(image from Wikipedia)
Do You Yo-Yo?
Have you ever played with a yo-yo? If you’re not familiar with this toy, it’s the one with an axle connected to two disks and a long string looped around it.
The early yo-yo was first made from a grooved rock with a tough vine wrapped around it. Not only was it probably a source of entertainment, but it may have also been used as a primitive weapon to clunk unsuspecting prey on the head.
The earliest surviving yo-yo dates back to 500 BC and was made using terra cotta (or clay) disks. A Greek vase painting from this date even shows a boy playing with a yo-yo!
Today, yo-yos aren’t thought of–or hopefully used–as a weapon anymore. But they’ve stood the test of time, and they’ve even escalated from a once simple toy to a fun sport. However, unlike other sports, this one doesn’t require a team, a lot of money, or specialized equipment. Plus, with funky cool tricks like the Time Warp. Gravity Pull, and Brain Twister, who wouldn’t want to take a shot at spinning the string?
Let’s discover more fun facts about this awesome toy!
Did You Know?
During the 18th century, the yo-yo became very popular all over Europe. However, it wasn’t called a yo-yo. In Britain, they called it a bandalore or a quiz (yep, just like a test). In France, it was known as an incroyable or a coblentz.
Everyone liked playing with yo-yos, and well-known figures were no exception! There are reports of young King Louis XVII playing with one, Napoleon and his army had yo-yos at their famous Battle of Waterloo, and even the Prince of Wales played with them! They were certainly popular far and wide.
The “World’s Biggest Wooden Yo-Yo” can be found at a yo-yo museum in Chico, California. It made it into the 1982 Guinness Book of World Records weighing a whopping 256 pounds. It does work, but you would need a crane just to be able to lift it!
Who Made the Yo-Yo?
The first modern yo-yo was made by Pedro Flores. Upon invention of the toy, this Filipino-American opened a factory in California in 1920. He successfully manufactured this fun toy for the world to enjoy!
The yo-yo was such a “hit” that businessman Donald Duncan purchased Pedro’s company. Under the care of Duncan, the toy skyrocketed. Over 3,600 yo-yos were being made each year!
Fun Fact: The Duncan yo-yo was made in Luck, Wisconsin. It’s still known as the “yo-yo capital of the world.”
Do You Yo-Yo?
Think you have what it takes to compete in a yo-yo competition?
The World Yo-Yo Contest is held every year in different locations around the world. Thirty-three countries in the world are a part of the International Yo-Yo Federation. Each year, players from each of the Federation’s countries get a chance to compete for the title of “World Yo-Yo Champion.” Japan has dominated the contest with more than 75 world titles, and yo-yo champ Shinji Saito has nabbed thirteen of those trophies! That’s a lot of yo-yo wins!
Do you yo-yo? Here is a list of yo-yo-tricks you may want to try:
- Sleeper
- Gravity Pull
- Around the World (careful not to hit anyone on the head!)
- Forward Pass
- Around the Corner
- Rock the Baby
- Breakaway
- Lindy Loop
- Time Warp
- Pinwheel
- Brain Twister
More Yo-Yo Trivia
Did you know…
- Since 1930, over half a billion yo-yos have been manufactured. That’s enough yo-yo string to go around the earth 12 times!
- Yo-yos were made out of wood until the 1960s when plastic was introduced into this toy. Plastic made the yo-yo lighter and faster.
- In the 1990s, yo-yos started to be made out of metal.
- California has the world’s largest collection of yo-yos, yo-yo awards, and yo-yo memorabilia.
- Way back in 1985, NASA took 11 toys into space, and the yo-yo was one of them! They wanted to test these toys to see what effect microgravity (weightlessness) would have on them. When they played with the yo-yo in space, they discovered it wouldn’t “sleep,” which is what they call it when a yo-yo spins on the end of the string and fails to return to your hand.
That’s the Know on the Yo-Yo
Now that you know all about the yo-yo, perhaps you’ll want to give it a try! This inexpensive toy is a fun way to pass the time and gain some skills. Who knows? You may find yourself in a yo-yo tournament competing for the world’s title!
Have fun!
