Until two weeks ago when I got a backboard at home, I hadn't played tennis in 30 years--except for 2 mixed doubles outings in the 1990s, which I don't count as playing tennis.
My Jack Kramer Autographs were right had been in the back of a closet for 20 years, since I moved into this place. There were also two Black Max's, a Prince Spectrum 90 and a 110, a Prince Thunderbolt, and a Maxply Fort, which had warped.
The graphite rackets--I had picked those up at thrift stores. One of the Black Max's I had used on the mixed doubles outings. I didn't think much of that racket and I wondered how much I could get for the both of them on some big site.
I started hitting with one of the JK's the day I got the backboard. The first ball seemed to come back really fast, but I got wood on it--a wood shot. I kept hitting and on some shots I began to feel that unique feel of the Jack Kramer, the sound and the feel, and, believe me, that was great to feel and to hear once again.
I picked up one of the Black Max's and started hitting with that. Wow, that racket also had a great feel to it. I was shocked. I had thought that Black Max's were crap.
When I quit playing tennis--and I never officially quit--I just moved away from the tennis courts--I had played in high school and then gotten married and I lived in married student's housing at the Univ of SC, and the tennis courts were across the street, and I was over there every day.
The only oversized rackets I had hit with when I quit were aluminum--no graphite. The way I thought about it, I thought so much of the feel of the Jack Kramer that I was not anxious to switch. This was in 1984 and I was about the only person on the tennis courts with a wood racket, but I don't know if McEnroe had switched yet.
One day I remember this guy I played often and beat almost every time--he shows up with a new racket--I think it might have been graphite--but I remember thinking that day, "I probably am going to have to upgrade the racket." He was hitting the balls a good 10% or so faster.
I was mis-hitting the balls so much on the backboard that I thought it might be better to use the oversize Prince because I didn't want to create elbow problems. I was shocked by how that racket felt. It felt great. So did the Spectrum 90.
I found these boards and learned that the Black Max and the Prince Spectrum are fairly highly regarded.
Hitting with my old Davis Imperial informed me that my Jack Kramer's needed restringing. The Davis Imperial--I think it hits about as well as a Jack Kramer. I bought that Maxply Fort because McEnroe played with one. I also had the black McEnroe Maxply. I tried to copy McEnroe and couldn't come close--I couldn't copy anything he did. And I couldn't figure out why he switched from a Pro Staff to a Maxply Fort. (I am sure could explain and I would love to hear his explanation. My take on the Maxply Fort--I am certain that is only my subjective thoughts and there's nothing objective about it--a whole lot of people played with it. It may have been that I had it strung at 55 with so called "synthetic gut". I got beat in one of the state tournaments by this guy who played with one. My thought was that it flexed in the head of the racket rather than the throat.
I have very much enjoyed reading the posts on this forum. One thing I wanted to say--I have read (I believe in this forum) that the Jack Kramer Pro Staff was a stiffer version of the Jack Kramer Autograph. I could be wrong, but I think they are the same thing. The difference was that you couldn't buy the Pro Staff at K-Mart, which is where I got all of my Jack Kramer Autographs. You had to go to a pro shop or a specialty sports store to get the Pro Staff. And it cost $5.00 more. Around 1974, an Autograph went for about $30, and a Pro Staff for about $35. (The Davis Imperial was just a little more; the Davis Classics were $60. I think I read a post here from somebody who had lived here in SC and he said that Davis rackets were popular here. I can add that they were also status symbols--that is why I got my parents to get me one. The Davis rackets were the best looking rackets, and they also hit well.
I remember watching this kid about my age bust up his Davis Classic 1 on the trunk of his pink Cadillac in the parking lot after he lost a match.)
Vilas was the only pro who I ever saw using a JK Autograph. It must have been he first surfaced. However, it was said that most pros used painted Jack Kramer Autographs.
About the weights of wood rackets--my 4 1/2 light that I cut the strings out of--an Autograph--weights 12.9 ounces, which is a little heavy by todays standards, but lighter than what I would have thought. (I have hit with lighter wood rackets and I thought the JK 4 1/2 light was as low as you could go. I tried lighter.)
