The Tennis Racket Card
By H. Syril Dusenbury

This trick suggested itself to me when I was thinking of a way to improve the old fashioned card sword. Its effect is similar to that of the card sword, namely, a card is selected from the pack by a spectator who notes what it is and returns it to the pack. The performer exhibits an ordinary looking tennis racquet and freely shows both sides to the audience. He requests the spectator who selected the card to throw the pack squarely at the racquet. When he does, all the cards but one fall to the floor. The chosen card is seen clinging to the strings of the racquet.

First of all, the card was forced. A duplicate is prepared like the old "card in the bottle" card. It is cut in three parts and mounted on rubber hinges so that the card may be folded as shown in the illustration. The instant it is released it opens out flat.

The racquet must have a slot in the handle as shown at C. This is large enough to contain the folded card. A rubber cord, marked A, is fastened, as shown, to both the racquet and the card. This pulls the card from its hiding place at the proper time, and is invisible against the regular strings of the racquet. It is also necessary to fasten the bottom of the card to a piece of strong thread, as shown at B. The length should be gauged so that the card will be held in the center of the racquet. The card is folded and forced into the handle. It may be held by pressure over it, or a pin at the opening. After the card is forced and replaced, the deck is tossed and the racquet and the duplicate is permitted to jump into view as shown in the illustration.