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History of Yo-Yos Timeline

(c. 500 BCE–Present)

The history of yo-yos traces the toy’s development from ancient objects and Filipino traditions to mass production, innovative designs, and modern competitive play. Less

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Go to: Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early history and cultural use

Bandalore name used in the 18th century

1700 - 1799

The yo-yo was also called a bandalore during the 18th century, reflecting an early alternative name for the toy.

Image source: Yo-Yo Ma

Bandalore name used in the 18th century

Yo-yos become popular in England

1700 - 1799

Yo-yos became popular in England around the end of the eighteenth century.

Bandalore becomes a common English name

1700 - 1799

In England, the toys were commonly called bandalores or bandylores during this period.

Mughal painting depicts a similar string toy

1770

A Mughal painting from around 1770 shows the use of a string toy similar, though not identical, to the modern yo-yo.

Yo-yos banned in Syria

1933

Yo-yos were banned in Syria in 1933 because many locals superstitiously blamed their use for a severe drought.

Commercial expansion

Flores begins with handmade toys

1928

The business began with a dozen handmade yo-yos, marking the start of Flores's manufacturing operation.

Pedro Flores opens a yo-yo company

1928

Pedro Flores, a Filipino immigrant to the United States, opened the Yo-yo Manufacturing Company in Santa Barbara, California.

Flores opens Los Angeles and Hollywood factories

1929

By November 1929, Flores was operating two additional factories in Los Angeles and Hollywood.

Donald Duncan purchases Flores assets

1929

Shortly after Flores's expansion, entrepreneur Donald F. Duncan recognized the potential of the yo-yo fad and purchased the Flores Yo-yo Corporation and its assets.

Flores factories employ 600 workers

Nov 1929

The three Flores factories together employed 600 workers by November 1929.

Flores factories produce 300,000 units daily

Nov 1929

By November 1929, Flores's factories collectively produced 300,000 yo-yos each day.

Yo-yo trademark registered in Canada

1932

Sam Dubiner registered the name “Yo-yo” as a trademark in Vancouver, Canada. The name remains a trademark there.

Kalmartrissan yo-yos begin production

1932

Swedish Kalmartrissan yo-yos also began to be manufactured in 1932.

Flores name transfers to Duncan company

1932

The Flores name was transferred to Duncan's new company in 1932.

Duncan opens Luck factory

1946

The Duncan Toys Company opened a yo-yo factory in Luck, Wisconsin, in 1946.

Duncan launches a television comeback campaign

1962

Declining sales after World War II prompted Duncan to launch a comeback campaign for its trademarked “Yo-Yo” in 1962.

Duncan advertises yo-yos on television

1962

The 1962 comeback campaign used a series of television advertisements to revive interest in Duncan yo-yos.

Yo-yo becomes common speech

1965

In a 1965 trademark case, a federal court of appeal determined that “yo-yo” had become part of common speech.

Duncan loses exclusive rights to yo-yo

1965

The federal court of appeal ruled in favor of the Royal Tops Company, determining that Duncan no longer had exclusive rights to the term “yo-yo.”

Flambeau acquires Duncan trademarks

1968

Flambeau, Inc. acquired Duncan's company name and associated trademarks in 1968. Flambeau had manufactured Duncan's plastic models since 1955.

Duncan family sells company name

1968

Following legal expenses and other financial pressures, the Duncan family sold the company name and associated trademarks in 1968.

Flambeau continues operating the company

2020

As of 2020, Flambeau Plastics continued to run the Duncan company.

Innovation and technology

Tom Kuhn patents the No Jive 3-in-1

1979

Dentist and yo-yo celebrity Tom Kuhn patented the No Jive 3-in-1 yo-yo in 1979.

First take-apart yo-yo is created

1979

Kuhn's No Jive 3-in-1 became the world's first take-apart yo-yo, allowing players to change its axle.

SKF manufactures ball-bearing novelty yo-yos

1984

Swedish bearing company SKF briefly manufactured novelty yo-yos with ball bearings in 1984.

Tom Kuhn introduces the SB-2

1990

Tom Kuhn introduced the SB-2 yo-yo in 1990.

SB-2 becomes first successful ball-bearing yo-yo

1990

The SB-2 used an aluminum transaxle and became the first successful ball-bearing yo-yo.

Wolf Yoyo Works tests bearing material

May 2018

The material referenced in the history of modern yo-yo development was first tested in a prototype bearing made by Wolf Yoyo Works in May 2018.

Patent protection expires

Mar 28, 2020

The patent associated with the development described in the yo-yo history expired on March 28, 2020.

Competition and popular culture

Octopussy depicts a yo-yo weapon

1983

The 1983 James Bond film Octopussy depicted a yo-yo weapon whose disks were large circular saw blades.

Yo-yo weapon is judged impractical

1983

The saw-blade yo-yo weapon in Octopussy has been described as wholly improbable, impractical, and probably suicidal.

Freehand style is developed

1999

Steve Brown developed the freehand style of yo-yo play in 1999.

Duncan yo-yo enters National Toy Hall of Fame

1999

The Duncan yo-yo was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York, in 1999.

Image source: National Toy Hall of Fame

Duncan yo-yo enters National Toy Hall of Fame

Freehand becomes a rapidly growing style

2008

By 2008, freehand was considered the fastest-growing style of yo-yo play.

Fixed-axle sleep record reaches 3:51.54

2010

As of 2010, the world record sleep time for a fixed-axle yo-yo was 3 minutes and 51.54 seconds.

Transaxle sleep record reaches 21:15.17

2010

As of 2010, the world record sleep time for a transaxle yo-yo was 21 minutes and 15.17 seconds.

C3YoyoDesign BTH breaks sleep record

2012

In 2012, the C3YoyoDesign BTH broke the transaxle yo-yo sleep-time record.

Transaxle sleep record reaches 30:28.30

2012

The C3YoyoDesign BTH recorded a transaxle sleep time of 30 minutes and 28.30 seconds in 2012.

Unresponsive yo-yos reshape competition

2026

In 2026, the reign of unresponsive yo-yos had shifted the landscape of competitive play, alongside the continuing role of responsive yo-yos.

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Key Facts

  1. A Greek vase from around 440 BCE depicts a boy holding a yo-yo-like object, providing one of the earliest known records of the toy.
  2. The word "yo-yo" is commonly associated with the Philippines, where similar toys became an important part of local culture and were used for play and hunting practices.
  3. Filipino immigrant Pedro Flores helped popularize the yo-yo in the United States during the 1920s by manufacturing and demonstrating the toy.
  4. Entrepreneur Donald F. Duncan acquired Pedro Flores’s company in 1932 and transformed the yo-yo into a major mass-market product.
  5. Modern yo-yoing includes organized competitions and advanced styles such as string tricks, looping, offstring, and counterweight play.

Source

This History of Yo-Yos timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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