Scribbles: Now THAT’s a Yo-Yo

This Just In from The 65th Crayon:

See Big YO at the National Yo-Yo Museum.

Did you think your yo-yo was 20th Century? . . . 19 Century? The 65th Crayon reports from the National Yo-Yo Museum.

“The yo-yo may first have been used in China,” the 65th Crayon reported via satellite to a closed-door executive blog meeting this afternoon. “However, the first written record places them in Greece circa 500 BC. These early yo-yos were made of wood or terra cotta and referred to as discs.” He then added, “Even hieroglyphs in ancient Egyptian temples appear to show yo-yo-like objects.”

It wasn’t long before word got out to the street.

“You’re kidding,” said a gum-chewing kid, on a playground somewhere in northern Illinois. “My brother said he got this at the dollar store.”

“Your brother said the same thing about me,” said the kid’s brother’s girlfriend.

“There’s plenty to learn at the National Yo-Yo Museum,” said our out-of-the-box Crayon. “For the yo-yo whiz, there’s also the National Yo-Yo Contest.”

The museum includes in-depth history, information and memorabilia related to yo-yos. Certainly the greatest attraction is Big YO, a scaled up working version of the original 3-in-1 No Jive Yo-Yo. Big YO is the world’s largest working yo-yo, at 256 pounds and 50 inches in diameter. It really works—when attached to a crane. Big Yo was designed by dentist Tom Kuhn. The Museum is located at 320 Broadway in Chico, California. (Photo courtesy of the National Yo-Yo Museum)

“Now that’s a yo-yo even a crayon can look up to,” said our colorful reporter.

—me strauss Letting me be
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Along with this report, The 65th Crayon sent the following links:
Last Week’s Report in case you missed it.
Scribbles: Snow White Never Kissed


The National Yo-Yo Contest and Museum Online
If It Isn’t a Duncan, It Isn’t a Yo-Yo
Reinventing the Yo-Yo: Science News Online