I had a Poncho Gonzales wood racquet, and a couple dead tennis balls. My “opponent” was the garage wall, between snow shovels, and other obstacles. I still have awesome ground strokes. :)
I collect wooden raquets. The Tad Davis line is a favorite but Donnay (Bjorn Borg) is a difficult find.
Johnny Mac’s Dunlop is a dime-a-dozen.