Was the first Radical the first yellow paintjob?

[galain]

I was thinking about this the other day, because I am shallow and really do not care for yellow on a racquet (although I do have a yellow/green Prince Rebel and a Völkl C10 - both of which I like a lot).

But.... in terms of yellow paintjobs....the Pro Staff line always had a bit of yellow but it was never the predominant colour. Was the original Bumblebee the first mainly yellow cosmetic?

 

[kevin qmto]

Volkl had those fiberglass zebra black/yellow frames in the 70's
Prince Spectrum Limited edition was 1987
Jimbo's Estusa 1991

I'm sure there's many others but I was mostly trying to think of more popular/famous frames that were predominantly yellow

 

[retrowagen]

Voelkl was the first yellow composite. The original “zebra” and then the MS and NS “Worldcup” models circa 1985. Spalding had an obnoxious yellow racquet that was called The Taxi, circa 1988. The first Head Radical models were introduced circa 1992, IIRC.

 

[galain]

Voelkl was the first yellow composite. The original “zebra” and then the MS and NS “Worldcup” models circa 1985. Spalding had an obnoxious yellow racquet that was called The Taxi, circa 1988. The first Head Radical models were introduced circa 1992, IIRC.

OMG - I have a Völkl World Cup upstairs in my collection - totally slipped my mind!

 

[esm]

Volkl had those fiberglass zebra black/yellow frames in the 70's
Prince Spectrum Limited edition was 1987
Jimbo's Estusa 1991

I'm sure there's many others but I was mostly trying to think of more popular/famous frames that were predominantly yellow

Wouldn’t mind a Pro Legend for the collection if I ever come across one at a thrifty shop price tag. lol

 

[retrowagen]

OMG - I have a Völkl World Cup upstairs in my collection - totally slipped my mind!

As well it should—they’re fairly awful to actually hit tennis balls with!

 

[vsbabolat]

OMG - I have a Völkl World Cup upstairs in my collection - totally slipped my mind!

Also the a limited edition Prince Spectrum was yellow.

 

[McLovin]

Wasn’t the first Donny Pro One OS yellow & blue? Didn’t that come before the “bumblebee”?

 

[michael valek]

As well it should—they’re fairly awful to actually hit tennis balls with!

Yes seconded tragic shovels not actually useful for tennis at all.

 

[galain]

As well it should—they’re fairly awful to actually hit tennis balls with!

Yep! It was given to me and I really didn't gel with it at all.

 

[erosblue]

Wasn’t the first Donny Pro One OS yellow & blue? Didn’t that come before the “bumblebee”?

Yes,it came four years earlier.Best cosmetic in a racquet IMO.

 

[retrowagen]

Yep! It was given to me and I really didn't gel with it at all.

I’m not sure if anyone did! Sylvia Hanika used it on the WTA tour, but was paid to! Most of the Russian players at the time did too; Volkl had a deal of some sort to supply the Russian team with racquets, hence you saw Chesnkov and Cherkasov with them. As a junior, I got to hit with Hanika and was even given some MS24 frames to use, but they were ridiculously heavy and didn’t really do anything well.

 

[teachingprotx]

Well said . Yeah I think there is good yellow and bad yellow .
Mostly bad though . I too have used in the past the c 10 pro mustard yellow and black . Always hated that paint job , loved the racket though..
However the highlighter optic yellow Yamaha ceramic FX97
Ronald agenor stick is stunning in person . I use one now and again and I get more compliments on that racket more than I ever have in my life .

 

[retrowagen]

Well said . Yeah I think there is good yellow and bad yellow .
Mostly bad though . I too have used in the past the c 10 pro mustard yellow and black . Always hated that paint job , loved the racket though..
However the highlighter optic yellow Yamaha ceramic FX97
Ronald agenor stick is stunning in person . I use one now and again and I get more compliments on that racket more than I ever have in my life .

That Yamaha 97 is pretty obnoxious! It’s not yellow, it’s YELLOW!!!!

I have a theory about lighter colored racquets, particularly the bright yellow or white ones (and this from a guy who used Kneissl sticks back as early as 1984): a white or yellow racquet makes it easier for an opponent to “read” your swing and predict what the ball is going to do. It gives a visual advantage to them! I find that darker frames seem (to me, at least) to telegraph that somewhat less. Do you agree?

 

[michael valek]

Yes and not only that but it is also self-distracting and kind of takes over your vision somewhat, you see it everywhere

 

[Passingshot78]

Was the original Bumblebee the first mainly yellow cosmetic?

Well it wasnt even Agassi first yellow cosmetics

 

[Grafil Injection]

Browning The Winning Machine from the mid 80s:

 

[Grafil Injection]

Is this Leach yellow?

 

[galain]

Thanks so much folks!

 

[JW10S]

Is this Leach yellow?

I remember Leach was big in the Racquetball world, I had one. But their tennis racquets were not good.