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| Hummingbird YoYo Man / Smothers Brothers, v. 1 |
| Exhibit #2999 |
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| Type | Production |
| Shape | Standard (-) |
| Axle | Fixed |
| Packaging | Bubble Carded |
| Construction | Three piece wood |
| Response | None |
| Condition | Mint |
| Date | 1988 |
| Owner | Rick Brough |
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This model is the first version release of the YoYo Man yo-yo. The first release had an outer gold foil ring around the YoYo Man logo. The reverse side has the "Smothers Brothers" silouette logo. Body is made from kiln-dried hardrock maple.
Version two of the yo-yo did not have a gold outer ring around the YoYo Man logo, but had an imprint of "Hummingbird" above Tom Smothers' head.
The yo-yo commemorated The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1988–1989). To augment their act, "YoYo Man" became part of their shows. Tom Smothers had created the mostly non-speaking character in the late '60s, a comedic performer of tricks using a yo-yo. The term "YoYo Man" is registered in his name. In their 2008 tour, YoYo Man was listed as the group's opening act.
In 1992, Salt Lake's Dale Myrberg went backstage at Las Vegas' Golden Nugget to see his friend, Tommy Smothers, the comedian, who has the term "YoYo Man" registered in his name. Smothers was entertaining some kids by doing yo-yo tricks. When he saw Myrberg, he stopped in his tracks and asked him to take over. "Then," says Myrberg, "I heard this voice saying, 'Oh, look, there's the REAL YoYo Man.' "It was Smothers' wife, Marci. That meant a lot to Myrberg, which is why he will sometimes sign an autograph as "the REAL YoYo Man." But he has no intention of challenging the "YoYo Man" title taken by Tom Smothers, because Smothers is his benefactor. Myrberg became nationally known in 1988 and 1989 when he appeared as a guest on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on CBS Television. When asked how good Smothers is with the Yo-Yo, Myrberg smiles and says confidently, "On a 10 scale, Tom is 5 and I'm an 18." Myrberg considers Smothers "a class comedian," but says he doesn't do "the fancy two-handed stuff.*
* Lythgoe, Dennis (4 November 1994). "The Real YoYo Man's a S.L. Man". DeseretNews.com. Last retrieved 21 October 2018.
Original retail price: $10 US.
See also the Tom Kuhn "Smo-Bro" yo-yo by clicking "Close-up" in the exhibit. | |
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