Vintage Tennis
January 11, 2010
Stick It Wear T-shirts - Part 1, Our Savior JC
Jimmy Connors, that is...what did you think we meant? :)
There are few tennis strokes as distinctive as the straight-armed, lefty, two-handed backhand of Jimmy Connors. Which is exactly what the newest Stick It Wear design captures perfectly. Add to that the Dutch boy haircut, the Wilson T-2000 racquet and the short-shorts, and you've got the persona nailed.
As with all the Stick It Wear items, the stick figure graphic is augmented by the dates of the player's most noteworthy accomplishments. In this case, Connors' U.S. Open wins, when one of the original bad boys of tennis was dominating the sport. Not to mention, Connors is the only player to win the U.S. Open on all three of its surfaces - grass, clay and hard.
You can get the JC shirt on a variety of apparel items, but the image shown is a 100% cotton t-shirt. Its soft and not overly thick cotton. That coupled with the reasonable cut (not too slim, not too baggy) makes it a very comfortable shirt.
September 5, 2008
Vintage Tennis Fridays: The Plainest Tennis Shoes Ever
If you read this blog with any regularity, you know we like not only vintage tennis looks, but classic tennis looks. In general, "classic" means whites, simple, etc. Well, these sneaks by Erik Schedin actually have NO details whatsoever, just white sneakers. They're Stan Smith-esque, but without any design elements at all.
http://www.erikschedin.com/
From CoolHunting
July 15, 2008
Nike McEnroe Air Trainers Finally Available for Sale
We've been waiting for the new Nike re-issue of McEnroe Air Trainers (here and here), and now the wait is over!
You can get them today at Tennis Warehouse for $80
June 16, 2008
adidas Tournament Pack - We need these in the US!
We first brought these to you back in March, and now SneakerFiles has pics on the second drop of the classic adidas tennis shoes. White, black and green are three of the few colors seen in the pack throughout the different models. The Matchplay, Tennis Advantage OG, Stan Smith, and Forest Hills '82 are the four sneakers seen in this second drop.
Check them out, they're awesome if you're a fan of classic tennis looks and the old school. From what we can tell, they're only selling in the UK. If we're wrong in this assumption, PLEASE someone let us know. If we're not, comment on this blog and let's see if we can get someone to carry them over here.
May 22, 2008
Retro Nike Air Tech Challenge II Set for June
If you liked the new/old Nike Air Trainers I posted about recently, you'll love these - Nike Air Tech Challenge II Limited Edition in White / Tart - Clay Blue - Granite. They're expected to release in June.
From SneakerFiles
May 16, 2008
Vintage Tennis: Nike Classic Panda
Recently, Southeast China was hit with a major earthquake, leaving many injured and killed. To help restoring the areas destroyed and help with the bills, the Fragment x Nike Tennis Classic Panda Pack will be auctioned off, with the proceeds helping victims due to the earthquake. No date has been announced yet.
From Sneakerfiles
Vintage Tennis Friday - Nike Classic Woven
These are more "classic" than "vintage," but who cares? We like them.
From SneakerFiles:
Earlier this month, a collaboration between Nike and Fragment Design was previewed along with a few other styles.
Here's a look at the latest pack which consists of two different Tennis Classic Premiums featuring a woven upper. Both sport the woven design on the toe box and tongue. Release is slated for May 17th at Atmos.
May 9, 2008
Vintage Tennis Friday, Part Deaux - Rene Lacoste 75th Anniversary Sneaker Pack
While we don't think the famed member of the Four Musketeers, Rene Lacoste, wore brightly colored sneakers, we appreciate the thought Lacoste has put into their Rene Lacoste sneaker pack to mark the company's 75th anniversary. The pack has six different single-colored sneakers named after the founder, Jean Rene Lacoste. According to SneakerFiles, each sneaker will retail around $75 - yikes, for canvas sneakers? The power of branding!
Vintage Tennis Friday: Adidas Rod Laver Low Weave Black / White
Another new take on a classic, this pair of adidas Rod Laver's features a black and white color scheme. And like all Rod Laver's, they are mesh, so they breath. SneakerFiles.com tells us we should be able to get them at a local adidas retailer.
May 7, 2008
Tennis Equipment Q & A - What's the history of wooden tennis rackets?
Q. What is the history of wooden tennis rackets?
A: Early racquets date back to the 14th and 15th centuries and were used in games that resembled squash more than modern-day tennis. The heads of these racquets were more oval in shape and smaller than today's racquets, and the handles were very long. The game of tennis as we know it today and its equipment got started in the late 19th century in London, England. In 1874, Major Walter C. Wingfield patented the rules and equipment for a tennis game played outdoors on grass lawns. From 1874 to 1967, tennis rackets were made of wood and did not change very much in design, though their construction improved dramatically.
Rather than craft a tennis racket out of large pieces of wood, lamination allowed racket makers to glue layers of wood together. The wood tennis rackets of the period were heavy (many weighed in at an impressive 14 ounces), lacked maneuverability (thanks to their weight and balance) and were low in power (the head size was only 65 sq. inches).
Then came the T2000 from Wilson in 1967 and everything changed. Starting with aluminum and then switching over to today's composites of graphite, carbon fiber and titanium, rackets have never been the same. In 1976 Prince came out with the Prince Classic, distinguished for its light weight, oversized head, bigger sweet spot, higher power and general playability, especially for beginners and intermediates. This essentially marked the end of the age of wooden rackets, as aluminum and high-tech composites took over the industry as the materials of choice. But hold on to those old wooden tennis racquets you have lying around the attic, they may be worth some money as an antique.
Courtesy of Do It Tennis
April 28, 2008
Vintage Tennis - adidas Tennis TC in Red, White and Blue
From SneakerFiles.com:
Sporting Adidas' traditional three striped silhouette, this Tennis TC appears very subtle, but definitely appealing. The white, red, and blue color-way combines with the simple design to deliver a great overall shoe that has a lot to offer. In addition, the toe box is composed of suede and the tongue features a net embossed design.
Image from SneakerFiles.com.
April 14, 2008
April 9, 2008
First look at Nike Tennis Classics shoe package
Never to be outdone by rival adidas (see adidas Tournament Pack brings the tennis classics back!), we have a first look of the Nike Tennis Classic Pack - which includes Tennis Classics in gray, blue and "bordeaux" which is a fancy way to say "maroon." The kicks are suede and an outlined Swoosh without stitching. In addition, a small stamp from the designers, Fragment Design< is stamped on the back of the heel. So they aren't a direct parallel to the adidas classics really, we'd rather have seen them in the classic looks. No official release date yet.
From SneakerFiles
April 4, 2008
Vintage Tennis Friday: Spring Court Tennis Sneakers
Spring Court tennis sneakers first hit the scene way back in 1936, when French greats like The Four Horsemen (Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet, René Lacoste) wore them. Well, they're back, complete with their trademark features, such as the four holes on the either side of the sole, a removable insole and arch support. So they have natural ventilation.
Spring Courts became pop culture items as well, but we'll leave that to Down the Line to explain.
Check out the site here.
Images from SpringCourtUSA.com via Down The Line
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