Did You-You Have a Yo-Yo? – May 1962

Did you have a yo-yo when you were a kid?

I remember that Mom and Dad bought each of my brothers and me a Duncan yo-yo as a stocking stuffer for some mid-1960s Christmas. I remember trying to play with it but never being able to figure out how to do any sort of tricks (such as 'walk the dog'). My yo-yo was soon banished to the bottom drawer of my dresser along with other items that I had lost interest in, such as old comic books, card games, etc.

According to its Wiki entry, yo-yos date back to the Ancient Greeks. They made it to the United States in the early 1920s.

Thanks to television marketing, yo-yos enjoyed a burst of popularity in the early 1960s, reflected below in the Hills ad that ran in the Journal on May 26, 1962.

Hills went all out with this contest. The prizes alone are unreal. And note that George Somera, yo-yo champion and demonstrator, was appearing as part of the promotion. Very cool.

We have a fella at work who is into yo-yos. But I don't think I'm going to be looking for my old yo-yo on eBay anytime soon.

Did you ever play with a yo-yo – as a kid or adult? If so, be sure to leave a comment!