Pedro Flores left the Philippines and lived the true American Dream thanks to his invention of the Yo-yo!
Vital Stats
Born April 1896 in the Philippines
Died December 1963 in Coshocton, Ohio
Around the World
Flores left the Philippines at age 19 to study at the High School of Commerce in San Francisco, then pursued a degree at Hastings College of Law.
Around the Corner
After dropping out of Hastings College, he relocated to Santa Barbara for casual work.
An American toy consisting of a ball and rubber band caught his eye and reminded him of the bandalore, a wood-and-string toy he played with as a child in the Philippines.
Flores combined features of both toys, creating the modern-day yo-yo.
Breakaway
Flores patented his innovation and began producing the yo-yos himself, founding Yo-yo Manufacturing Company in 1928. Despite the Depression, Flores sold the company to Duncan Toy Company in 1932 and began to tour the United States promoting yo-yo play and competitions. Duncan continued to manufacture the yo-yo while Flores promoted it through teaching and demonstrations.
Legacy
Yo-yo enthusiasts around the globe still play and train for competitions made popular by Flores.
A yo-yo was taken into space by the Challenger in 1985.
The Strong inducted the yo-yo into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1999.
National Yo-Yo Day is June 6.
