According to Cynthia Liu, a California filmmaker who is working on a documentary film about Filipino American Yo-Yo demonstrators and their role in popularizing the Yo-Yo as a toy, at the height of the Yo-Yo craze there were anywhere from 70 to 90 of them traveling around the country for various manufacturers. They hosted contests and gave demonstrations and as a result, drove customers to buy more of the toys when they saw their friends playing with them.
This photo was shot at the Kress store in downtown Jacksonville. A detail of the sign promoting the upcoming contest can be seen below.
Unfortunately it appears that the Famous Filipino Yo-Yo Champion did not rate having his name in the promotions…
Tags: children, filipino, Kress, men, yo-yo
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I remember a “Loop the Loop” yoyo contest held on the stage of a movie theater in around 1948 (the date on the poster).
I remember those promotions very well in the 1946 to 48 period. I remember one in particular at a drugstore accross from John Gorrie Jr. High. Most kids bought them.