|
|
SubTitle: Bubble Gum
Posted by: rs on 1/13/1998@23:55hrs:
In Reply to: Could/Couldn't Have Come From SI posted by: rs on 1/04/1998@21:53hrs:
Here's a candidate for honorary Islander, the inventor of bubble gum, the inspiration for hordes of ferry riders, sometimes with bourrant hair: Walter E. Diemer, the inventor of bubble gum, from his obituary, appearing today. He was working for Fleer Chewing Gum Co., Philadelphia, and was messing around with gum base in the lab when he hit upon the recipe for bubble gum. Had some pink food dye, that's why it's pink. Taught the salesmen to blow bubbles, and sales took off. He called it Dubble Bubble. Fleer was the only game in town until after WWII, when Topps Co., in Brooklyn, came out with something they called Bazooka, wrapped in comics. Blaine probably remembers all about this. Between chewing it, concealing it, swallowing it, stepping in it, scraping it off your shoes, and riding the ferry with it, Double Bubble and Bazooka were big influences on life on Old SI, doncha think? Only a penny apiece, and you could chew 'til your jaw dropped off... Ah, the good old days. RIP Mr. Diemer, and well done. -r-