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2007 Class of
the AYYA Hall-Of-Fame
 Dennis McBride |
Bio Coming Soon! |
Gus Somera |
Gus Somera made himself a legend as a yo-yo demonstrator, not based on skill and amazing performances, but on a commitment and congeniality for his chosen profession. Although known to many as Gus Somera, his real name was Sotero Parpanea, using Somera as his lifelong performing name. An immigrant from the Philippines, he was one of the original crew of Duncan Filipino demonstrators recruited by Pedro Flores in the early thirties. Somera's career spanned six decades as a yo-yo demonstrator working not only for the Donald F. Duncan Company but also for Duncan/Flambeau. His longevity as a demonstrator was only overshadowed by his likability. Somera was always willing to make the effort to carve an island scene on a yo-yo or spend a little more time with a student until the trick was mastered. All that speak of Gus Somera remember his good nature and patience with them as they were trying to become skilled at the yo-yo. He was described as a pied piper with the yo-yo. His constant companion and working partner was his Brother George Somera and together their promotions and contests impacted hundreds of thousands of children interested in acquiring yo-yo skills. Their constant touring over the entire country led Somera to be quoted as saying "There is not a city of any size in this country that I don't know my way around in". Gus Somera died at the age of 82 in 1990. |
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Joe Young |
Joe Young was one of the first yo-yo demonstrator stars. From Regina, Canada Joe Young picked up the yo-yo for the first time in 1931 winning a Cheerio sponsored citywide contest. His non-stop practice resulted in a skill level far superior to other players and he was asked to tour Canada for the Cheerio yo-yo company. The earliest known existing film footage of a yo-yo demonstrator is that of Joe Young. Joe became Cheerio's Golden Boy of the yo-yo. Considered the best player in Canada, Cheerio formed a team of Joe along with Harvey Lowe and Gene Mauk to introduce the Cheerio yo-yo craze to Great Britain in 1932. Harvey and Gene were great, and now legends, but Joe was the star. Joe preformed for the Prince of Wales and Amelia Earhart and the press loved Joe. Joe Young's "Yo-Yo Lessons" were printed in the papers as promotions for upcoming contests. Joe repeatedly fended off staged challenges to his "World Title". The "World Champion" that Harvey Lowe beat out in 1932 was none other than Joe Young. Joe continued to play the yo-yo until his death during WWII. |
2006 Class of
the AYYA Hall-Of-Fame
Linda Sengpiel |
Linda Sengpiel was the first female professional yo-yo demonstrator. Being the top female yo-yo player for nearly 4 decades she was commonly referred to as the “First Lady of Yo” She began demonstrating professionally for Duncan, Royal and Pedro Flores. She was Pedro Flores only demonstrator in the ‘50s. During these years she was known as the Yo-Yo Queen. Later, she considered herself an entertainer rather than a demonstrator. One of her most noteworthy exploits was a 10,000 dollar challenge to her audiences to anyone that could do her ten trick routine. The prize was never collected. The Sengpiel supersonic yo-yo pack from the ‘70s is a staple in most yo-yo collectors’ collections. She continued to perform and judge at contests until her death in 2001 at age 57. The Linda Sengpiel Award is given each year at the World Yo-Yo Contest to a female that demonstrates excellence in yo-yoing. |
Joe Radovan |
Joe Radovan, a Filipino immigrant, got started in the yo-yo trade through the Duncan Yo-Yo Company as being part of one of their earliest crew of yo-yo demonstrators under Pedro Flores. He toured the world with Duncan and was promoted as a Duncan World Champion. In 1937 Joe Radovan left the Duncan Company and began his own yo-yo company, The Royal Topps Manufacturing Company. He continued to promote yo-yos for Royal until the early 1980s. Radovan loved the yo-yo and although he had other promoters that helped with his Company, largely Joe Radovan was the main promoter for Royal yo-yos. Radovan had designed patents for yo-yos which were produced and over the decades produced scores of different yo-yos which are highly sought after by yo-yo collectors. The Royal Company still produces limited edition yo-yos through Joe's son, Tom Radovan. |
Tom Kuhn |
Tom Kuhn, a San Francisco dentist, is best known amongst yo-yo players and collectors as producer of high quality wooden yo-yos. In the 1970s he came up with a unique yo-yo design, a take-apart yo-yo, the no jive 3 in 1. Since that time multiple other yo-yos have been created by Kuhn and he has received several yo-yo patents. In 1979, he produced the largest functioning yo-yo, at the time, with a 50 inch diameter and weighed 256 lbs. which was operated from a crane. In 1981, this yo-yo was listed in the
Guinness Book of World Records. One of his yo-yos was also used by jeweler, Sydney Mobell, which was imbedded with 75 diamonds, 75 sapphires, 25 rubies and 25 emeralds. The selling price of the yo-yo was $10,000. Tom Kuhn yo-yos continue to be produced and are a favorite of both collectors and players alike. |
2005 Class of
the AYYA Hall-Of-Fame
Harvey
Lowe
|
Harvey Lowe was one of the
first Yo-Yo demonstrators for the Cheerio Yo-Yo company of Canada.
