By LAURA URSENY - Business Editor
Bob Malowney's business experience and personal demeanor wards off the curse of being rattled, but around this time of year his world begins to tumble out of control.

For the last few months, Malowney's being has been focused on yo-yos as he produces the 2002 National Yo-Yo Contest for the 10th time.

From 9 a.m. to near 5 p.m. today, City Plaza in downtown Chico will be the convergence point for about 200 yo-ers and their support teams made up of friends, spouses and parents.

It is the pinnacle of performance for these competitors - and a day that drives Malowney crazy and giddy simultaneously. He loves watching people love their yo-yos.

Malowney can't confess to knowing the secret of yo-yo madness, but he's glad of it.

"Kids gave us the reason to do this," he said. He doesn't mean just the young ones either.

As a businessman whose store inventory contains a healthy selection of yo-yos, an outsider might think Malowney does it for the money. There are collectibles and souvenirs for the contest, and, of course, new versions of the yo-yos in his downtown store, Bird in Hand, and online at www.birdinhand.com and www.nationalyoyo.org. The store also hosts the national yo-yo museum.

Financial benefit is not what drives Malowney.

It tickles his kid bone.

Get Malowney started talking about yo-yos, and a listener will be wrapped up in Malowney's philosophy of how a simple toy plays such a huge role in life. Malowney's spiel - always genuine - is peppered with words like "fun," "personal," "achievement," and "simple."

It harkens back to why Baby Boomers have made second-time millionaires out of their favorite and old rock bands. It's about remembering simpler times, no matter the age.

Malowney thrives on that motivation. It's certainly visible in the annual Kite Day he helps Chico Area Recreation and Park District put on in the windy spring. Malowney is the driving force behind the Jan. 1 polar bear dip at One-Mile. Year ago, he spoke of crafting a special community day that could umbrella a parade and festival that Chico could dance around.

Making fun for the community gives Malowney pleasure, but he's glad of the fun himself.

Fun aside, a national competition is a mountain of work. In the 10 years since its birth, the yo-yo contest has grown tremendously. The National Yo-Yo Association has formed, with the current president in Maryland and secretary in Tennessee. After the creation of a league, regionals have been occurring in all corners of the country, making the competition truly national. This year, the contest includes spin-tops, which are similar-era toys to yo-yos enjoying the same kind of comeback.

This year also, he has attracted sponsors beyond yo-yo manufacturers: Chevy's and Holiday Inn. He'd always like more.

Malowney has a finger in all of this, as well as spending time working to improve the contest. Contestants develop new tricks, which if they're unequaled become part of higher competition.

But Malowney emphasizes there's always room for the novice at his contest, and helping them develop skills probably gives him more pleasure than seeing the breathtaking trick of the finalists.

Competition isn't only youngsters having fun. Adult men and women compete, and there have been competitors in their 60s outdoing the fanatics.

Malowney has flown to Japan to see what that island nation does for yo-ers, and served as a judge for its competition. He has taken a young champion from Japan, Hirinori Mii of Nagoya, under his wing. Mii is now a freshman at Chico State University, studying business.

As much as he loves the sport, Malowney doesn't compete, nor do you see him tossing the orb. He does admit to competing once - and winning his division - in the contest's early days. But no more.

So what is Malowney getting out of this?

"I think we're developing people who will yo-yo all their lives. They're going to remember this when they're looking back. They will always have a yo-yo."

Onlookers may see another reason why Malowney and yo-yos are good partners. Like Malowney, competitors are always looking for fun, and always have the time of day for a newcomer to the sport.