Strong Museum's National Toy Hall of Fame adds more icons of play
By Staff -- Playthings, 11/5/2009 2:02:00 PM
ROCHESTER, N.Y.—The National Toy Hall of Fame at Strong National Museum of Play today added three additional products to its list of historically significant playthings.
This year’s three toy honorees—the ball, the Big Wheel ride-on and the Nintendo Game Boy video game system—were selected from among 12 toy finalists that included Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, Game of Life, Hot Wheels, the paper airplane, playing cards, the Rubik’s Cube, sidewalk chalk, the toy tea set and Transformers.
Created by Ray Lohr, head designer for Louis Marx & Co., and introduced to the market in 1969, the Big Wheel had a low-slung design that made for superior handling, giving kids a sense of independence and control that traditional three-wheeled tricycles could never match. The Big Wheel remained Marx’s big seller for a decade.
The Nintendo Game Boy transformed the video game market by popularizing handheld gaming to a degree never before seen, and continues to play a major role in the marketplace more than two decades later.
To date, 44 toys have made it into the National Toy Hall of Fame. The program recognizes toys that have engaged and delighted multiple generations. Criteria for induction include: Icon-status (the toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered); Longevity (the toy is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over multiple generations); Discovery (the toy fosters learning, creativity, or discovery through play); and Innovation (the toy profoundly changed play or toy design).
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