Harvey at age 13 won the 1932 World Yo-Yo championships hosted by
Cheerio in London England beating out the legendary Canadian Joe Young.
It has been said that his hands were insured by Cheerio for $150,000.
Since that time he has continued to play and demonstrate the yo-yo. He
has made multiple television appearances including the 1989 Smothers
Brothers special which featured several legendary yo-yo players. He
made many appearances in the "Return of the Yo-Yo Traveling Show" in
1990. He has also made an appearance in the movie (documentary) "Who is
Albert Woo." In 2000 he was honored as the grand Marshal of the world
yo-yo championships. |
Dale
Myrberg
|
Dale Myrberg began his
yo-yo career demonstrating for Duncan in 1954 at the ripe old age of
13. By the age of 15 he was the top player in Utah. Following a hiatus
of nearly twenty years he picked up the yo-yos again and never looked
back. Demonstrating for Duncan and Hummingbird he found he preferred
entertaining over demonstrating. In 1988 he preformed on the Smothers
Brothers Show along with yo-yo legends, Harvey Lowe, Barney Akers and
Bob Rule. He organized the return of the Utah State yo-yo championships
in 1989. He was runner up in the first modern world yo-yo championships
held in Montreal in 19992 and later won the world championships in 1996
(the oldest person to win a world title). At one time he held six AYYA
open world records, the most any one person has held at once. He has
generously given his time in support of the yo-yo movement virtually
never missing the nationals and world championships which he has been a
frequent judge. In 1995 he was one of the first three to be honored
with the National Masters title and in 2001 he was elevated to the
title of National Grand Master. |
Dale
Oliver
|
Dale Oliver started with
Duncan as a part time pro in 1955. In 1957 he became a traveling pro
and has been a yo-yo professional ever since. He founded his own yo-yo
company, Oliver Toys, in 1995 which is now known as Spintastics and has
developed a school program, "Yo-Yo Fun and the Science of Spin" which
teaches yo-yoing to more than 40,000 children a year. A true dynamo,
Oliver, over the years has set world records, been a world champion,
been recipient of the "National Master" Award, founded the A.Y.Y.A. and
has been instrumental in the development of the World Yo-Yo
Championships. |
2004 Class of the AYYA Hall-Of-Fame
Bob
Rule
|
Bob Rule, as with many
demonstrators, got his origins from the Duncan Yo-Yo Company where he
started as a part time employee under Barney Akers and later became a
full time professional. In 1960 Rule took the promotional name “Mr.
Yo-Yo,” which became well known. Upon the demise of the original Duncan
Yo-Yo Company (Bob was the last demonstrator on Duncan’s payroll), Bob
continued to promote the yo-yo through the Festival Yo-Yo Company where
Bob was their sole demonstrator for a number of years. Bob has
continued to support the yo-yo through play, collecting and through his
website (mryoyo.com) and continues to make appearances at yo-yo events. |
Don
Duncan, Jr.
|
Duncan, Jr. took over the
helm of the Duncan Yo-Yo Company in 1957. At the time, the Duncan Yo-Yo
was the most recognized brand of yo-yo in the world and dominated yo-yo
sales producing 85% of all yo-yos being sold in the United States.
