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2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Clue

8 votes

Dominoes

3 votes

Fisher-Price Corn Popper Push Toy

0 votes

Lite Brite

5 votes

Little Green Army Men

7 votes

Magic 8 Ball

1 votes

Pogo Stick

1 votes

Sidewalk Chalk

2 votes

Simon

1 votes

Star Wars action figures

6 votes

Tea set

0 votes

Twister

5 votes

seawolf17 Sep 27 2012 03:15 PM

Ten previous finalists will compete against two new contenders for induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong. The newcomers to the list, which the hall announced Thursday, are the Fisher-Price Corn Popper push toy and little green army men. Out of thousands of nominations, the finalists are: • Clue, which has been a top-selling board game since 1947. Players deduce the killer of Mr. Boddy, which changes with each game. It was a finalist in 2008. • Dominoes, which originated in China and later appeared to Europe. A standard set of 28 dominoes allows for many different games as well as the creation of designs in which dominoes can be pushed over in a wave. It was a finalist in 2010. • The Fisher-Price Corn Popper push toy, which was introduced in 1957. It makes noises while toddlers push it around, teaching cause and effect. • Lite-Brite, which has been popular since 1967. It uses backlit plastic pegs against a black background. It was a finalist in 2003 and 2010. • Little green army men. Introduced in the 1930s, these have been manufactured by the millions. • The Magic 8 Ball, which debuted in 1946. It offers 20 responses to questions and was a finalist in 2008 and 2010. • Pogo stick, which was patented in 1919 and has undergone recent changes in technology and materials. Players must maintain their balance while jumping. The pogo stick was a finalist in 2010 and 2011. • Sidewalk chalk, first used by 16th century European artists to decorate public squares during festivals. It was a finalist in 2009. • Simon, an easily operated game introduced by Ralph Baer in 1978. It was a finalist in 2011. • Star Wars action figures, introduced in the late 1970s. Their success spurred the industry to create more toys linked to movies, television series and comic books. The toys also were finalists in 2011. • The tea set. The tiny sets have been part of children’s play for 300 years. It was a finalist in 2009. • Twister, introduced in 1966 by Milton Bradley. The game initially was seen as risquι, but soared to success after Johnny Carson played it with Eva Gabor on the Tonight show. It was a finalist in 2011. Two of the toys will be chosen by a national committee to join the 49 already in the hall, which include alphabet blocks, Barbie, crayons, Frisbee and the rocking horse. The inductees will be revealed at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, and a celebration will follow at the National Museum of Play the following Saturday and Sunday. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/art ... y=nav|head

seawolf17 Sep 27 2012 03:17 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

In case you're not a Rochesterian who visits the Hall all the time and want to see the 49 current members: http://www.toyhalloffame.org/toys

cooby Sep 27 2012 03:18 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Lite Brite making pictures with lii-ii-iight!

seawolf17 Sep 27 2012 03:23 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Not sure if it was clear in the original post -- you can vote for two.

Mets – Willets Point Sep 27 2012 03:27 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

My favorite members of the Hall are Ball, Stick, and Cardboard Box. I can't believe they weren't in the first induction class.

Edgy MD Sep 27 2012 03:31 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Lots of rumors back then that Stick was on the juice. Those late-career numbers look kinda fishy. Sooner or later, folks are going to put aside their hypocritical moralizing and realize how unjustly they shafted Dirt Bomb.

The Second Spitter Sep 27 2012 04:26 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

This thread is racist against Little Grey Army Men.

TransMonk Sep 27 2012 04:48 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

I spent the most time during my childhood with Lite-Brite and Star Wars guys. They get my votes.

The Second Spitter Sep 27 2012 06:18 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Had no idea what lite brute was before this thread. Went for LGAM and SW figures.

Fman99 Sep 27 2012 06:51 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

We took the Fkids to that museum this past winter, it's a terrific family destination for those of you with youngin's.

Fman99 Sep 27 2012 07:00 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Voted for the two toys on this list I played with most as a kid, which were Star Wars action figures and Clue.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 27 2012 07:48 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

I voted Clue and Lite Brite. I was too old for Star Wars action figures; the first movie came out when I was 14.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 27 2012 08:51 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

How is Twister not already in?

Kong76 Sep 27 2012 08:52 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

I took Clue and Twister ... Edgy DC wrote: folks are going to put aside their hypocritical moralizing and realize how unjustly they shafted Dirt Bomb. Yes, this!

Edgy MD Sep 27 2012 09:36 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Star Wars action guys were a disappointment right from the start to me. Too small, barely posable, and the clothes weren't changable so you had to buy multiple figures of the same character to act out multiple scenes. Originally, Luke's light saber extended out from his hand. That's crazy. The vehicles were cool, but in general, they seemed more display figures than action figures.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 27 2012 10:10 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Kong76 wrote: I took Clue and Twister ... folks are going to put aside their hypocritical moralizing and realize how unjustly they shafted Dirt Bomb. Yes, this! I've heard this phrase and read this phrase and maybe it's because I was mostly a city kid and I'm almost embarrassed to ask: what the footbag is a "dirt bomb," exactly?

