famous player metal tennis rackets

[joe sch]

One of my collector friends believe that few collectors care about metal rackets and this is really sorta true because the metal tennis racket was very short and not so sweet. The metal rackets offered more power than the wood rackets but were harder on the arm and did not have the touch or control of the wood rackets. I made a quick video showing off some of the famous player models from ashe, rosewall, laver, connors, riggs, gonzales, and a few others. Sorry about the quality but its a start ... check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvkBX...ature=youtu.be

[Avles]

Thanks for the video! I've come across a few of these at thrift stores-- arthur ashe, yonex gold and green, T-2000. Nice thing about the metal racquets is that they usually seem to be in good condition...

Does the Riggs racquet have a name? I was curious about it so I did a little googling and found this:
http://www.lelands.com/Auction/Aucti...illy-Jean-King

That would be a nice conversation piece.

[joe sch]

Originally Posted by Avles

Thanks for the video! I've come across a few of these at thrift stores-- arthur ashe, yonex gold and green, T-2000. Nice thing about the metal racquets is that they usually seem to be in good condition...

Does the Riggs racquet have a name? I was curious about it so I did a little googling and found this:
http://www.lelands.com/Auction/Aucti...illy-Jean-King

That would be a nice conversation piece.

Thats a very interesting article on that BOTS racket which is the Head Master (blue throat, round head). The other very popular racket was the Head Pro (red throat, oval head).

[gavna]

Don't forget the PDP Open - it was also licensed to adidas and Le Coq Sportif (at the time LCS was owned by adidas) and they had the same frame as th Open except instead of the white and orange trim the throat piece was blue.

The Prince Pro which was the 2nd stick Prince released was also a great one and many pro and college players used it.

The Head Master was never really a "players" frame - very soft and was very popular with the ladies leagues and country club folks.

Disagree with the comment that metal frames were hard on the arm.....if anything except for a few of the very stiff ones like the Head Pro - most metal frames very comfortable.

The Rawlings Newcombe stick also nice but had a very short shelf life and the quality was crap - the throat support would break - I had o bud in the Jrs with me in 1974 and he used them and have them replaced almost every ther week.

[coachrick]

Posted a comment on the YouTube site(a first for me). The green Prince became known as the Classic. The Magnesium may have been called the Magnesium Pro.
I mentioned the Garcia X15, Slazenger Ti, Slaz Plus, Durbin Aluminum, Spalding Smasher(we need to get you a Smasher . Gonzales switched to the Smasher late in his career...a matte aluminum among a sea of chromed steel!

Of course, the Arthur Ashe series was a sandwich construction, a different kind of 'metal' racket. Others of similar design were the Yamaha YCR and the Rossignol R-40 and RT.(Johan Kriek et al); all were aluminum 'faces' with FRP, foam and 'secret materials' making up the in*****.

Between this thread and the one with the Ektelon C and Victor StayTite, I'm having some serious flashbacks to the '70s !!!

[joe sch]

Originally Posted by coachrick

Posted a comment on the YouTube site(a first for me). The green Prince became known as the Classic. The Magnesium may have been called the Magnesium Pro.
I mentioned the Garcia X15, Slazenger Ti, Slaz Plus, Durbin Aluminum, Spalding Smasher(we need to get you a Smasher . Gonzales switched to the Smasher late in his career...a matte aluminum among a sea of chromed steel!

Of course, the Arthur Ashe series was a sandwich construction, a different kind of 'metal' racket. Others of similar design were the Yamaha YCR and the Rossignol R-40 and RT.(Johan Kriek et al); all were aluminum 'faces' with FRP, foam and 'secret materials' making up the in*****.

Between this thread and the one with the Ektelon C and Victor StayTite, I'm having some serious flashbacks to the '70s !!!

Thanks coach ... lots more deserving metals need to be mentioned, which is why I like contributing in these threads.

[joe sch]

Originally Posted by gavna

Don't forget the PDP Open - it was also licensed to adidas and Le Coq Sportif (at the time LCS was owned by adidas) and they had the same frame as th Open except instead of the white and orange trim the throat piece was blue.

