Hop Rod: 1960 Motorized Pogo Stick
This next thing is straight out of a lawyer’s dream fantasy. It is what appears to be a device designed explicitly to shoot people into trees. It is the gas powered pogo stick (think of a combustion chamber were you are the connecting rod) and they were sold by an outfit called Change Manufacturing out of Wichita, KS in 1960 and 1961. Unfortunately, someone was injured during a publicity stunt at the Indy Motor Speedway and an evening TV personality was thrown off a Hop Rod and allegedly broke his shoulder. According to various internet sources, the Hop Rod was subsequently banned by the appropriate regulatory authorities and the Hop Rod was no more. Shame. The idiot of a gas powered Pogo Stick is nothing short of brilliant and I can’t believe I don’t own one. Find this 1960 Motorized Pogo Stick bidding for $355 in Forked River, NJ via ebay. Tip from Hugh!