Strong Museum's National Toy Hall of Fame adds more icons of play
By Staff -- Playthings,11/05/2009
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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| Submitted by: | Marc McMan 11/11/2009 5:00:25 AM PT |
| Location: | Rochester, NY |
| Occupation: | Urologist |
It took these morons over 40 Toys to finally nominate a BALL???? The oldest, most universal plaything in all of human anthropology?
Maybe the Strong Museum of Food will nominate Bread, soon after nominating Hamburger Helper.
| Submitted by: | Joe Kling (joekling@optonline.net) 11/5/2009 8:53:34 PM PT |
| Location: | West Cornwall, CT. |
| Occupation: | Consultant and sit on the board of Crowncrafts |
My name is Joe Kling and I am former CEO of View-Master-Ideal as well as a former employee of Louis Marx & CO. I started there in 1948 and we launched the Big Wheel prior to 69. I suggest you check it out. FYI at one point we shipped in excess of a Million units. I have identified with many successful products in the Toy industry, such as:
Rock-Em-Sock-em Robots (bought the Marx tooling)
Magna-Doodle
Magic 8 Ball
Tip It
Kerplunk
Erector
And many others when we acquired Ideal from CBS.
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