Proud to present Doc Lucky for today’s profile!!
What got you into throwing? How did you find the hobby?
Like any other kid in the 60s & 70s, I played the yo-yo a little bit, maybe a little more obsessive than the average kid. In medical school, I found a yo-yo and trick book, and to kill time between classes, I started practicing. I learned all the tricks in the book. That was the start.
If you could only have one yo-yo for the rest of your life what would it be?
If it had to be a fixed axle, it would be a Tom Kuhn 3-in-1, No Jive. If it was nonresponsive, then the one I would go with is the Shutter.
What trick are you working on currently and what is your all-time favorite trick?
I am getting better at two-handed looping. However, I could be more consistent. My favorite trick is rock the baby out the window. It’s a crowd-pleaser just because of the name.
What’s the most meaningful yo-yo you have in your collection?
That would be an original Flores yo-yo from 1928. I’ve always said you’re only a Jedi yo-yo collector if you own a Flores yo-yo.
What kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
I still compete in open water swims and do a 2-kilometer lake swim daily each morning. I also play for the Orlando underwater hockey team. We were the 2024 Florida state champions this year. I also like doing short films, and I’ve had a couple in the last few years at film festivals that have picked up a few awards.
What are your favorite restaurants and order?
I would go with the one that has had the most yo-yo premiums over the years: McDonald’s. My favorite order would be a Big Mac and small fries with two BBQ sauces. My cardiologist tells me that that is no longer my favorite order.
What is your favorite movie or TV show?
My favorite movie is The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. My favorite TV show is Game of Thrones (with the exception, of course, of the last season of the show.)
If there is one song that you say fits your mood and personality perfectly what would it be?
Any song by Weird Al Yankovic
What is your best yo-yo memory?
I have many, but there are two that stand out. The first time I was in Tallahassee, sometime in the 90s, I was hanging out after a yo-yo competition. Steve Brown had just recently attached either a ball or maybe it was a dice at the time to the end of the string. He said, “Guys, check this out,” and he threw a simple aerial. Everybody’s jaw dropped to the ground. We saw 5A for the first time, and the rest is history. The second memory was when I was hanging out with Mark McBride in a hotel room, and he said let me show you a trick I invented. On the third try he hit it. “I call it velvet rolls,” and 3A was invented.
What is your bad yo-yo habit?
Absolutely not arranging to have enough yo-yo throwing time.
What’s the most expensive or rare yo-yo you have?
That is a tricky question to answer as I have several one-of-a-kind prototypes. I also have many yo-yos that we refer to as “majors” in the collecting world. A major is a yo-yo that has sold at some point in time for over $1000 at auction. Some of my favorite rare yo-yos are a Candy swirl Flores, a Duncan white wooden prototype Coke yo-yo (Duncan only made six and rejected the color), a Dale Evans yo-yo (only 10 or 12 were made), Tom Kuhn reverse Flying camel, an original Yomega yo-yo, a wood Jack Russell yo-yo signed by Jack, okay I’ll stop there I could list 40 more.
If you never found yo-yo what would you be doing instead?
I would be making movies, preferably zombie-related or horror. It’s still on my bucket list.
How is the yo-yo community change from what it used to be and where do you think it will end up?
I was at the first modern national championships in 1993 Chico, CA. I have seen the yo-yo evolve from a contest to a legitimate sport. Yo-yo competitions will end up being in the Olympics someday. If break dancing and skateboarding can make it into the Olympics, the yo-yo should also be a part.
Advice / words of wisdom to new players?
Practice, and then practice more until your fingers bleed. That is the only way to become a yo-yo champion.
What do you want to tell the world?
That’s an easy one; the answer is, “You can never have too many yo-yos!”