World’s Largest Yo-Yo, 1974

Back in 1974, MIT Professor James Williams led students in creating the world's largest yo-yo. From the MIT Black History site:

When the 35-pound contraption, made of two bicycle wheels, was ready, Williams took it to the roof of a 21-story building at MIT. He anchored the cord to an I beam, hooked up a motor which jerked the line rhythmically like a finger and let the yo-yo drop. The wheels, revolving up to 1,000 times a minute, reached a speed of more than 80 miles an hour. Then, the yo-yo climbed more than two-thirds of the way back up the 400-pound-test-weight nylon cord...

Williams was offered $5,000 for the yo-yo by a Las Vegas casino (“I feel sensitive about selling it”), and laughed off suggestions that he drop it from Canada’s tallest structure, Toronto’s 1,800-foot Canadian National Tower. “There were all sorts of radio and TV offers,” he says wearily.




Arizona Daily Star - Feb 5, 1974



The record no longer stands. According to Guinness, the current record holder is Beth Johnson who, in 2012, successfully tested a yo-yo measuring 11 ft 10.75 in diameter and weighing 4,620 lb.
     Posted By: Alex - Mon Feb 24, 2020
     Category: World Records | 1970s





Comments
The suggestion that the yo-yo be dropped from the CN Tower reminded me of my all-time favorite Super Dave Osborne stunt.
Posted by Fritz on 02/24/20 at 06:38 AM
That current "record holder" rebounded less than 50% of its height. It's big and flashy-looking, however, so it must sell well for Guinness.
Posted by Virtual in Carnate on 02/24/20 at 09:38 AM
Sounds like forerunners to the Rensselaer Drop Squad.
Posted by KDP on 02/24/20 at 11:56 AM
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