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  1. graycrait

    Cheap Mass Market rackets from the late 1950s - early 1960s

    Back in my youth when I was 5 in 1960 I seem to recall about the only stores downtown we shopped in were Kresge's, Osco Drugs, Woolworths and on the edge of town a new Western Auto. I was talking to another old timer and he remembers buying a racket in Kresge's for $1.37 that was made in...
  2. graycrait

    Stringing Machines used 50+ yrs ago

    I used to get my wood rackets strung at a mom and pop sporting goods store in an upper Mid West town pop 28,000. Used to be blue or gold spiral mostly for us kids and the gold spiral must have cost because only the kids on the other side of town had gold spiral, but we all used the only store...
  3. graycrait

    Wood racket era ESPN and TC commentators, time to go, make the game relevant

    I will be 69 on my next birthday. I am tiring of the commentary by the "wood racket era mafia" commentators. Starting with Chris Fowler, J McEnroe, P McEnroe, Chris Evert, Pam Shriver, Jimmy Arias, and the rest of the wood racket cabal. Can we not find color commentators, support commentators...
  4. graycrait

    5.0 No?

  5. graycrait

    Petkovic

    Old man repeating himself but I really enjoy Petko's commentary vs nearly any other commentator.
  6. graycrait

    Setting aside the Wise

    I was stringing one of my rackets the other day and thought, "I rarely string anyone else's rackets any longer, and seemed to enjoy stringing more when using the lockout." The NEOS lockout doesn't leave any "chatter" marks on soft strings and I liked the ability to either build a nice cadence...
  7. graycrait

    Retenser redux

    Has anyone purchased these things and installed them? https://retenser.com/ Also, is there a CONUS retailer for them? I'm about 2 yrs late in seeing these but I am curious to see what they would be like on one of my 115" Wilson 5.7Ebs with Ash Kev mains.
  8. graycrait

    Rackets for elementary school age kids

    If anyone has some rackets that are for grades 2-7 send them my way if you can or suggest what I might need. I moved to a northern Iowa town that has 4 beautiful courts but no kids playing on them. I would like to find a couple of kids that would like to learn to play tennis but I have little...
  9. graycrait

    Is Adderall still a thing in ATP/WTA?

    Just wondering how many and who of the current players have TUEs for this stuff? Shouldn't there be a list and if there is please post a link and I apologize for my ignorance.
  10. graycrait

    Tennis - Pickle Ball Univeristy of Michigan Survey

    https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2gaM4PyB39SCR0i
  11. graycrait

    Toss it, serve it or fault

    This has probably been addressed but ... along with the shot clock I would like to see a rule where when you are serving you toss it you serve it or it is a fault. None of these multiple serve tosses to get that best/perfect toss. Two things would happen: faster game and maybe more serve...
  12. graycrait

    I'm moving to Northern Iowa! Holy Canolli!

    I'm moving to Northern Iowa! Holy Canolli! I'll be 6.5miles from this: https://www.si.com/tennis/2021/10/04/hidden-gems-all-iowa-lawn-tennis-club And I already know the owner and have hit on that court. I'll be about 49 easy driving unclogged 4 lane highway miles to the 6 indoor court...
  13. graycrait

    Smooth operator?

    When I listen to this song I think of Mannarino. But I am wondering who TT thinks is the consummate "Smooth Operator?"
  14. graycrait

    Bladder Ball

    Idle remembrance: When I was in high school swinging 14-15oz wooden 65" rackets I also played a lot of street basketball on an old asphalt court. THat asphalt would wear down a basketball as smooth as a baby's butt. Then it would start to show cording wound around a rubber thing - a bladder? We...
  15. graycrait

    O Death

    Here is one that has been covered my many. This is my favorite:
  16. graycrait

    Hallelujah

  17. graycrait

    Over 60 ex-pros who use graphite granny stick (over 70") and poly strings to effect today

    Are there some ex pros out there still playing in their 60s plus who are generating enough racket head speed to efficiently use tweener rackets and poly strings? I can't find any rec players who spent 3 decades plus with wood rackets who can effectively wield "modern" rackets and strings.
  18. graycrait

    What happened to Jack Sock?

    Why can't Jack make a come back? Was his injury so great? Did he make too much money too quickly? Or was his style too easy after a couple of years to pick apart?
  19. graycrait

    Latest Greatest Spin Effect racket for Graycrait

    Just for the fun of it I picked up several 110 14x17 Prince Thunder Bolts. Brought the weight up to 11oz 4pts HL strung weight, stringing them with Ash Kev x ZX, stuffed today's example with 9 grams of Styrofoam beads. I can't and won't put them down. No issues with my APD/PD-sensitive elbow...
  20. graycrait

    On the wrong blood pressure meds???

    https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/summerlin/a-friend-to-anyone-beloved-tennis-player-dies-after-collapse-on-summerlin-court-2721394/
  21. graycrait

    Prince Thunderbolt 110 14x17 ESP ain't a classic but......

    I'm going through some spin effect rackets just for fun. I picked up a Thunderbolt 110 ESP 14x17. Strung it with 16g Ash Kev x 16g ZX at 65/59 on my NEOS 1000/Wise. Added quite a bit of lead so that it is headlight at 323g/11.4oz. Very comfortable, muted, no shock transmission. When I get...
  22. graycrait

    Styrofoam beads for racket fill

    These work well and you get plenty of them for quite a few rackets. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F31J49Q?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
  23. graycrait

    Spin magic classic!!!!!

    In case you haven't seen one, I hadn't, introducing the Prince Bolt 110 ESP 14x17. Can't wait to get this baby on the court to get that free super spin with an Eastern forehand:) Mine now weighs 11.4oz, 5HL, strung with Ash Kev x ZX. 24mm at the throat and 28mm at the tip. The other seniors...
  24. graycrait

    How can this be not a "Classic?"

  25. graycrait

    Funnest out of production Spin Effect rackets

    I received an 18x16 PS 97LS, weighted it up, and thought to myself this is quite fun. I also snagged an Ultra XP 100S 16x15 and it is inbound Also inbound is a Prince 110 14x17. This should be really wide open. And a friend is going to send me a Head 110 16x18 and lend me his Prince 100" 16x16...
  26. graycrait

    Private 1 court post-tensioned concrete court cost?

    Does anyone know what one of these has cost recently? I see average cost is 80-125K USD in the US, but I really would like to know the full cost including fencing and lighting.
  27. graycrait

    Stringing F250 Rossignol brittle grommets

    A had a friend say his grommets in his F250 are too brittle to restring. Is there any reason Fittex or tubing couldn't replace the grommets all around the F250?
  28. graycrait

    Where is Peng Shuai?

    https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/35377474/wta-says-return-china-require-resolution-peng-shuai-case Is she dead? Is she in a gulag? Is she under house arrest? Is she going to show for AO? What the hell is happening? If she has been disappeared, when does the sports washing begin, aka...
  29. graycrait

    Who teaches fist pumping on every winning shot!!!!!!!!!!!

    Crowing, screaming, hoo hah, yoo hah, uu rah not withstanding on every shot, what coaches teach that every shot you win must be accompanied by a fist pump? Are there no pro tennis players who revel in "quiet competence?"
  30. graycrait

    Grommet flaring tool

    Grommet flaring tool. Crappy awl with tip ground flat + stud for leather working (dog collar/ bondage harness, etc). Super glued them together. There used to be a tool called a flare-it, no longer made. This is easier. Heat gun a bit, press on the opposite side with finger, twist this into the...
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