Duncan continued to maintain the company’s market leadership and in
1962 the company produced up to that time the largest yo-yo craze in
America by introducing paid television advertising. In 1962, Duncan
sold more than 45 million yo-yos. In its peak production, Duncan was
producing 60,000 yo-yos per day with 640 employees. After the closing
of the plant in 1965, Duncan had a several year hiatus from
manufacturing his yo-yos. In 1974 he again reentered the market
producing the Pro-Yo under the Duracraft name and then changing the
name in 1987 to PlayMaxx. Duncan was a founding board member of the
American Yo-Yo Association. Duncan and his wife of 50 years, Donna,
died in an auto accident on June 12, 2003 in New Mexico. |
Jack
Russell
|
Jack Russell, the founder
of the Russell Yo-Yo Company, began his yo-yo career as a Duncan
demonstrator in the 1940’s. In the 50’s, working with Duncan, Russell
put together a foreign promotion division called DRI. He later parted
with Duncan and formed his own company which produced the Russell
Yo-Yos from 1958 and continuing to this day. Although not as widely
recognized in North America, foreign Russell/Coca-Cola yo-yo promotions
have made the Russell yo-yo the most recognized selling yo-yo
worldwide. During the late sixties, seventies and early eighties when
few yo-yo promotions were being held in North America, Russell contests
flourished in other areas of the world. The Russell Yo-Yo Company
continues to produce and promote the yo-yo through his sons. |
2002 Inaugural
Induction Class
Barney Akers
|
Barney Akers was
one of the most well known and revered of the Duncan Yo-Yo
demonstators. Akers demonstrated the Duncan Yo-Yo for decades and was
considered one of the best players of his time. He may have trained
more professional demonstrators than any other individual in the art of
the yo-yo. Akers had his own style of play and players who learned from
Akers were often called “Barney players” as his particular yo-yo style
was very apparent. In addition to his hands on demonstrating, Akers was
featured in a Duncan demonstration films, had multiple television
appearances and personal appearances. He continued to play the yo-yo
throughout his entire life. |
Don Duncan, Sr.
|
Don Duncan, Sr.,
described as an entrepreneurial genius by many sources, was the
President of the Duncan Yo-Yo Company from its inception in 1929
through 1957. The Duncan Yo-Yo Company controlled the yo-yo market from
the late ’20s through 1965 with approximately 85% of all yo-yo sales in
the United States being Duncan Yo-Yos. Duncan promotions made the word
“yo-yo” a household name throughout the United States and other areas
of the world. His brilliance in the promoting arena resulted in throngs
of young boys participating in yo-yo contests across America. His use
of yo-yo demonstrators popularized the toy as never before seen. Duncan
Yo-Yo contests became almost a “rite of passage” for young adolescent
males in the 1930’s, ’40s and ’50s. Several generations have fond
memories of the “Duncan Yo-Yo Man” returning to their town each summer
hosting neighborhood contests. Many of the great leaders in the yo-yo
community had their beginnings as demonstrators for the Duncan Yo-Yo
Company. |
Pedro Flores
|
Pedro Flores is
considered by many to be the “Father of the Yo-Yo” in the United
States. It was Pedro Flores, a Filipino immigrant, who introduced the
word “yo-yo” to the United States and began producing yo-yos
trademarked by that name in 1928. Introduction of the “Flores Yo-Yo”
created the first American yo-yo craze and Flores is also credited with
holding the first yo-yo contest in America in 1928. In the late ’20s
Flores’ yo-yo companies were producing thousands of yo-yos. Pedro
Flores ultimately sold the Flores “yo-yo” trademark name to Donald
Duncan in 1930 but Flores continued to promote the yo-yo under Duncan
in the early ’30s. Flores also coined the phrase, “If it isn't a
Flores, it isn’t a yo-yo” which was then used later by the Duncan Yo-Yo
Company to describe their yo-yos. Flores yo-yos are some of the most
highly sought after yo-yos by collectors. After leaving Duncan in the
’30s, he reportedly set up the Bandalore Company which briefly made the
Bandalore Yo-Yo. After World War II, Flores helped Joe Radovan
establish the Chico Yo-Yo Company and demonstrated for Radovan using
Chico and Royal Yo-Yos. In 1954 he started the Flores Corporation of
America which briefly produced another line of Flores Yo-Yos. |
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