Edgy MD Sep 27 2012 11:18 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

A moist clump a dirt with convenient ballistic properties. Find a pile of those down by a construction site --- hours of fun. Except for the guy who tended to be on the wrong side of a dirt bomb war. And that wasn't me. Never. Hardly ever, anyway. Excuse me for a minute.

Ashie62 Sep 27 2012 11:33 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

LGAM with Firecrackers & Clue

Frayed Knot Sep 28 2012 07:13 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Edgy DC wrote: A moist clump a dirt with convenient ballistic properties. Find a pile of those down by a construction site --- hours of fun. Except for the guy who tended to be on the wrong side of a dirt bomb war. And that wasn't me. Never. Hardly ever, anyway. Excuse me for a minute. I moved at age 5 to a neighborhood where my family was among the first few to move into one that was in the process of being built on the site of a former potato farm (there was still a lot of that even at the western edges of Suffolk County those days) and, as a consequence, there were dirt-bombs EVERYWHERE and not yet a stick of grass. Wet ones, dry ones, small ones, big ones of various shapes and, so as long as the potential missiles didn't have a small rock hidden inside (not always easy to know beforehand), they were ripe for hours of fun.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 28 2012 07:22 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

I remember dirt bombs too. (And that's what they were called in my Hauppauge neighborhood as well.) When I saw "Dirt Bombs" mentioned above I thought it was some kind of video game that I was unaware of. I wonder if it's a regional thing. (By that I mean the term, not the concept of throwing dirt.)

metsmarathon Sep 28 2012 07:31 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

i've got some issues with teh toy hall of fame. bicycle is in, but what about the scooter? and i don't mean the razor, or a skateboard with a handlebar - i mean a ride-on toy for munchkins. and, jeez, no tricycle? at least the venerable big wheel is in. anyways, as to the finalists: clue, i never really got into. same with most board games. it just never had much draw for me. i think i played more monopoly, and life, and candyland. never so much with the clue. but really, not a whole lot of traditional board games. now, trivial pursuit on the other hand... dominoes should really be in already, shouldn't they? not only for all the domino-related games, but also for the domino toppling. easily gets my vote. if playing cards are in, dominoes should get in. the corn popper is good, and while i'm sure i had some variant of it at some point, i just have no recollection of it. and while minimm had something akin to it at day care, we never bought any push-toy like it for home use. he does have a pull-toy (a froggy) with a sstring, but that's a different thing altogether, which predates the corn popper by eons. sorry corn popper, you're pretty good, but not good enough. lite brite. oh, lite brite. you were so much fiun the first few times we played with you. and then you run out of hte black paper. and thn you lose all the pegs, only to be found years later when you move out of your old bedroom to pack up for college. no, lite-brite. you do not get my vote. you and your failed promises of glowing fun. army men, for teaching the concept of valor under fire, and battlefield tactics, and also for showing that it is possible for something to hurt more when stepped upon than a bunch of legos, you get my other vote. magic 8 ball. did anyone ever really actually play with a magic 8 ball? its not a toy, but a novelty. ask again later. pogo stick. i don't think i ever used a pogo stick. maybe i did, but i couldn't stay on or figure it out with my gangly, uncoordinated younger self, and have since sticken the painful memory from all but the deepest recesses of my psyche. so, for possibly causing so much pain that i can now not remember it, or maybe just for never having an impact on my life - whichever - you get no vote from me. sidewalk chalk. you are a subset of chalk. a fairly narrow subset. i could vote for you if you were just chalk, but you're just so limited. simon. you're on the bubble. i know that you are a nearly universal experience, and that nearly everyone has owned you or played with you, but do you really have staying power? does naybody ever pull out their simon after the first few months just to play with it? once its been through your circle of friends, and that one kid learns to master it and lays waste to all comers, and you realize you can never beat him, never. at least not until you both grow up and you look back and realize that he peaked at simon, and you've gone on to have a successful career and a nice family. only then do you think back fondly of your simon-playing days. and then you make a mental note to go see him as he tends bar at that restaurant you know on the other side of town, but that isn't that great, and the food is only ok, and you kindof always feel awkward seeing him there, and then , just as soon, you strike theat mental note and instead decide never to go back there, because, really, the food there is terrrible and he's just not that good at mixing drinks. star wars action figures. would lucas even allow it? like simon, you're on the bubble. but you have to wait until after the real true action figures get in - your forebears, the army men. some may say you started it all, others may say you ruined it all. i say, hey, whatever happened to my chewbacca? tea set is a narrow miss. i'm not sure if all play food falls under its umbrella. and so, lacking clarification, i cannot give it the nod. and finally twister. i never liked the flimsy paper backing on teh spin-wheel. it always seemed to get stuck on right hand green. and then everybody's just pickuing up their one hand and putting it down again. and wheres the fun in that. maybe, twister, you would have been more fun if i played with you when i was a teenager, or in college, and if i had friends. friends who were girls. but i don't think the toy hall of fame is the place for that kind of thing. what next, the red solo cup? and so there you have it. army men and dominoes.

