Condition

7

10: New
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor

| Rarity

7

5: Impossibly rare
9: Extremely rare
8: Hard to find
7: Fairly rare
6: Uncommon
5: Common
<4: Big Seller

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About This Racket

Compared to Spalding, Slanzenger and Dunlop, Wilson came into tennis late. The company made the Duke football, which became the official NFL ball in 1941 and after the war in 1947 asked Jack Kramer began on to the Advisory Staff. Kramer was selected to represent the United States in the Davis Cup doubles against Australia only in 1939 but only made it big in 1946 1947 when he won Wimbledon and US Open singles and doubles. Together they made perhaps the best debut racket ever in the Wilson Jack Kramer Autograph (1947). The overall color scheme was a classic combination of cream, wood, gold, brown, black,and it achieved astronomical sales of perhaps up to 10 million units claimed to be the #1 selling Wilson racket of all time. In 1968 they also made the Jack Kramer Pro Staff which became the first of a long series of successful Pro Staffs and in 1976 Jack Kramer Mid (1976). They released a lot of rackets in the 70s (table). Wilson recognized more than any other brand the important of junior/youth market and also women’s tennis. They made lighter Women’s models of many models including the Advantage and Top Notch. The truth is, these rackets were probably better than the men’s originals, more maneuverable, better on volleys. And they had another advantage: stunning designs! Usually the women’s rackets had better colors and more appeal; ie form and function!

Specifications (👋 not yet accurate….check back soon)

Gallery

About Wilson

Wilson Sporting Goods Company traces its origins to the “Schwarzschild & Sulzberger” meatpacking company, founded in 1913 to utilize animal by-products, the company initially manufactured tennis racket strings, violin strings, and surgical sutures. By 1914, it expanded into producing baseball shoes and tennis racquets. Thomas E. Wilson, a former meatpacking president, was appointed in 1915, renaming the company “Thomas E. Wilson Company”. He steered the company into producing a variety of sporting goods, including footballs and basketballs.Wilson’s entry into the sporting goods industry was marked by innovation and strategic partnerships. In the 1920s, the company introduced the Ray Schalk catcher’s mitt and collaborated with Knute Rockne on football equipment. In 1931, it was renamed “Wilson Sporting Goods Company”. The company developed the Wilson Duke football, which became the official NFL ball in 1941, a partnership that continues to this day.Wilson’s influence in tennis began in earnest in the 1950s with the partnership with Jack Kramer, resulting in the Jack Kramer Autograph racket. This racket became one of the best-selling models of its time, used by numerous champions including Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King. The 1960s saw further innovation with the introduction of the first steel racquet, the Wilson T2000, endorsed by Jimmy Connors.Wilson continued to innovate with the release of the Chris Evert Autograph racket in 1975 and the introduction of wide body rackets in the 1980s. The company’s tennis balls became the official balls for the US Open in 1979 and the Australian Open in 2006. In 2021.