Pedro Flores (Yo-yo manufacture)
Encyclopedia
Pedro Flores is widely considered as the first yo-yo
maker in the US and with his Flores yo-yo created the start of an international craze.
, Philippines
and came to the United States in 1915. Between 1919 and 1920 he attended the High School of Commerce in San Francisco 1919-1920 and subsequently studied law at University of California, Berkeley
and the Hastings College of Law in San Francisco. Flores dropped out of school and moved to Santa Barbara, California
where he worked at odd-jobs to make a living.
While working as a bellboy, Flores read an article about a self-made millionaire who made his money by selling a ball attached to a rubber band. At this point he remembered the yo-yo (previously known as the bandalore), a game which has been played for hundreds of years in the Philippines. Bringing it all together, Flores saw a good market opportunity in the US, and the ability to go into business for
himself.
Pedro Flores is most-often described as the inventor of the yo-yo, but he never personally claimed to have invented the yo-yo, always mentioning its past history as a centuries old Philippine game. In addition he is also referred to as the original patent holder of the yo-yo, however yo-yos (Bandalores) had already been patented prior to the company's existence.
, which during the depression of the 1930s was a fortune. On this transaction Flores was quoted saying "I am more interested in teaching children to use the yo-yos than I am in manufacturing of yo-yos." Taking his own words to heart, he became one of the key promoters in Duncan's early yo-yo campaigns. During 1931-1932, Flores was instrumental in setting up a large number of the promotions in the cities where the early Duncan contests were being held. In relation to his contests run just 2 years earlier with his Yo-yo Manufacturing Company, the new Duncan contests were vastly different. These contests now required a series of tricks similar to modern day contests with ties being broken by the number of loop the loops completed.
. In 1954, he also started the Flores Corp. of America, which briefly produced yo-yos in the 1950s.
Yo-yo
The yo-yo in its simplest form is an object consisting of an axle connected to two disks, and a length of twine looped around the axle, similar to a slender spool...
maker in the US and with his Flores yo-yo created the start of an international craze.
Early history
Pedro Flores was born in Vintar, Ilocos NorteVintar, Ilocos Norte
Vintar is a 1st class and largest municipality in the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 29,405 people in 6,282 households.-History:...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and came to the United States in 1915. Between 1919 and 1920 he attended the High School of Commerce in San Francisco 1919-1920 and subsequently studied law at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and the Hastings College of Law in San Francisco. Flores dropped out of school and moved to Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
where he worked at odd-jobs to make a living.
While working as a bellboy, Flores read an article about a self-made millionaire who made his money by selling a ball attached to a rubber band. At this point he remembered the yo-yo (previously known as the bandalore), a game which has been played for hundreds of years in the Philippines. Bringing it all together, Flores saw a good market opportunity in the US, and the ability to go into business for
himself.
Flores Yo-yos
Between 1928 and 1932, Flores started and ran the Yo-yo Manufacturing Company in Santa Barbara before selling the company and trademark to Duncan who continued to market and sell Flores yo-yos alongside the Duncan line.Pedro Flores is most-often described as the inventor of the yo-yo, but he never personally claimed to have invented the yo-yo, always mentioning its past history as a centuries old Philippine game. In addition he is also referred to as the original patent holder of the yo-yo, however yo-yos (Bandalores) had already been patented prior to the company's existence.
Duncan
Between 1930 and 1932, Flores sold his interest in his yo-yo manufacturing companies for greater than $250,000, to Donald DuncanDonald Duncan
Donald F. Duncan, Sr. was an American entrepreneur and inventor, and founder of the Duncan Toys Company.Donald Duncan is most commonly associated with the Yo-Yo, the commercial success and iconic status they enjoyed during the 20th century in the United States and the world being largely the...
, which during the depression of the 1930s was a fortune. On this transaction Flores was quoted saying "I am more interested in teaching children to use the yo-yos than I am in manufacturing of yo-yos." Taking his own words to heart, he became one of the key promoters in Duncan's early yo-yo campaigns. During 1931-1932, Flores was instrumental in setting up a large number of the promotions in the cities where the early Duncan contests were being held. In relation to his contests run just 2 years earlier with his Yo-yo Manufacturing Company, the new Duncan contests were vastly different. These contests now required a series of tricks similar to modern day contests with ties being broken by the number of loop the loops completed.
Later years
Flores stayed involved with yo-yos most of his life. After leaving Duncan in the 1930s, he set up the Bandalore Company which briefly made the Bandalore Yo-Yo. Later, after WWII, he helped Joe Radovan (a fellow Philippine immigrant) in the establishment of the Chico Yo-yo CompanyChico
-Given name:* Chico Marx , actor and one of the Marx Brothers* Chico Buarque , Brazilian singer and writer* Chico DeBarge , R&B singer* Chico Ejiro, Nigeria film director* Chico Mendes , Brazilian environmental activist...
. In 1954, he also started the Flores Corp. of America, which briefly produced yo-yos in the 1950s.
Source
- Meisenheimer, Lucky J. (1999). Lucky's Collectors Guide to 20th Century Yo-Yos: History and Values. Orlando, Fl.: Lucky J's Swim & Surf, Inc.