Frayed Knot Sep 28 2012 07:40 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Combining two of the contestants mentioned here (even if only one of them is an "official" entrant) John Phelan and I used to set up little green army men by the back fence in his yard and then throw dirt bombs at them to see how many we could "kill". Sometimes a well-placed one could take out a whole slew of them in one throw. John later inherited the house he grew up in and raised his own family there. Last time I talked to him years later (and now years ago) he told me that his kids found the remains of some buried LGAM while digging in the backyard and he had to explain what they were (I suspect they had fallen out of favor as a toy by then) and what they were doing there. "Y'see kids, many years ago, me and this freckle-faced kid who used to live around the corner used to ..."

metirish Sep 28 2012 07:44 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Seriously, when I first saw the thread my mind for whatever reason was registering R&R HOF and I'm thinking wow I've never heard of any of these bands....then this morning when I came back to it the thread clicked with me.....

Chad Ochoseis Sep 28 2012 07:48 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

A Toy Hall of Fame that doesn't include balloons, Nerf balls, and electric trains is no Toy Hall of Fame. Star Wars action figures, introduced in the late 1970s. Their success spurred the industry to create more toys linked to movies, television series and comic books. Uh, yeah. That would be a reason to not vote for them. Jeez, I don't know what I'd vote for on that list. No balloons. No Nerf balls. No electric trains. And Rock-Em Sock-Em Robots. Whither Rock-Em Sock-Em Robots? And Nok-Hockey. Who didn't love Nok-Hockey? Especially when you lost the wooden puck and had to substitute a checker, which was smaller and easier to score with. If anyone looks for me today, don't bother. I've traveled back to 1973.

Edgy MD Sep 28 2012 07:49 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Well played, 'thon. I think Sidewalk chalk has a real strong case --- a big part of urban fun, depression childhood, Hopscotch, Skelly/Skully/Whatever. Btu you're right --- the distinction between chalk and sidewalk chalk is not vast, and they ought to merge their cases. I voted on the "What provided hours of fun at a time to children and therefore great relief to parents?" standard You know what's not here but I'd vote for over all of these? Baseball cards.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 28 2012 07:52 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Yeah, I'd vote for baseball cards over any of those, especially if it's measured by time spent. But for me, comic books would even trump baseball cards.

Mets – Willets Point Sep 28 2012 07:53 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

I think I could make an argument for everything on this list except for Simon (dreadfully boring) and the Corn Popper Push Toy (ditto). This does not preclude the fact that many worthy toys not yet in the Hall have not been nominated.

Edgy MD Sep 28 2012 07:58 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

metirish wrote: Seriously, when I first saw the thread my mind for whatever reason was registering R&R HOF and I'm thinking wow I've never heard of any of these bands....then this morning when I came back to it the thread clicked with me..... This post, meanwhile, is definitely going to give me hours of fun. "What the fuck?! Pogo Stick? Lite Brite? Whoever heard of these bands? Am I that out of it?" "Honey... Go to SLEEP!"

cooby Sep 28 2012 08:54 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

seawolf17 wrote: Not sure if it was clear in the original post -- you can vote for two. Ah! In that case my second vote (I can't vote for real) is for little green army men.

Mets – Willets Point Sep 28 2012 09:19 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

The toy that kept me busiest as a child was a set of plain, wooden building blocks. There are building toys in the Hall of Fame but nothing generic enough to include plain old building blocks. My mother tells the story that I told her "I built New York!" and she came to look expecting she'd have to humor me but was surprised that she actually recognized the buildings and bridges I'd constructed. I didn't grow up to be architect though as she expected. Baseball cards also kept me busy although I don't know if "playing" is the right word when what I was doing was arranging, organizing, and making inventories of cards that I'd then store in acid-neutral boxes. This actually proved to be training for my job today as a processing archivist. Toy cars were the other toy I loved, especially the sturdy, well-designed cars made by the Matchbox cars. I would race them for hours on end. The Toy Hall of Fame has not only shafted Matchbox cars but to add insult to injury inducted the inferior knock-off brand of Hot Wheels (that is the cars that after 1 or 2 races would get a bent wheel and thus not be able to roll anymore).

metsmarathon Sep 28 2012 10:58 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

interesting that alphabet blocks are in, but wood blocks are not...

