Condition
10
10: New
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor
|
Rarity
7
10: Impossibly rare
9: Extremely rare
8: Hard to find
7: Fairly rare
6: Uncommon
5: Common
<4: Big Seller
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor
9: Extremely rare
8: Hard to find
7: Fairly rare
6: Uncommon
5: Common
<4: Big Seller
– – – – – – – – – – –
About Austin and Spalding
Tracy Ann Austin Holt (born1962) is an American former world No. 1 tennis player. She won three major titles, the women’s singles titles at the 1979 and 1981 US Opens, and the mixed doubles title at the 1980 Wimbledon Championships. Additionally, she won the WTA Tour Championships in 1980 and the year-ending Toyota Championships in 1981, both in singles. Austin remains the youngest US Open female singles champion (age 16) and the youngest inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame at age 29. She won 30 singles titles during her career, on all playing surfaces: clay (both red and green), indoor carpet, grass, and hard courts. A series of injuries and a serious automobile accident in 1989 cut short her career.
She started with Wilson but they fell out. Wilson only wanted to promote Chris Evert and so she signed a contract with Spalding. This model was made in Belgium which means Spalding likely out-sourced production to Snauwaert. Nevertheless this is a really nice model, with full specs on the shaft. The strings are amazingly good for the time, despite being original it seems.
Historic Gallery
Specifications (đź‘‹ not yet accurate….check back soon)
| Measurements | Value | Performance | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 394g | Power | 33/100 |
| Head Size & Length | 68sq in | 27inch | Control | 28/100 |
| Balance | 8pt head light (220) | Spin | 26/100 |
| Grip | Perforated leather | Handling | 30/100 |
| Strings | 18 x 20 | gut | Comfort | 49/100 |
| Flexibility | RA 49 | Consistency | 33/100 |
About Spalding
Albert Goodwill Spalding’s journey began as a pitcher for the Boston Red Stockings in 1871, where he pitched with a baseball he developed himself. In 1877, Spalding revolutionized baseball equipment by creating the first baseball glove, which transitioned the sport from bare hands to protective wear. In 1887, Spalding introduced the first American football and in 1894 the first basketball, followed by the first volleyball in 1895. By 1900, Spalding was the largest manufacturer of baseball bats in the U.S., producing over a million bats annually.While the business was rooted in baseball. Spalding opened their fifth global plant in Sunshine, Melbourne, in 1925. This plant was dedicated to manufacturing tennis rackets, tennis balls, and golf balls. Tennis rackets were imported from the USA in a rough state and shaped to various designs using special machinery, with Queensland maple and cedar woods used for the handles. The first year’s projection was to produce 40,000 rackets, with key 1926 brands including Kro-Bat, Gold Medal OS, Gold Medal HIC, Vantage, Greenwood, Crescent, and local Sunshine models.By 1927, the famous Top Flite split throat racket made an appearance, and Spalding’s global marketing efforts meant rackets produced in the USA resembled those made locally. In 1929, models included the Davis-Cup-De-Luxe, and by 1930, the Peerless and Endura were introduced. Spalding acquired Alexander Tennis Rackets in 1957
1888 Spalding Slocum
1961 Spalding Pancho Gonzales Autograph
1974 Spalding Lotus One
1980 Spalding Competition
1980 Spalding Elite
Gallery
Timeline of Spalding
uested:
| YEAR | EVENT |
|---|---|
| 1871 | Albert Goodwill Spalding began his baseball career with Boston Red Stockings. |
| 1876 | A.G. Spalding & Brothers sporting goods store opened in Chicago. |
| 1877 | Spalding created the first baseball glove. |
| 1878 | Spalding published the first “Official Rules Guide for Baseball.” |
| 1882 | Spalding retired to become president of Chicago White Stockings. |
| 1887 | Spalding created the first American football. |
| 1894 | Spalding developed the world’s first basketball. |
| 1895 | Spalding developed and manufactured the first American volleyball. |
| 1900 | Spalding became the largest manufacturer of baseball bats in the U.S. |
| 1930 | Spalding developed the first liquid center golf ball, the Kros-Flite. |
| 1968 | Spalding developed the first 2-piece performance golf ball, the Spalding Executive. |
| 1983 | Spalding Basketball selected as the Official Ball of NBA. |
| 1992 | First composite leather basketball created. |
| 1997 | Official basketball of the WNBA. |
| 2001 | Spalding introduces first basketball with built-in Micro Pump. |
| 2002 | Official soccer ball of the Major Indoor Soccer League. |
| 2003 | Official basketball of the Rucker League and Big Ten tournaments. |
| 2004 | Spalding becomes the official ball of the Arena Football League |