info about vintage racquets!

M

mariano starr

Guest
Hi Guys!
This is Mariano, journalist from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I m writing in order to ask if someone can certainly tell me about the years that the following racquets were released to the market. I m trying to research some topics about the 60, the 70 ant the 80 s in order to develop a book about the Argentine tennis boom after Guillermo Vilas.
These are the raquets and the models:

Wilson: Kack Kramer Autograph, T2000; Kneissl: White Star, Blues Star; Arthur Ashe
Head: Arthur Ashe, Professional (the one with the red throat bridge), Master (aluminium), Vilas, Vector; Slazenger Vilas and Slazenger Challenge N°1; Rossignol Strato, F200, RS and R40; Yonex R7; Donnay Fiberwood (the Allwood Series) and Donnay Pro Borg (the original with the ultra long grip); Spalding Davis Cup; Dunlop Maxply and Maxply Mc. Enroe, Max 200G. And if you may know, I have a Lacoste, a clon from the T2000: does anybody know anything about this?

I may dare about writing close dates that I already suspect, but I want to be accurate. There s no place on the Internet where I could find the model and the year. Maybe someone give me the link?
Thanks a lot and regards form Argentina
m.
 

galain

Hall of Fame
Hello Mariano

Any Guillermo Vilas fan is a good guy in my books! I don't know about all the frames you mention, but the few I do know...

The Rossignol F200 was first released in 1979, The Yonex R7 in 1981 or 1982, the Max 200G in about 1983 (just a guess but I'm pretty sure) and the Slazenger Vilas V24 (beautiful frame - i wish I could get my hands on one now) I remember first seeing in 1981/1982.

The Head Ashe would have to be mid 70's but I'm not sure of the exact date and I think the Rossignol R40 was brought out as their version of it, so probably around the same time.

if CoachRick is on this thread he might be able to help you. He was a Rossignol rep back in the good old days and he's helped me out a lot with dates and things.

All the best
 

dgrson

New User
Trying to help

I can give you some dates based on when I played with a few of the frames on your list. Arthur Ashe Head Professional-1975-76. Donnay Borg Pro-1976-77. Rossignol Strato also 1976-77. Hope this helps.
 

dgrson

New User
Trying to help

I can give you some dates based on when I played with a few of the frames on your list. Arthur Ashe Head Professional-1975-76. Donnay Borg Pro-1976-77. Rossignol Strato also 1976-77. Hope this helps.
 
mariano starr said:
Hi Guys!
This is Mariano, journalist from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I m writing in order to ask if someone can certainly tell me about the years that the following racquets were released to the market. I m trying to research some topics about the 60, the 70 ant the 80 s in order to develop a book about the Argentine tennis boom after Guillermo Vilas.
These are the raquets and the models:

Wilson: Kack Kramer Autograph, T2000; Kneissl: White Star, Blues Star; Arthur Ashe
Head: Arthur Ashe, Professional (the one with the red throat bridge), Master (aluminium), Vilas, Vector; Slazenger Vilas and Slazenger Challenge N°1; Rossignol Strato, F200, RS and R40; Yonex R7; Donnay Fiberwood (the Allwood Series) and Donnay Pro Borg (the original with the ultra long grip); Spalding Davis Cup; Dunlop Maxply and Maxply Mc. Enroe, Max 200G. And if you may know, I have a Lacoste, a clon from the T2000: does anybody know anything about this?

I may dare about writing close dates that I already suspect, but I want to be accurate. There s no place on the Internet where I could find the model and the year. Maybe someone give me the link?
Thanks a lot and regards form Argentina
m.

The T2000 was originally made in France by Lacoste -French great Rene Lacoste in the late 60's early 1970 designed and made the first ones, Wilson in the USA bought the rights to make a sell in the Americas.
In the 70's and part of the 90's Lacoste made lots of frames used mainly by French players (even a T3000, T4000...etc) but they were all Lacoste frames frist - Maxply fort has been around since the 50's at least - the maxply McEnroe came out in 1983.
the Donnay Pro Borg was 1980 - the Head Vilas 1977 after his US Open win - but he was playing with an Allblack demo in 1976 before final production-
the Rossi Strato came out in 1980 - 1982 - and was a repaint of an existing frame that Rossi remaned after buying an American tennis Co. that year - I do not remember the exact name (Chemhold????)
the first 200G came out in 1982 - I remember our whole collage tennis team being asked by the Dunlop rep to try them out in the fall of 1982 - we were all amused at the time how hollow and light these were the first time we all hit with it.
The Slazenger Vila was also about 1982 - maybe late 1981 - it depends on when Vilas switched from Head - Kneissl: White Star I believe was 1980 -

hope this helps -
 
M

mariano starr

Guest
yet something else about those rackets...

