YoYo Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Accyyhpg 099

Russell is one of the oldest and most well-known yo-yo companies. The Russell company was formed in 1947 when Jack Russell, a professional yo-yo player, took the idea of linking yo-yos to promotions. Originally called The Jack Russell Company, recently the company has been renamed to Russell Promotions, Inc. (to refelect the overall makeup of the company, including most of Jack's family), but the core company concept still remains: promoting name brand products and linking them directly to promotions.

An example of the promotional view, is the Coca-Cola Russell yo-yo craze that swept across the globe in the 1980's and gave a lot of the current generation of yo-yo players their start. In this period professional Russell demonstrators took the craze to 95 countries, with yo-yo models reflecting most of the soft drinks produced by the Coca-Cola company. Promotions are based on the idea of taking a simple toy, creating a fad around it, and supporting it with related activities, such as yo-yo competitions.

Recently Russell Promotions have expanded the types of products they offer to footbags, keeping with the tradition of "easy to learn but difficult to master" skill related sports. Russell Promotions, Inc. is located in Stuart, Florida.

Yo-yos Produced[]

Note that yo-yos released in the UK and some parts of Europe are called "spinners" instead of "yo-yos".

1960's[]

  • Beginners - Tournament-shaped fixed-string yo-yo made of tin. Made in Hong Kong since 1961.
  • Championship- Slimline-shaped yo-yo made of plastic halves and wooden axle. Made in Australia since 1961.
  • Special Executive - A limited edition of the Championship yo-yo given to Coca-Cola executives. Made in Australia in 1967. Only 200 pieces were made.
  • Wooden Yo-Yos - All-wooden yo-yos made in Japan by Russell during the 1960's for export to Latin America.

1963 (Japan Only)[]

In Japan, Morinaga partnered with Russell to promote their milk-based beverage called Morinaga Chorus and started the first Russell yo-yo boom in Japan.

  • Magic Yo-Yo - An all-wooden yo-yo similar to a Duncan Tournament, made in Hiroshima, Japan and sold by Russell in 1963. Later versions have the Russell name removed.

1970's[]

  • Beginner - Lightweight all-plastic fixed-string yo-yo that is either tournament-shaped or shaped like a bottle crown/cap.
  • Butterfly - Butterfly-shaped yo-yo.
  • Championship - Slimline-shaped wooden axle yo-yo with opaque plastic yo-yo halves.
  • Professional - Another name for the Championship yo-yo.
  • Super - Slimline-shaped wooden axle yo-yo with transparent plastic yo-yo halves. Heavier than the Professional/Championship.

1970's (Philippines Only)[]

  • Beginner - Lightweight all-plastic fixed-string yo-yo that is either tournament-shaped or shaped like a bottle cap.
  • Butterfly (Philippines) - Similar to the Super but with smaller dimensions. Strangely-labeled yoyo.
  • Championship - Slimline-shaped wooden axle yo-yo with opaque plastic yo-yo halves.
  • Professional - Another name for the Championship yo-yo.
  • Spinner - Similar to the Super but with smaller dimensions.
  • Super - Slimline-shaped wooden axle yo-yo with transparent plastic yo-yo halves. Heavier than the Professional/Championship.

1974 (Japan Only)[]

This year marks the first Coca-Cola yo-yo boom in Japan. Most of the yo-yos released were made in the Philippines, but by 1976, they were also made locally in Japan as well, by Kyorin Co. Ltd., which would later release an off-brand version of the Russell yo-yos called the Central American Yo-Yo.

  • Beginner - Lightweight all-plastic fixed-string yo-yo that is shaped like a bottle crown.
  • Professional - Slimline-shaped wooden axle yo-yo with white plastic yo-yo halves.
  • Super - Slimline-shaped wooden axle yo-yo with clear plastic yo-yo halves. Heavier than the Professional.

1979 (Japan Only, 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics)[]

The second Coca-Cola yo-yo boom in Japan was launched to promote the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics. After the Japanese team announced their boycott of the event in 1980, all Olympic logos we quickly removed from the yo-yos.

  • Challenge - Tournament-shaped wooden-axle yo-yo. This model was exclusive to Japan.
  • Galaxy - Prize yo-yo redeemable via a scratch card containing the prize. Same model as the Challenge but either colored a shiny gold, or had a clear glittered body.
  • Special Spin - Unusual curved metal-axle yo-yo. Tournament-shaped, it was quickly redesigned in 1980 to have a wider V-shaped gap. These models were exclusive to Japan.
  • Super - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo. Heavier than the Challenge.