The Prince Pro which was the 2nd stick Prince released was also a great one and many pro and college players used it.

The Head Master was never really a "players" frame - very soft and was very popular with the ladies leagues and country club folks.

Disagree with the comment that metal frames were hard on the arm.....if anything except for a few of the very stiff ones like the Head Pro - most metal frames very comfortable.

The Rawlings Newcombe stick also nice but had a very short shelf life and the quality was crap - the throat support would break - I had o bud in the Jrs with me in 1974 and he used them and have them replaced almost every ther week.

Sure cant forget the PDP open especially in Roscoe Tanners hands and he served some bullets with that stick. My arms sure preferred the woods and many other players thought the same including Laver. Maybe less of a flex issue and more of a feel and vibration dampening perception ?

[ChrisABC]

there were 2 Adidas Typhoon Metal Racquets on the big auction site
330857565517
Nice.
My 2 favorite metal racquets are the PDP Open & Wilson World Class

[max]

(red) Head Professional and Wojtek Fibak.

[gavna]

I almost forgot.....the Dunlop Volley and Volley II.........Goolagong was using it along with a bunch of others on both the ATP and WTA tours......not a huge seller in he States but a very good metal frame.

[Avles]

Originally Posted by joe sch

Thats a very interesting article on that BOTS racket which is the Head Master (blue throat, round head).

Ah, thanks! Turns out I have one of those around as well-- hand-me-down from my father. He claims he played better with that racquet than any other he's owned.

[tbuggle]

the PK Power Ace was also a great stick, basically a midsize Prince Pro.

[Hannah19]

What about the PK CU 31 and Wimbledon Magnesium 88?

[joe sch]

Originally Posted by Hannah19

What about the PK CU 31 and Wimbledon Magnesium 88?

Not sure but I do know there is tons of love for the Prince Magnesium rackets. Wimbledon sure did make some good knockoffs so I would assume that metal would have also been a great hit.

[robbo1970]

I was lucky enough to pick up a couple of Prince rackets in very good condition. The Classic and Pro 110. The Pro in particular is in near mint condition (even the leather grip is hardly worn). I think the previous owner must have just bought it in that brief period between wood and graphite.

It weighs in at 364g, in the region of a wood racket, so its on the hefty side, but I will definately give it a go this summer.

Both iconic looking rackets.

[Hannah19]

Then there was the Slazenger X10, made from Tensilium...!!
Orantes played with that one for a while. Came in a nice shiny chrome and another in a matt blue alu finish.

[AtTheNet]

Nice video, thanks for sharing. I still have my old T2000 from the 70's. I considered it to be an awesome weapon at the time, although it took several weeks of play to get it under control.

The one that I have is actually my second T2000. My first one, which had the earlier production external welds at the throat lasted a couple years until one of the welds broke. When I replaced it with another T2000, Wilson had changed to the later internal welds, which were supposed to be more durable. I doubt very much that I'll ever hit with it enough to wear it out.

[jimbo333]

Originally Posted by joe sch

One of my collector friends believe that few collectors care about metal rackets and this is really sorta true because the metal tennis racket was very short and not so sweet. The metal rackets offered more power than the wood rackets but were harder on the arm and did not have the touch or control of the wood rackets. I made a quick video showing off some of the famous player models from ashe, rosewall, laver, connors, riggs, gonzales, and a few others. Sorry about the quality but its a start ... check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvkBX...ature=youtu.be

Great, I think metal rackets are fantastic, in fact I bought some of my first ones from you almost 5 years ago I think

I did a thread on these somewhere as well!

[Harl Goodman]

Originally Posted by ChrisABC

My 2 favorite metal racquets are the PDP Open & Wilson World Class

Yeah, those two are great and hold up VERY well for a player who has good footwork and watches the ball.
Everybody should keep one in their bag for training exercises, if nothing else.

[texacali]

And it's little brother, the Standard, with the light blue throat piece.

Originally Posted by max

(red) Head Professional and Wojtek Fibak.