Plastics. It may not ring a bell, but that's where the Duncan yo-yo has been manufactured for years. At one time, I had basically one of every model they made. (There's a Flambeau factory outlet store nearby, and I would grab versions I didn't already have. Now I go there to get 20 and 50-round ammo boxes, made by the same folks)

I can still do a bunch of tricks with my butterfly models.

280plus · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2007, 02:16:38 PM »

Yup, about ohhhh..... 37 years ago. Walk the dog, around the world, the sleeper. Never had a butterfly though so I never got good at the string tricks. Bet I can still walk the dog. grin

wingnutx · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2007, 04:03:17 PM »

I wanted to in the early 70s, but I wasn't coordinated enough.

zahc · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2007, 04:40:55 PM »

I did. I used to buy strings by the dozen.

Maser · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2007, 04:50:33 PM »

I got a cool high performance yo-yo with centrifigal (sp) brake inside. It's very easy to do tricks with. Of course I need to be seriously board out of my skull to actually play with it.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2007, 04:58:32 PM »

I guess I was too busy nation-building to notice it.

Harold's yo-yo comes with a holster. cheesy

mustanger98 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2007, 06:23:15 PM »

I used to do around the world and then shoot the moon. Then I'd do a flying saucer and rock the cradle in outer space. But I practiced regularly then.

grampster · « **Reply #13 on:** February 17, 2007, 06:27:23 PM »

Used to be a guy that came around my school in the late '40's and early '50's. He was an oriental guy and wore a suit. His pockets were full of yo-yo's and he was absolutely a magician with them. He worked for Duncan and his job was to go around schools and enthrall the kids and sell yo-yo's. Gosh it's hard to believe that was 55 or so years ago. Sigh.........

280plus · « **Reply #14 on:** February 18, 2007, 03:21:57 AM »

Believe it or not WE had a yo yo guy come to our school too, not Asian though. This was about late 60's early 70's.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #15 on:** February 18, 2007, 07:51:24 PM »

There's a yo-yo slinging preacher in town. Retired. He visits our church now and then, and brings the yo-yo. His best trick is to sling the thing around and then throw it way up in the air and catch it in his suit coat pocket.

wingnutx · « **Reply #16 on:** February 18, 2007, 08:05:05 PM »

The drummer for Jodie Foster's Army once tried to pick up on the woman who is now my wife by impressing her with yo-yo tricks.

Didn't work very well.

cosine · « **Reply #17 on:** February 18, 2007, 09:46:08 PM »

Quote from: wingnutx on February 18, 2007, 07:05:05 PM

The drummer for Jodie Foster's Army once tried to pick up on the woman who is now my wife by impressing her with yo-yo tricks.

Didn't work very well.

Hmm, are you trying to tell me something? grin

crt360 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 19, 2007, 01:01:46 PM »

Don't worry, cosine, some chicks dig it, I think. laugh

I had some JFA on vinyl back in the 80s - it wasn't that great for picking up girls either, but it was good skate music.

A friend of mine gave me a Duncan butterfly for Christmas when I was in college. I played with it quite a bit, but didn't learn many tricks.

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Author Topic: Did anyone else take part in the yo-yo craze (Read 1690 times)

BakerMikeRomeo