OT: tennis anyone?

[pinoymamba]

Originally Posted by Waldo62

Few things feel better than a well hit, one-handed cross court backhand pass...

One handed backhand always.

[Saxon]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

Hmm, I think one of these was the last racket I played with and I still have it. I gather that they were made in more than a single factory? How can we tell which factory produced the racket in our hands?

If you're talking about the old Pro Staffs, you need to check the three letter code on the butt of the handle. That will tell you where they were made. There used to be a chart on the internet many years ago. Wow, I haven't thought about this for ages!

Just found this on the net:

"Pro Staff 85 (St. Vincent ):
1. The first St Vincent production was the same as Chicago PS 85 ( The only change was that the butt code ended with a "Q"

- white butt cap with NO registered mark symbol
- 3-letter code ending with "Q" (HTQ, etc) under "W"
- bumperless construction, so the grommet set was unique (no code)
- three separate raised throat grommets
- brown Fairway leather grip
- red primer can be seen under matte black paint
- "MIDSIZE" on both sides of throat

3 stickers inside the throat on one side:
- grip size with recommended tension "String at 65-70 lbs."
- "Weight/Oz. 11.6-12.3 Unstrung",
- "Balanced 1.0-1.5 in. headlight"

2. The next version had tension on the stickers was lowered to 55-65lb (maybe to reflect the emergence of stiffer synthetic strings?). The (R)egistered mark appeared next to red "W"

3. The next step was the emergence of a bumper guard on the models with stickers wit 55-65lb tension. The grommet set was changed to 22D 1615 (used all way up to Taiwan version).

4. The tension on the stickers was lowered again to 50-60 lb. That was the last version to come with the stickers. At some point "St. Vincent W.I" sticker was added to the butt cap above "W".

5. Soon the stickers were replaced in throat to decals that describe Wilson PWS on one side, recommended tension on the other (50-60 lbs.) and higher/lower tension recommendation for control/power. From here forward the paint finish wasn't very consistent. I've as many frames with matte finish as with a bit more polished/glossier finish. "MIDSIZE" was written on both sides of throat.

6. Later a black rectangular grip size sticker placed at the outside of the throat above the handle and a WIlson holgram was place on the opposite side.

7. The latest variation of St Vincent had "MIDSIZE" written just on one side while "80% braided graphite/20% kevlar" decal was on another side. "Wilson Quality" hologram sticker had become standard.

The butt cap code on some ended with "A" (QRA, QPA, etc)."

[tuscanyswe]

Originally Posted by duff_duffy

This is the only racket for me

Oh i used to play. Love it.

[pjm]

Don’t play anymore, never was any good. But I watch. I’ve become a fan of her’s. By the way, that’s Michal Kwiatkowski with her.

[farmerjosh]

Been playing pretty much my whole life.

I transitioned from a 2 hander to a 1 hander right before college if I remember correctly. The 1 hander allowed for a little more "get" when your footwork wasn't quite right, but if you wanted to rip one, your footwork really needed to be spot on as you can't really muscle it the same way you can with 2 hands.

[Louis]

To tell you how long it's been since I've been on a tennis court, my Stan Smith racket is still down in the basement in a press...

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

I'm with Wilson these days

I thought Wilson was a volley ball!

I played tennis pretty seriously through high school, but then got a bicycle...and a car...and a girl friend...and something had to give.

I love playing tennis, but won't do it if I'm not doing it consistently. I can't just pick it up and be good again...

[Louis]

My main problem with tennis was that it's so much harder (and boring) to learn how to serve well. It was much more fun to practice volleying, so I spent 99% of my time doing that, and never learned to serve adequately. The net (!!!)result was a dead-end as far as making any real progress in the sport.

[72gmc]

Mom loved Chris Evert and also Bjorn (as all ladies did, it seemed). She also dated a tennis coach when I was a kid, so I got to play quite a bit and really liked it. But I got a lot more instruction on my forehand and backhand than my serve, so I also plateaued and then drifted off to join the bad kids on the cross country running team.

[soupless]

Somehow I knew that Pro Staff people would migrate towards a steel bike forum.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by soupless

Somehow I knew that Pro Staff people would migrate towards a steel bike forum.

I wonder if anyone out there is still using their original T2000 ?

[Steve in SLO]

Originally Posted by Louis

I wonder if anyone out there is still using their original T2000 ?

I still remember when Jimmy Connors was looking to buy private owners to 2000s so he could keep them in stock. I think that was around 1970-ish?

[osbk67]

I started playing about the same time Bjorn Borg started winning Wimbledon Mens Singles titles (1976-80, five straight). Switched to cycling soon after moving schools and cities in late 1983...

Still have a never-strung Jack Kramer Pro Staff, one of a matched pair, a tired Head Edgewood, and two Dunlop Max 200gs (90 and 95) kicking around for old times sake.

[jlwdm]

Originally Posted by soupless

Somehow I knew that Pro Staff people would migrate towards a steel bike forum.

Where does that leave players like me who used a Dunlap Maxply Fort?


Jeff

[tv_vt]

Originally Posted by jlwdm

Where does that leave players like me who used a Dunlap Maxply Fort?
Jeff

I think Jan Heine and Rene Singer have a room waiting for you.

My dad went out and bought two T2000 racquets around 1973-74 and we took it from there. He was late 40's and recently had a very mild heart attack and just quit smoking. We played a lot. Including with a high school buddy of mine, who liked to tease my dad by playing him with a lit cigarette hanging from his mouth while waiting to return serve. Yeah, we weren't playing at the country club. Good fun.