Evening star., 1925-04-06

The writer of this column based his
claim to being a ''champeen" top spin
ner upon a method of whipping entirely
| his own. AS l remember 1t l was the
only boy who whipped a top under
| handed
To comprehend the magnitude of this
feat it is necessary to get firmly in mind
| the curve traced in air by the over
handed whipping just described. In that
| form the top was loosed from the string
| in an ascending arc.
My form of whipping was done by
gliding the top on its point along the
street with sufficient impetus to carry i,
| half way down the block before II
stopped. there to continue its spinning.
This underhand whipping was not az
snowy as the overland, but held a de-
light to the discriminating not found in
| the other. This was the sensation OF
watching the top run along the street
| as IL it had legs of its own.
The top was thrown down just as
| if it were to be spun in ring, but
as it landed, flip was given 1t with
a motion Of the arm. which, by means
of the string, impaired an initial
velocity in a horizontal plane, which
carried it many yards before il
| stopped.
When its forward motion ceased
the top continued to spin. As ]
remember, my whipped tops always
outspun the tops whipped through
! the air. This is easily accounted for
today, although we had no reason fol-
it then.
| Every one who owns a phonograph
| knows that the angle at which the
needle rests on the record, together
| with the motion of the turntable
accounts for the fact that the disc
| hirlO
number of times per minute when the
needle is resting on it as when the
soundbox is raised.
! If you have never tried this ex-
pertinent on your phonograph, you
will find it a very interesting one
| The angle and the speed practically
nullify friction.
! Underhanded top spinning involved
the same principles. The top struck
| the pavement at an angle of about
40 degrees and the impetus forward
drove ii over the asphalt barely
| touching. Friction finally, of course
+, stopped it's forward motion.
Upon this peculiar brand of whip
| ping 1 rested my claim as a champion
top spinner OF the District. This
"champeen" was user of the upside
down method OF ordinary spinning
! too. Most top spinners threw a tor
This spinner held the top point up
I so that 1t was necessary to swing the
| arm over and twist the wrist as ii
| descended in order to make the TOP
| land on it's point.
| What tops they had in those days
"Old man Knorr"-peace to his SOU
! had the best tops in town. They
| were cents apiece, smaller than
the ordinary top, with a balance that
| was a delight to the expert.
These tops, either in green or red
were sturdy beyond the average, and
| the points were of the best steel
| 1t was not often that they had tc
be put back in with the glue peculiar
to the sport.
The boys of yesteryear had an af
fection for those old tops. Perhaps
in many an attic today there rest,
| a battered one, smaller than usual
| with string still wrapped around it
The green has faded, but the dents
| of many a ring battle are there yet
To hold up one of those tops, anC
recall the old days, is TO want tc
take II out on the street and Try
| the hand once more.
But peace Boyhood comes but
| once. Let US wind the string around
the top, and close the drawer on 1t
much as time has shut US out for
ever from boyhood.