Friday, July 12, 2013

One Fun Game...!

I know a lot of you have spent some fun times all twisted up playing this game. At least, I did!

This game was one from a time when folks did more at parties besides drink and get stupid. Well, that is not counting looking a little stupid while tangled up in a pile on the floor! Had a lot of fun with this game, ya know? However, we some times forget to give credit to the people that invented these games, and that's too bad!

Inventor of iconic party game Twister dies

By PATRICK CONDON Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota man whose Twister game launched decades of awkward social interactions at parties has died. He was 82.

Charles "Chuck" Foley died July 1 at a care facility in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park. His son, Mark Foley, said Thursday that his father had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Foley and a collaborator, Neil Rabens, were hired in the mid-1960s by a St. Paul manufacturing firm that wanted to expand into games and toys. They came up with a game to be played on a mat on the floor, using a spinner to direct players to place their hands and feet on different colored circles.

"Dad wanted to make a game that could light up a party," Mark Foley said. "They originally called it `Pretzel.' But they sold it to Milton Bradley, which came up with the `Twister' name."

The game became a sensation after Johnny Carson and Eva Gabor played it on "The Tonight Show" in 1966.

Hasbro Inc., which now manufacturers the game, said it continues to be a top seller.

"What makes the Twister game timeless is the fact that it's always been about showing off your free spirit and just having some laugh-out-loud, out of your seat fun," Hasbro Inc. said in a statement noting Foley's death.

Mark Foley said his father made little money from Twister, but that it never seemed to bother him much. The game was not his first invention, and far from his last.

Born in Lafayette, Ind., Foley's first invention came at the age of 8 -- a locking system for the cattle pen at his grandfather's farm. As a young man he worked as a salesman, but his interest in games and toys led him to apply for a job at a toy company in the Minneapolis area. He moved his family to Minnesota in 1962.

Over the years, Foley invented dozens of other toys and games. He also invented a product called un-du, a liquid adhesive remover.

Mark Foley is now president of un-du Products Inc., based in St. Louis Park. Chuck Foley had lived in North Carolina for a number of years, but his son said he returned to Minnesota six years ago when his health began to decline, to be closer to his family. Foley and his wife, Kathleen, had nine children. She died of breast cancer in 1975, and Foley never remarried.

"He never stopped having fun," Mark Foley said. "He tried to think like young people thought. He never wanted to grow up, and he always maintained his enthusiasm for seeing things through the eyes of a child."

In my opinion, this man was brilliant! Imagine, having the ability to think about what make a child happy and make a living while doing it!

Coffee on the patio this morning. I have some home made chocolate chip cookies I'll share!

9 comments:

  1. A whole other meaning to the phrase,"Having the mind of a child!" Sounds like he was gifted indee. Chocolate Chip you said. I 'll be right ther. Thanks for the invite :))

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  2. I remember kids playing that when I was young.

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  3. Oh, that was such a fun game - a real classic! Chocolate chip cookies?
    And home made? Save a spot for me!

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  4. Since my husband hasn't grown up yet - haha - I should have him give inventing kids games a try. When he plays with our 13 year old grandson , Grandpa seems to be the child and the grandson the adult. Twister was always a favorite game at all our parties. If you're serving chocolate chip cookies I'm on my way. Have a great weekend.

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  5. At my age, that game would probably kill me!!!

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  6. I had that game when I was young and my body parts worked. My kids had it so do my grandkids.

    Love to have some of those cookies. On my way.

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  7. It's strange but I have actually never seen it for sale here in Sweden, still everyone knows about it :-) The only reason I know about it is because of American tv shows shown over here :-)

    Have a great day!
    Christer.

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  8. Hey Mamahen...
    Not a bad way to make a living. Doing what you love and making folks happy!

    Thanks for coming over today!



    Hey Gorges...
    I think that kids of all ages found this game to be fun. That's what it's all about!

    Thanks for dropping by today!



    Hey Phyllis...
    It's good that he can enjoy staying young at heart! Makes for a more pleasant (second) childhood!

    The cookies are popular today! Tasty, too!

    Many thanks for coming over today!



    Hey Dizzy...
    I know exactly what you mean! I feel the same way!

    Good for a grin or two, though

    Thanks for the visit today!



    Hey Jo...
    You can bet they enjoy it. I couldn't get back up if I went to the floor, I think!

    Getting old is a bummer!

    Thanks, sweetie, for the visit!



    Hey Crister...
    Maybe someone here could send you one of these games. You might start a whole new trend there in Sweden!

    Many thanks for coming over today!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey Mamahen...
    Not a bad way to make a living. Doing what you love and making folks happy!

    Thanks for coming over today!



    Hey Gorges...
    I think that kids of all ages found this game to be fun. That's what it's all about!

    Thanks for dropping by today!



    Hey Phyllis...
    It's good that he can enjoy staying young at heart! Makes for a more pleasant (second) childhood!

    The cookies are popular today! Tasty, too!

    Many thanks for coming over today!



    Hey Dizzy...
    I know exactly what you mean! I feel the same way!

    Good for a grin or two, though

    Thanks for the visit today!



    Hey Jo...
    You can bet they enjoy it. I couldn't get back up if I went to the floor, I think!

    Getting old is a bummer!

    Thanks, sweetie, for the visit!



    Hey Crister...
    Maybe someone here could send you one of these games. You might start a whole new trend there in Sweden!

    Many thanks for coming over today!

    ReplyDelete