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Have you ever wondered about the Cracker Jack origin? This is one of America’s iconic snacks. This week I interview Theresa Richter. She is the president of the Cracker Jack Collector’s Association. The Cracker Jack Collector’s Association focuses on the unique prizes found inside of this iconic snack. In order to understand the Cracker Jack origin story we need to know more about its unique history.
More Cracker Jack History
Cracker Jack started in 1871 on the streets of Chicago. A German immigrant named Frederick William Rueckheim started selling his unique popcorn treat. It was a mixture of popcorn, peanuts, and molasses. The treat became wildly popular. Rueckheim was onto something, and he formed a company focused entirely on Cracker Jack.
A Little Bit of Luck
In 1908 the song, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” was written. It provided free publicity for Cracker Jack by including the line about buying peanuts and Cracker Jack. This was when this iconic snack began to be closely associated with American baseball.
When I spoke with Antonio Gonzalez last week, he spoke about luck. Any company that wants to exist for over a century needs a little luck along the way. When considering the Cracker Jack origin, their luck came in the form of this song.
Prizes Add to the Uniqueness
In 1912, Cracker Jack began to be include prizes in each box. In my interview with Theresa, she spoke about how these prizes have changed over the years. If you like collecting things, Cracker Jack prizes can be incredibly fun. You can check out the Cracker Jack Collector’s Association here.
Like What You Heard About The Cracker Jack Origin??
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Did every one see the Cracker Jack Fudge article in the newspaper about a week ago?