1980's[]

  • Champion - Possibly a prize yo-yo. Has a white color.
  • Galaxy - Usual name for a prize yo-yo known for its glitter-infused clear plastic. Some models are gold-colored or have gold-colored parts.
  • Gold - Prize yo-yo known for having a shiny gold colored bulge. Released in the UK.
  • Professional - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo.
  • Special Spin - Unusual curved brass-axle yo-yo. Tournament-shaped with or without bulged faces.
  • Super - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo. Heavier than the Professional.

1980's (Canada Only)[]

In Canada, Russell yo-yos are called "Russell Royale Return Tops" to avoid trademark issues with the word 'Yo-Yo'.

  • Galaxy - Prize yo-yo with clear glittered plastic and tournament shape.
  • Galaxy 200 - Standard lightweight bulge-face yo-yo, with white body.
  • Galaxy S 300 - Standard heavy bulge-face yo-yo, with clear-colored body.

1980's (France Only)[]

Note that Russell yo-yos are called by the trademark, "Roll'in". They are either made in Spain, or Philippines.

  • Champion - Standard lightweight bulge-face yo-yo, with white body.
  • Galaxy - Prize yo-yo with clear glittered plastic body and white bulged faces.
  • Super - Standard heavy bulge-face yo-yo, with clear-colored body.

1983 (Japan Only, 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics)[]

The third Coca-Cola yo-yo boom in Japan is the final one by Russell, and was launched to promote the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. The yo-yos in this range are unique in that the yo-yo caps are clear-colored with printed cardboard under it, with the typical Russell yo-yo format on one side, and the Olympic mascot on the other side.

  • Gold Medal - Prize yo-yo redeemable via a scratch card containing the prize. Same model as the Professional but with a shiny gold-colored bulge.
  • Professional - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo with white body halves.
  • Special Spin - Unusual curved brass-axle yo-yo. Tournament-shaped with bulged faces.
  • Super - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo with clear-colored body halves. Heavier than the Professional.

1990's[]

  • Breakdancer - Has a black color and gold print like the Master, but with the body shape of a Spinner. May have been a prize yo-yo. One of the most sought after Russell yo-yos.
  • Galaxy - Prize yo-yo known for its glitter-infused clear plastic.
  • Hi-Tech - Similar to the Galaxy but with a Light-up feature.
  • Master - Known for having a black bulge, usually with gold or silver prints.
  • Professional - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo. Heavier than the Super.
  • Special Spin - Unusual curved brass-axle yo-yo. Tournament-shaped with bulged faces.
  • Super - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo.

1992 (1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics)[]

All yo-yos in this range have rings around the yo-yo caps except for the Special Spin, and the Special Edition Black yo-yo which doesn't seem to belong to this range (but is included here in the list because of its relevance to the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics). Also, all text are written in English except for the Special Edition.

  • Champion - Green body with orange ring and red cap. It is not known what mechanism is in the yo-yo.
  • Galaxy - Prize yo-yo known for its glitter-infused clear plastic.
  • Professional - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo.
  • Special Edition - All black yo-yo with shiny gold print of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics logo, as well as some text below written in Spanish.
  • Special Spin - Unusual curved brass-axle yo-yo. Tournament-shaped with bulged faces.
  • Star - Fixed-string yo-yo.
  • Super - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo. Heavier than the Professional.

1998 (Japan)[]

Continuing the first Hyper Yo-Yo boom launched by Bandai in Japan in 1997, they released two yo-yos named Hyper Russell. These yo-yos were official Russell products and were made in Korea.

1999-2000's[]

  • Ellipse - Standard slimline-shaped yo-yo.
  • Hi-Tech - Light-up yo-yo now redesigned to have a rounded modified shape.
  • Hourglass - New butterfly-shaped yo-yo.
  • Millennium - Slimline-shaped yo-yo but with a clear glittered body. Probably the modern equivalent of the Galaxy.
  • Professional - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo. Heavier than the Super.
  • Soccer Ball - Round-shaped yo-yo with a soccer ball motif.
  • Super - Standard wooden-axle yo-yo.

Other[]

External link[]

Russell homepage

Advertisement