The only time I ever saw a Bancroft racket in person was at the state high school tournament. The state champion used a Bancroft Competition. But I don't even remember seeing them in sports stores or pro shops. (I don't remember Borg playing with Bancroft. I remember the Donnay's strung at 80 lbs. I will report on the Bancroft Competition as soon as I get one.
It has certainly been good to see that there are people who appreciate wood rackets. There is just nothing like the feel of hitting a tennis ball, and, for me, there is nothing quite like the feel of a Jack Kramer. I have known if I played again, I was going to have to update my racket--I knew that. But I got that backboard to hit with Jack Kramers, to hear that sound and feel that feel.
I was shocked by how the Black Max's and the Prince Spectrums felt. I came to this board at the first opportunity after hitting with those rackets. Before that, if anyone had told me those rackets felt about as good as a JK, I would not have argued, because what's the point in arguing with somebody's who delusional? (or maybe better: why should a delusional individual argue with those who might not be delusional?) To find out that those rackets felt as good as a JK--that's about as big as somebody finding out their religion is not the truth. (I am not the only person who felt that way about a Jack Kramer. I believed and others believed that most all of the pros were using painted JK's. I don't know what percentage of people thought the same thing I thought, but it was common. I'd say the JK had more believers than any other racket.)
I have certainly enjoyed reading this forum. I remember one thread--somebody posted a long list of wood rackets he had gotten and asked about the quality of them, commenting further that many of the rackets were in excellent shape and had decal pictures of the pros on them. Somebody simplified things for person who was wondering: the response stated that the ones with decal pictures of the pros were not hidden gems. That lines up perfectly with my experience
I look forward to playing and I look forward to reading this forum and I also look forward to getting a modern racket someday. I have noted that my most up to date rackets are discussed only in "classic racquet talk".
What you guys have said lines up with my experience on the JK, the Prince Spectrums, and the Black Maxes. I look forward to reading more of your posts and checking out more classic rackets. Rackets are fun to try out and most of the rackets talked about in this forum are available and inexpensive. I kind of hope the JK's don't lose the esteem I've always had for them, but if they do, that is just how the cracker crumbles.
My Jack Kramer Autographs were right had been in the back of a closet for 20 years, since I moved into this place. There were also two Black Max's, a Prince Spectrum 90 and a 110, a Prince Thunderbolt, and a Maxply Fort, which had warped.
The graphite rackets--I had picked those up at thrift stores. One of the Black Max's I had used on the mixed doubles outings. I didn't think much of that racket and I wondered how much I could get for the both of them on some big site.
I started hitting with one of the JK's the day I got the backboard. The first ball seemed to come back really fast, but I got wood on it--a wood shot. I kept hitting and on some shots I began to feel that unique feel of the Jack Kramer, the sound and the feel, and, believe me, that was great to feel and to hear once again.
I picked up one of the Black Max's and started hitting with that. Wow, that racket also had a great feel to it. I was shocked. I had thought that Black Max's were crap.
When I quit playing tennis--and I never officially quit--I just moved away from the tennis courts--I had played in high school and then gotten married and I lived in married student's housing at the Univ of SC, and the tennis courts were across the street, and I was over there every day.
The only oversized rackets I had hit with when I quit were aluminum--no graphite. The way I thought about it, I thought so much of the feel of the Jack Kramer that I was not anxious to switch. This was in 1984 and I was about the only person on the tennis courts with a wood racket, but I don't know if McEnroe had switched yet.
One day I remember this guy I played often and beat almost every time--he shows up with a new racket--I think it might have been graphite--but I remember thinking that day, "I probably am going to have to upgrade the racket." He was hitting the balls a good 10% or so faster.
I was mis-hitting the balls so much on the backboard that I thought it might be better to use the oversize Prince because I didn't want to create elbow problems. I was shocked by how that racket felt. It felt great. So did the Spectrum 90.
I found these boards and learned that the Black Max and the Prince Spectrum are fairly highly regarded.
