Tennis Mini-break
I love tennis. I don’t play nearly as much as I’d like to. About half of my Qx vacations with Amy include tennis; the first day is usually frustrating as I dust the rust off my strokes. By the third day I’m getting back into it and by day five I’m fantasizing about all the tennis I’m going to play when I get back home. I then don’t play much, except a little in the summer. I repeat this cycle on another Qx vacation.
My Q1 vacation in the Bahamas was fun, but for a variety of reasons I didn’t end up getting recharged the way I generally do from a Qx vacation. So – Amy and I decided to grab a few friends, go some place warm (in this case, San Diego), and have a four day tennis weekend. My brother Daniel and his wife are part of the group and as a teaser he sent me a photo of his first tennis racquet (it was my second tennis racquet). Recognize it?
That is one sweet Jack Kramer Autograph. Daniel and I were both pretty serious juniors; I played 8+ hours a day in the summer in the Texas heat and tournaments on the weekend until I hit 14. At that point, I discovered computers and girls and it was all over for my budding tennis career.
Daniel and I both graduated to Futabaya’s (one of the first wood composite racquets that didn’t shatter when you threw them at the ground), but I lovingly remember my Jack Kramer Autograph. I also remember having to buy one with my very own money ($30 with strings – had to buy nylon because I couldn’t afford gut) because I’d smashed it in a fit of anger and my parents – very appropriately – decided to teach me a lesson.
I now use a racquet made out of plutonium that weighs 0.2 ounces and has a sweet spot the size of a cantaloupe. But I still wind up and crush the ball from the baseline as though I was using my trusty Jack Kramer Autograph.
The Jack Kramer Autograph was my first racquet too … until I had to have the Jack Kramer Pro Staffs (which pretty much seemed like the same racquet anyway) because John McEnroe used them.
i had a sweet stan smith
Ooh. You had the fancy one! I always wanted one – darker wood, sweeter lines.
"I now use a racquet made out of plutonium that weight 0.2 ounces and has a sweet spot the size of a cantaloupe."
I loved that. So true. You should see my new bike. Acres of man made material.
Nostalgic post.
I broke my squash racquet on a rail shot last month, which brought back memories of my first racquet-breaking (in anger).
It didn't seem like it at the time, but the parental lesson in finance that followed was, as you put it, very appropriate.
You must have been hanging out with the T bar M crowd back in the day
What's the half-life of your plutonium racket? Is it smokin' hot?
Hah! It is radioactive.
I'll see your Jack Kramer and raise you one Head Vilas. The Vilas' stylish neck (http://www.woodtennis.com/newWood/newWood.html) was so mesmerizing that when girls and computers came along, I kept playing tennis.
You might give the hand-me-down Jack Kramer — and the reminder of the love of the game — to Roger Federer in Paris. His Annikin Skywalker-meets-Hamlet eyes lately indicate that he could use a wood racket tournament, a bottle of gin, a laugh, and a night out with Yannick Noah more than the clay court season.
Great to see the game relevant again.
Brad, one of the things I like about your blog is that we had near-identical childhoods. I totally remember that racket and, later, my excitement about the new large aluminum Head Edge with the special grip tape. Now, I play my 1 set of tennis a year when I visit my parents in Florida and somehow, amazingly, I can serve…probably better than when I was 14.
My parents had “Red Heads” and I always longed to use them. Every now and then I’d sneak it onto the court and blast away with it. My dad’s old Wilson T2000 also sat in the closet – I remember wielding that mother every now and then – I think it was heavier than I was at 11.
That is some very nice wood.
I had a Jack Kramer too. The sweet spot was about the size of a….quarter! We had no idea there could ever be any improvement on this ! [remember the wood frames you were supposed to lock the racquet into every night to avoid warping!] And then the Prince GIANT racquets came along and my coach annc'd we could use them — but it was cheating !
I was a TbarM wannabe. I belonged to the North Dallas Racquet Club and played there. My folks never sprung for the TbarM membership.
I don't like tennis, but this is wery interesting post
Ah yes, the (Jimmy Conners) Metal Wilson T2000 … could also probably be used as a machete if you had to hack your way through a rain forest!
Have three tournaments in the next two weeks. Go Texas tennis players
!
I haven't played in years, but when I did play a lot I had two Kramers, one with gut and the other with nylon. That way, I could play regardless of the weather or court condition.
I also loved a Head Author Ash Competition I got later, which was my first non-wood racket.
Brad, have you tried squash? As a former tennis and racquetball player, I can attest it's a superior sport.
"now use a racquet made out of plutonium that weighs 0.2 ounces and has a sweet spot the size of a cantaloupe". Mine es 0.1 ounces!!!!
http://www.velocidadlimite.com
I remember using my cousins Jack Kramer Autograph racket back in the early eighties and that picture brought all of those memories flooding back. Although I've never really taken to tennis I am a fairly decent squash player so I suppose the experience wasn't lost on me. I believe that Wilson brought out a replica of the original wooden Jack Kramer autograph racket but manufactured with modern carbon based materials. From what I've seen both the originals (especially from the late forties/early fifties) and the re-edition are much sought after items.
ı used to play table tennis…it requires not less attention and condition than tennis, but what i like in tennis is the cool equipments…have seen a racquet that looks like master piece of art LOL
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I used to play a lot of tennis in my young days and then found table tennis more fun. At this age, I am not as fit as I was before so I fulfill my desires by playing table tennis games on computer anthem real estate hehe.
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Tennis or squash are both interesting games
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Tennis or squash are both interesting games
But if we need to spend some extra hours in practice then we need to earn some extra bucks
so suggest everyone to try out this new Earn Cash Fast & Earn Quick Cash
It has really exciting features and you will be able to play tennis and squash for longer periods of time
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You might have so much passion for tennis. It's unbelievable that you was able to play 8+ hours a day in the Texas's summer. About me, I could just play at most 3 hrs. in the summer time in NC.
I love Tennis! I wish i coudl be a pro but sadly that will never happen
Tennis is the best sport I love it.
ah… nice read it was.. pretty similar to my case with badminton… i was very serious when i was very young.. and as i grew up studies took more importance n i had to drop baddy for it.. still play in the weekends though!
At least you manage to pla decent tennis on your holidays, i try to play agame and then give up in distgust
I struggel to play for an hour in any weather, i recon there is some bragging going on here
nIce One!
Ahh, this takes me back to my childhood when I played tennis with my friends and family, but I moved on to soccer now. Hope to play it again soon!
I had a Jack Kramer too. The sweet spot was about the size of a….quarter! We had no idea there could ever be any improvement on this ! [remember the wood frames you were supposed to lock the racquet into every night to avoid warping!] And then the Prince GIANT racquets came along and my coach annc'd we could use them — but it was cheating !
For me it was the other way around. I started playing soccer and then moved to tennis.
Very nostalgic post that makes me think about my old tennis racquet…….enjoyable memories
BT Converse
Yes, I remember getting tennis lessons when I was a child, I was decent at it too. Probably not very good any more, haven't played in years.
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