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S  ou can never have enough yo—yos. Three years ago, Meisenheimer S
That’s John Meisenheimer’s diagn0— self—pub1ished Lucky’s Collectors A G°°d me Bm! M
sis anyway, and he’s one guy who Guide to 20th Century Yo-Yos, ($29.95, John Meisenheimer recently scored for his I
should know. Lucky J S Swim & Surf Inc.), a historic collection when he happened across this Dutch i"
The 44—year—olcl Orlando dermatolo— overview and collector’s price guide. Ulf? at all Uflllm? €*UCl§l0l1 $*199 Thi? 'VNBQE *5 01 B t
gist and a 1983 graduate of the Univer- His compulsion to collect, he says, led VUUUQ n9V Plalllng Wllin B Y9‘V9 and dams P9
sity of Kentucky Medical School has him to realize "that yo-yos are a piece anuunu 18391659 It Was nncucusly uchcvcu
, . - · · ,, that the yo-yo was introduced to Europe around
spent nearly half of his adult life assem— ofAmer1cana.
. . . . . 1780.
bling what many think 1S the largest Serious yo-yo enthusiasts and col-
private collection of the spinning lectors — numbering 2,000 and 5,000
spools in the world. in the United States, Lucky reckons —
Just as mono—monikered divas such proclaim his coffee—table book their events where Lucky spins and wins con-
as Cher, Wynonna and Madonna have bible. verts with his yo-yo skills. At these events,
transcended surnames, Meisenheimer You might wonder about a middle- he trades his duplicate yo—yos with other
is known by the yo-yo faithful simply age husband and father of three boys serious collectors.
as ‘“Lucky." who occupies his empty hours by emp— · - ·
In Lucky`s collection, there are tying his wallet on yo—yos. Then you H8 put ns fOOt,m his {youth _
Cheerios, Coca Colas, Hostess Cup- learn that his collection — even in But yc`yOS arcn t Lucky S Only clann tc
cakes, Dr. Peppers and McDonald’s. today’s devalued market — could fetch famc _
There are Duncan yo-yos, branded, $100,000. Eggcu On ny n1S EaStcrn Kcntucky
stamped and rhinestone—studded. "Yo-yos reflect America, what we Unlycmny SWlm_tca'nInatcS> Lucky nack‘
There are Flores models (the first do, where we go, what we spend our Snckcu n1S yyay lntc tnc Dcc 9’_1979¤
yo-yo manufactured in the United money on," Lucky says, passion rising Rllncy S Bcncyc Her Nc? Syndlcatcu
States),"Executive" yo—yos featuring in his voice. "You give me five catego- St¤,13»m¤¤<€d by tnlS cannon _
naked nymphs, Smothers Brothers yo- ries — movies, advertising, cartoons, _ Jcnn L· Mc1Scnnc1n}cY na Scnlcr cap"  
yos that spawned a top—selling yo-yo in- whatever — and in yo—yos you can see taln cf tnc EaStcrn Kcnlucky Unn’· Swlna l `
structional video, and some 5,000 a lot of America? tcam= Swana a half miie ln 3n_’nlnutcS» 14 lik
models and memorabilia that spin the Where in the world does one find Scccnsi Wnn cnc cf nlS fcct In n1S *
yarn of the toy whose fortunes rise and 5,000 yo-yos? mcu · _ _
l`all with the latest craze. Much of the collection was found by n was In mccncal Scnccl at UK that
After a while, the passion that has sifting through antiques shops. Other Lucky S cnndnccu ’ntcYcSt In yO`yOS rc‘
ordered his steps and filled empty clos— gems were spoils won in eBay auctions. Sumcu when he ncugnt a yc`yO tc nclp
ets in his home gave life to another pas- Some were acquired at his appear- pass tnnc nctwccn claSScS and Swnn Prac'
sion: documenting the history of yo-yos ances at the National Yo-Yo Museum nccS _
in Chico` Calif, and during yO_yO When Lucky moved to Orlando in
1987, he started antiqumg for yo—yos dur-
24 KENTUCKY ALUMNI