Guys,
thanks a lot for your much useful help, but I have a few questions left.
I m not talking about that mid size Slazenger Vilas (there were a red wine and another dark blue model -I remember Guillermo playing the red one in a Davis Cup against USA in Buenos Aires in 83). Whatever, I am talking about that other Slazenger Vilas with the typical wooden shape, and the word "Argentina" in that piece that follows the grip-i dont know the english word). It has 2 tiny Vilas signatures in both side of the head frame, and it is light brown colored, the color of a vanilla ice cream. I just bought it a few days ago.
Are we completely sure that the Lacoste came first and Monsieur Rene just sold the rights for Wilson to deal it in te US? Not the other way?
And, if the ProBorg is 1980, which is the Donnay that Borg used from 1975 all the way to his 5 Wimbledons? Another Alwood Series?!
Thanks!
m.

You know, I play every monday at the "Vilas Club", here in Buenos Aires (I still have the privilege to see Guillermo playing int he Court One every time he is in town). The guys at the Pro Shop have, amongst others, some kind of strange Head Vilas prototype made of what it seems just one piece of wood. They have a lots of things, but they don t know any facts!
 
mariano starr said:
Guys,
thanks a lot for your much useful help, but I have a few questions left.
I m not talking about that mid size Slazenger Vilas (there were a red wine and another dark blue model -I remember Guillermo playing the red one in a Davis Cup against USA in Buenos Aires in 83). Whatever, I am talking about that other Slazenger Vilas with the typical wooden shape, and the word "Argentina" in that piece that follows the grip-i dont know the english word). It has 2 tiny Vilas signatures in both side of the head frame, and it is light brown colored, the color of a vanilla ice cream. I just bought it a few days ago.
Are we completely sure that the Lacoste came first and Monsieur Rene just sold the rights for Wilson to deal it in te US? Not the other way?
And, if the ProBorg is 1980, which is the Donnay that Borg used from 1975 all the way to his 5 Wimbledons? Another Alwood Series?!
Thanks!
m.

You know, I play every monday at the "Vilas Club", here in Buenos Aires (I still have the privilege to see Guillermo playing int he Court One every time he is in town). The guys at the Pro Shop have, amongst others, some kind of strange Head Vilas prototype made of what it seems just one piece of wood. They have a lots of things, but they don t know any facts!

Head worked for about a year getting the specs right for the first Vilas frame in 1976 - 1977 so there may have been a few different frames created that GV didn't like and they may have one.
And yes 100% for sure that R Lacoste created the first all steel racket (T2000) and the others that followed - the last frame he developed from the T2000 had a rubber "stopper" on the end to absorb vibrations very ugly - the same system was used in a graphite frame from Lacoste that Guy forget used that also had "pinched" sides on the frame to increase the sweet spot. He was way ahead of his time and not shy about putting out different looking equipment.
In fact he contined to play with the things until the end - and Jimmy Conners in many articles credits "le Crocodile" with developing the frame that he used for so long and helped in his career.
Borg played the the "Allwood" from early 70's thru 1980 - then Donnay came out with Borg Pro that spring - at the same time he used the Allwood in Europe Borg was under contract with Bancroft in the USA and had to use a bancroft frame (The Borg Pro) in the USA and Japan until 1980 when he had a global contract with Donnay.

rgds
 

Steve Huff

G.O.A.T.
I think the Head Pro was introduced before 75. I graduated from HS in 75, and I used one. I'm sure I saw them on the walls of tennis shops because I played with a PDP Open before the Head Pro, but they were both on display when I chose the PDP Open. The Ashe Comp I was out too, as I had one of those too. It was the newest of the bunch.
 
