This 1952 photograph captures five-year-old Tommy Sargent of 629 E. 124th Street engrossed in a yo-yo session at the Hazeldell School Playground in Cleveland, Ohio. Taken by the Cleveland Press and dated April 18, 1952, the image shows Tommy with furrowed brow and full concentration as he attempts to untangle or adjust his yo-yo string—an all-too-familiar scene for young players learning to yo-yo.
Tommy was one of thousands of Cleveland-area children participating in the Cleveland Press Yo-Yo Tournament that spring. Open to boys and girls under 15, the tournament encouraged playground-level competition, with prizes and recognition for skilled kids. The back caption notes the launch of both playground and suburban contests that week, making this image part of a broader cultural event—the post-war American yo-yo boom.
