The audio scene in the seventies was enjoying success in the home stereo market. The pocket radio boom of the sixties continued into the seventies. Boomboxes, battery powered one piece stereos, were growing in popularity at the end of the seventies. So the invention of the personal stereo system was the logical next evolution for the audio industry. In 1979, Sony developed a small cassette player capable of stereo playback. Paired with headphones, the Sony walkman was invented. In the eighties Sony came out with the Sportsman Line. These cassette players featured a rugged bright yellow plastic case. Black rubber buttons made it seem extra cool. It had the normal features of play, stop, fast forward, and rewind. It came with yellow plastic headphones, which usually broke but were easily replaced. It retailed for about one hundred dollars. Although hopelessly outdated and now replaced by MP3 players, you can still find used models on ebay for under ten dollars.
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