M

mariano starr

Guest
Lacoste Model?

Thanks, Michel,
The Lacoste has a model name??
 

Colpo

Professional
Vilas defected to Slazenger at the end of the 1980 season. He played one season, 1981, with the "Vilas Tour," a standard wood model with a closed throat that was cream, maroon and navy. It had two color bars at the base of the shaft, and the word "Slazenger" nearby.

The model you refer to (and own, it sounds like) WAS NOT played by Vilas on the pro tour. That was the "Vilas International." The "International" carried an exaggerated version of his "signature" on its closed throat. Same color scheme as the "Tour." Also, a bit more flexible than the "Tour" due to its shorter shaft flake and, therefore, less suited to competition.

With the 1982 season, Vilas used the V-24 and experienced a career rebirth, final'ing at the French and reaching the semis at the US Open. He also started to beat some guys who had had his number in recent years.

Don't forget the nice Puma models that Vilas used 1985 and after ...
 
M

mariano starr

Guest
Thanks for your words. So you mean that the model that has the word "Argentina" in big letters and the same colours that you say is the "International". I guess that because the description of the "Tour" is the same that the one I have, but you re not mentioning the "Argentina" inscription. want to post a photo but don t ****ing know how, shall i mail it?
 

Colpo

Professional
Mariano, I'd have to do a little bit of research on this. To be honest, I don't recall the word "Argentina" on either frame, but that doesn't mean it was not there. Let me try to find some photos on-line or in some old resources I have at home, and I'll repost. If you want to send me a picture of your racquet, send it to sandroab@msn.com and I'll take a look.
 

sportsfan10

New User
Mariano-
I have a little info that might help. I own a book by Arthur Ashe and was surprised to see a picture of him playing with the Arthur Ashe Competition I at Forest Hills (US Open) in 1969. Not sure if it was a production model or a prototype at that time. This was the original Ashe model, aluminum skin with black fiberglass on the inside of the 'sandwich'. The Ashe Competition II came in the mid-late 70's and was again aluminum on the outside with a brownish colored boron middle.

The aluminim Head Professional was, I think, the best selling racquet in the mid-70's but was not actually an Ashe model.

The Rossignol Strato was introduced, as mentioned previously, after Rossignol bought Garcia. It was originally the Garcia 240 which, I believe, was endorsed by Harold Soloman.

The Spalding Davis Cup was, I believe, endorsed by John Alexander in the mid to late 70's. Played with them for a while but don't recall much about them. White with natural paint scheme similar to Wilson Jack Kramer if I recall correctly.

Hope this help helpful. Good luck with your book.
 

Ed Lee

Rookie
Borg's Racquet

Before Bjorn Borg became popular during the middle 70's, wasn't he using a Slazenger Challenge No. 1 ?
 
M

mariano starr

Guest
1) You mean that "Abu Garcia" company, the one that makes fishing equipment?? I dont know anything about a GArcia rackets manufacturers.
2) Yes, I got a photo with a very young Borg with a Challenge 1 in his hand.
3) Anyone knows anuthing about that Slazenger "Argentina" i m talking about?
 

coachrick

Hall of Fame
Don't know about the 'Argentina' but I owned more than a couple of the Challenge #1s in the late 70s. It was Slaz's answer to the Stan Smith and other stiffish woods(Bancroft Borg, etc). The Garcia factory was in Van Buren, Maine, US...the last US wood manufacturing facility. The name was often shown as Cragin-Garcia and they were in the fishing equipment business as well as tennis. Rossignol took over the facility in the late 70s to produce their wood frames. The Garcia 240, as mentioned, became the Strato in '79. It was used by Clerc and a few others. We sold it against the Kramer Autograph since we were a few dollars less and not so heavily discounted at the time. Kriek played the R40 for a while...that frame was very similar to the Head Comp series--an aluminum overlay with FRP/foam core--following the ski industry technology of the day.
I told this story before but...I was a Dunlop rep in '82 when P Mac suggested that J Mac try the 200G to help his sore shoulder. J Mac switched at an 'exo' against Vilas in my home town--Columbia, SC. Up until this time, the 200G had been a modest seller. THREE DAYS later, the warehouse was completely OUT of the 200G!!! No advertising, no nutin'...just word of mouth that J Mac had switched. Not too long after, we Dunlop reps were selling the last of our wood frames at $10 per!!! Ah, the good old days!!!
 

shadow

New User
I played five years with the Slazenger Challenge No. 1, mostly on clay courts, and they were great baseline racquets, real locomotives, especially with VS gut strings...
 

