When doing yo-yo tricks in the mid-80s can land you in Eat Bulaga!

A generation of Filipino children spent their recess breaks matching the spinning power of their prized possessions against the pavement.

It’s 1985, and the coolest thing for you is the rhythmic, hypnotic whirrr-snap of your red Coke yoyo as it returned to your hand after doing ‘walk the dog.’

For you and your gang of six- to 12-year-olds, there is nothing cooler in the world than to master all the yo-yo tricks in the book: the sleeper, around-the-world, shooting stars, loop-the-loop, and rock-the-cradle. You dream of being the best yoyo master of your gang, then your baranggay and be good enough to qualify for the noontime show Eat Bulaga’s Amazing Russell Yo-Yo Super Match.

But for now (sans YouTube), you practice incessantly to perfect your walk-the-dog trick by watching Kuya, the expert, who could walk the dog across the entire length of a sidewalk without the yo-yo losing its spin.

Playing a yoyo is ritualistic: you carefully unwind the white cotton string, rub a drop of Singer sewing machine oil or baby oil onto the axle to make it “sleep” longer, and then—with a sharp, flicking snap of the wrist—you send it screaming toward the pavement.

The friction produces a faint, scorched-sugar smell from the string, and the vibration travels up your arm like a mild electric current. For that one minute the yo-yo spins at the end of its tether, you aren’t just a kid in a khaki school uniform; you are a master of physics.

To hold a Russell Coca-Cola Yo-Yo was to hold a piece of a hard-earned, high-velocity toy. To get one, you need to exchange three tansans (crowns) plus cash.

There are four types of yo-yo: the Professional, an entry-level with solid plastic red, green and orange; the Super, which features a clear, transparent rim; the slightly heavier Master, which has a glittery and metallic sheen; and of course, the Galaxy, the holy grail, the most coveted yoyo. It has a see-through body with gold or silver stardust sparkles inside.

If you hold a Gold Galaxy yoyo, you are the undisputed king of your street, your playground, or your class. It was a time when a piece of plastic and a string could make a child feel like a rock star—or a trip to Hong Kong or Australia to compete in international divisions.

 

 

For you and your gang of six- to 12-year-olds, there is nothing cooler in the world than to master all the yo-yo tricks in the book: the sleeper, around-the-world, shooting stars, loop-the-loop, and rock-the-cradle.

 

 

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