Frayed Knot Sep 28 2012 06:40 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

'Twister' was the answer to tonight's 'Final Jeopardy' -- When released in 1966, this game was described by competitors as "sex in a box"

cooby Sep 28 2012 06:59 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Either my mom and dad were sex fiends, or they did not hear that, because I got one soon after that for my birthday

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 28 2012 07:02 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Frayed Knot wrote: 'Twister' was the answer to tonight's 'Final Jeopardy' -- When released in 1966, this game was described by competitors as "sex in a box" I too was released in 1966 and have often been referred to by the same sobriquet.

Fman99 Sep 28 2012 07:59 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Mets – Willets Point wrote: The toy that kept me busiest as a child was a set of plain, wooden building blocks. There are building toys in the Hall of Fame but nothing generic enough to include plain old building blocks. My mother tells the story that I told her "I built New York!" and she came to look expecting she'd have to humor me but was surprised that she actually recognized the buildings and bridges I'd constructed. I didn't grow up to be architect though as she expected. Toy cars were the other toy I loved, especially the sturdy, well-designed cars made by the Matchbox cars. I would race them for hours on end. The Toy Hall of Fame has not only shafted Matchbox cars but to add insult to injury inducted the inferior knock-off brand of Hot Wheels (that is the cars that after 1 or 2 races would get a bent wheel and thus not be able to roll anymore). As kids we would go and visit my grandparents in Flushing (these trips were often accompanied by trips to Shea Stadium). The one toy that my grandparents had saved from my father and uncle's childhood was a large wooden box, stored under the couch, filled with unpainted wooden blocks of various rectangular and triangular shape. They provided my brother and I with countless hours of entertainment. We'd bring a handful of Matchbox cars with us and this would keep us occupied for hours at a time. My kids have a similar set, though their blocks are foam and colored, they enjoy taking them out and setting up various scenarios with them.

Edgy MD Sep 28 2012 08:11 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: 'Twister' was the answer to tonight's 'Final Jeopardy' -- When released in 1966, this game was described by competitors as "sex in a box" I too was released in 1966 and have often been referred to by the same sobriquet. You gotta get up pretty early to beat Fman to that one.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 28 2012 09:21 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Baseball cards... comic books... these are collections/hobbies, not toys. Otherwise, if you're just listing various things that sucked up your time as "toys," why not have "daydreaming," "chores," or "messing with younger siblings" in the HOF?

Edgy MD Sep 29 2012 06:07 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

They were toys to me: flipping, building castles, flicking marbles, clipping into my spokes... Chores, of course, aren't fun. I wouldn't have "messing with your younger siblings" as toys, largely because it's a gerund phrase, rather than a noun. But "younger siblings" might be a curious addition. Not a winner to me, but my older siblings --- or Bill Cosby --- might feel different.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 29 2012 10:38 PM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: 'Twister' was the answer to tonight's 'Final Jeopardy' -- When released in 1966, this game was described by competitors as "sex in a box" I too was released in 1966 and have often been referred to by the same sobriquet. "Final Jeopardy?" Damn, that's some dark stuff.

The Second Spitter Sep 30 2012 04:41 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I voted Clue and Lite Brite. I was too old for Star Wars action figures; the first movie came out when I was 14. You're never too old. I still mess around with Lego when I get time, (as do a few other CPFers from what I understand.) Lego is my favorite childhood toy, even though I'm pretty useless at creating anything without following instructions (it was the first indication I lacked creativity).

Frayed Knot Sep 30 2012 06:33 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

There's a difference. I'd feel sorry for someone who tells me they've outgrown Legos But I'd feel really sorry for those who DON'T outgrow Star Wars Action Figures

Benjamin Grimm Sep 30 2012 07:43 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

I'm 49 years old. I'd play with action figures if a kid was with me, of course, but if I was home alone making Luke fight Darth Vader, I'd feel pretty pathetic.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 30 2012 10:05 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'm 49 years old. I'd play with action figures if a kid was with me, of course, but if I was home alone making Luke fight Darth Vader, I'd feel pretty pathetic. Obviously, someone needs to work on their lightsaber battle technique. /Snickers //Retrieves freshly-prepared grilled cheese from toaster oven ///Goes to back to Mom's basement

MFS62 Sep 30 2012 10:16 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

When I was a kid, all my friends had those little green military men. Later, when I got drafted I became a big green military man. So I really couldn't bring myself to vote for them. And the star wars figures were just an extension of them, so no vote. I voted for lite brite because it was a way for kids (including mine) to be creative. I also voted for Twister, but couldn't describe why. But "sex in a box" is as good a reason as any. Later

seawolf17 Nov 15 2012 09:09 AM Re: 2012 Toy Hall of Fame Voting

It's Star Wars guys and dominoes. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/art ... s-Dominoes