Hitting with my old Davis Imperial informed me that my Jack Kramer's needed restringing. The Davis Imperial--I think it hits about as well as a Jack Kramer. I bought that Maxply Fort because McEnroe played with one. I also had the black McEnroe Maxply. I tried to copy McEnroe and couldn't come close--I couldn't copy anything he did. And I couldn't figure out why he switched from a Pro Staff to a Maxply Fort. (I am sure could explain and I would love to hear his explanation. My take on the Maxply Fort--I am certain that is only my subjective thoughts and there's nothing objective about it--a whole lot of people played with it. It may have been that I had it strung at 55 with so called "synthetic gut". I got beat in one of the state tournaments by this guy who played with one. My thought was that it flexed in the head of the racket rather than the throat.
I have very much enjoyed reading the posts on this forum. One thing I wanted to say--I have read (I believe in this forum) that the Jack Kramer Pro Staff was a stiffer version of the Jack Kramer Autograph. I could be wrong, but I think they are the same thing. The difference was that you couldn't buy the Pro Staff at K-Mart, which is where I got all of my Jack Kramer Autographs. You had to go to a pro shop or a specialty sports store to get the Pro Staff. And it cost $5.00 more. Around 1974, an Autograph went for about $30, and a Pro Staff for about $35. (The Davis Imperial was just a little more; the Davis Classics were $60. I think I read a post here from somebody who had lived here in SC and he said that Davis rackets were popular here. I can add that they were also status symbols--that is why I got my parents to get me one. The Davis rackets were the best looking rackets, and they also hit well.
I remember watching this kid about my age bust up his Davis Classic 1 on the trunk of his pink Cadillac in the parking lot after he lost a match.)
Vilas was the only pro who I ever saw using a JK Autograph. It must have been he first surfaced. However, it was said that most pros used painted Jack Kramer Autographs.
About the weights of wood rackets--my 4 1/2 light that I cut the strings out of--an Autograph--weights 12.9 ounces, which is a little heavy by todays standards, but lighter than what I would have thought. (I have hit with lighter wood rackets and I thought the JK 4 1/2 light was as low as you could go. I tried lighter.)
The only time I ever saw a Bancroft racket in person was at the state high school tournament. The state champion used a Bancroft Competition. But I don't even remember seeing them in sports stores or pro shops. (I don't remember Borg playing with Bancroft. I remember the Donnay's strung at 80 lbs. I will report on the Bancroft Competition as soon as I get one.
It has certainly been good to see that there are people who appreciate wood rackets. There is just nothing like the feel of hitting a tennis ball, and, for me, there is nothing quite like the feel of a Jack Kramer. I have known if I played again, I was going to have to update my racket--I knew that. But I got that backboard to hit with Jack Kramers, to hear that sound and feel that feel.
I was shocked by how the Black Max's and the Prince Spectrums felt. I came to this board at the first opportunity after hitting with those rackets. Before that, if anyone had told me those rackets felt about as good as a JK, I would not have argued, because what's the point in arguing with somebody's who delusional? (or maybe better: why should a delusional individual argue with those who might not be delusional?) To find out that those rackets felt as good as a JK--that's about as big as somebody finding out their religion is not the truth. (I am not the only person who felt that way about a Jack Kramer. I believed and others believed that most all of the pros were using painted JK's. I don't know what percentage of people thought the same thing I thought, but it was common. I'd say the JK had more believers than any other racket.)
I have certainly enjoyed reading this forum. I remember one thread--somebody posted a long list of wood rackets he had gotten and asked about the quality of them, commenting further that many of the rackets were in excellent shape and had decal pictures of the pros on them. Somebody simplified things for person who was wondering: the response stated that the ones with decal pictures of the pros were not hidden gems. That lines up perfectly with my experience
I look forward to playing and I look forward to reading this forum and I also look forward to getting a modern racket someday. I have noted that my most up to date rackets are discussed only in "classic racquet talk".
What you guys have said lines up with my experience on the JK, the Prince Spectrums, and the Black Maxes. I look forward to reading more of your posts and checking out more classic rackets. Rackets are fun to try out and most of the rackets talked about in this forum are available and inexpensive. I kind of hope the JK's don't lose the esteem I've always had for them, but if they do, that is just how the cracker crumbles.
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