The early days of the development of the study of the anisotropy in Zircaloy in the Zirconium Metallurgy Group, Metals and Ceramics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory are discussed. A program of research on developing zirconium base alloys for service in the Aqueous Homogeneous Reactor at Oak Ridge led to the long term study of anistropy of mechanical properties in Zircaloy and its relationship to the preferred orientation developed in the material by the fabrication procedures used. The history of the early research program is related, without review of the extensive technical data reported in the literature then and later. The study led to the development, ultimately, of a better understanding of the relationship between fabrication variables and the anisotropy of properties resulting, and an improvement in the commercial production of Zircaloy tubing. The tubing is the cladding for the uranium oxide fuel pellets used in light water reactors producing electrical power commercially throughout the world. The original paper was published by ASTM International in STP 939, Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry: Seventh International Symposium, 1987, pp. 23–34.