Hello guys. I’m a 66 year old lad who had not spun a top in over 56 years, until this week. Thank God it was like riding a bicycle and I was able to spin a Spintastics Blizzard from the first throw. As a kid, less than 10 years old, I had a bunch of Duncan spikers, two steel whistlers and a couple of tops we called ball points. The Duncan spikers cost 10 cents a piece at the corner store.
I never learned tricks, except I seem to remember tops spinning on my hand (have no idea how they got there). My buddies and I just played, for hours, in an ally on Chicago’s South side. We played battle tops and also threw our tops high into the air in the hope they would land on and split someone else’s top. Never happened, but it was fun to try.
Thus far I have purchased a Spintastics Blizzard and Trompo Grande with fixed tip. Also picked up a Duncan Sir Duncan off Ebay. I’ve also ordered a battle top from Andy at Woodtops.com and a Guillia from YoYo Experts. I’ve purchased all these tops because I’m trying to find the top that’s most comfortable for me. I’ve not yet spun the Trompo Grande but really like the Blizzard. The Sir Duncan did what I thought it would do, but did not seem as smooth as the Blizzard.
Now, while I am still on the right side of the grass, I plan to introduce the joy of spinning tops to the children in my church’s Children’s Ministry, in which I help out. I took the Blizzard to Bible Study on Wednesday evening and before classes began, I threw the Blizzard for a while in the church’s gym and quickly drew a small group of kids who had never seen such a thing. I felt like the Pied Piper. Now I plan to get them spinning using one of my tops and will get those who would like one, a top of their own, just so they can learn and enjoy on their own.
This time around we will make sure you learn some tricks! On my board we have several players older than you, including Jeff Smith who learned to regenerate at 77 years old (he is over 80 now). Some of them learned from Rev. Jim Schreiber. Pastor Schreiber learned as a boy in Chicago in the 1910’s and kept spintop trick play alive until he taught it to the Duncan demonstrators in the 1960’s. As far as I know, Chicago was the cradle of spintop tricks.
It’s great to hear of your rediscovery of spin tops after all the years. I too picked them up after a 50 year break. It’s been sheer joy to see the evolution of tops and the incredible skills some folks have with them. You are in for a real treat when you get the Giulia. It is the best top out there today.
It might interest you to know, if you don’t know already, that ta0 is a former world champion who’s skills are off the chart and ever progressing! His forum has a phenomenal membership of super talented people who are always willing to share their wealth of knowledge. In addition, this forum happens to be lucky enough to have the Current Reigning World Champion (and all around Nice Guy) as its moderator!
It sure is great introducing kids to the joy of spinning. Best of luck to you (and much fun) with your spinning introductions at the Children’s Ministry. Keep us updated on your experiences.
Thanks your for the warm welcome guys. I plan to try to learn some tricks but at present I get a kick out of watching the little buggers spin.
Regarding the kids at church, for the last couple years my family has adopted a poor family at church for the sole purpose getting the kids some gifts. On Christmas Eve, we had the mother (father’s in the wind) and the three daughters over for lunch and provide a setting for the girls to open their gifts. After that chaos was over, I got out a top. Neither the ten year old or the 8 year old could manage to spin a top. However, the four year old got it up and spinning on the first throw. I wound the string and she threw it. I have never seen such joy on a little girls face, knowing she had accomplished something her big sisters could not achieve. These little girls are the light of my life and I am so blessed to be able to spend time with them.
That’s great that you picked up tops again, and very cool that you could throw again right away!
While you are building up your top collection, may I suggest you get a Duncan RipCord and Bearing King. They are inexpensive and kind of fill in the gap sizewise between the Blizzard and the Trompo G.
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