Virginia

Hall of Fame
Hi Guys!
This is Mariano, journalist from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I m writing in order to ask if someone can certainly tell me about the years that the following racquets were released to the market. I m trying to research some topics about the 60, the 70 ant the 80 s in order to develop a book about the Argentine tennis boom after Guillermo Vilas.
These are the raquets and the models:

Wilson: Kack Kramer Autograph, T2000; Kneissl: White Star, Blues Star; Arthur Ashe
Head: Arthur Ashe, Professional (the one with the red throat bridge), Master (aluminium), Vilas, Vector; Slazenger Vilas and Slazenger Challenge N°1; Rossignol Strato, F200, RS and R40; Yonex R7; Donnay Fiberwood (the Allwood Series) and Donnay Pro Borg (the original with the ultra long grip); Spalding Davis Cup; Dunlop Maxply and Maxply Mc. Enroe, Max 200G. And if you may know, I have a Lacoste, a clon from the T2000: does anybody know anything about this?

I may dare about writing close dates that I already suspect, but I want to be accurate. There s no place on the Internet where I could find the model and the year. Maybe someone give me the link?
Thanks a lot and regards form Argentina
m.

Sorry to bump such an old thread, but someone pointed me to it and I just had to respond.

I have just about all the racquets you mention, including the famed Lacoste forerunner of the T2000. Lacoste brought this racquet out initially and then later manufactured it under the Wilson name.

The only ones I don't have are the Kneissl Blue Star, the Head Vector, the Donnay Fibrewood and Rossi R40 - I have all the rest you mention.

All fantastic and very collectable racquets. I actually have 10 200G's (3 green and the rest black). I have a Japanese collector friend, who has, believe it or not, 21 200G's, including some late models I didn't even know existed.

80's racquets are alive and well in all corners of the world. :)
 

Flyzy

New User
FYI (Lendl)

Some Specs :

Kneissl White Star master

The Ivan Lendl signature racquet from Adidas, the GTX PRO customised by Bosworth, was originally designed and manufactured by Kneissl.
The Kneissl frame closely follows earlier wood frame design and was
the first synthetic racquet, made of a Kevlar composite.
The constant taper design from handle to tip combines with broad shoulders in the lower hoop producing a demanding player's racquet with a low sweetspot.

Head Size:
80 sq. in. / 516 sq. cm.
Length: 27 inches / 69 cm Strung
Weight: 13oz / 369g
Balance: Even Balance
Swingweight: 378
Stiffness: 54
Beam Width: 19.5 mm Straight
Beam Composition: Graphite & Kevlar
Power Level: Low Swing
Speed: Fast
Grip Type: Leather
String Pattern:
18 Mains / 18 Crosses
Mains skip: 9T,9H
One Piece
Shared Holes: 8T,10T,7H,8H,10H
String Tension: 50-60 pounds

Ivan Lendl Adidas GTX Pro-T

The Ivan Lendl signature racquet from Adidas, the GTX PRO-T features a
graphite frame which closely follows earlier wood frame design. The constant
taper design from handle to tip combines with broad shoulders in the lower
hoop producing a demanding player's racquet with a low sweetspot. Each GTX PRO-T comes complete with Lendl's preferred suede pigskin leather grip.
Made in France. A racquet cover is NOT included with purchase.

Head Size:
80 sq. in. / 516 sq. cm.
Length: 27 inches / 69 cm
Strung Weight: 13.7oz / 388g
Balance: 6pts Head Light
Swingweight: 365
Stiffness: 56
Beam Width: 19.5 mm Straight Beam
Composition: Graphite
Power Level: Low
Swing Speed: Fast
Grip Type: Suede
String Pattern:
18 Mains / 18 Crosses
Mains skip: 9T,9H
One Piece
Shared Holes: 8T,10T,7H,8H,10H
String Tension: 50-60 pounds
 
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