January 15, 2007 - Toy Trivia

Last week I was under the weather and I want to thank Gary, W6NVY, for taking over Net Control duties for me. Of course, Gary has 20 or so years of experience doing the net before me, so I guess it's like riding a bicycle - you never forget.

Now, on to this week's net and Trivia Question...

On this day in history, in 1884, Albert C. Gilbert was born. He was an inventor, athlete, toy maker, outdoorsman and businessman. He held over 150 U.S. Patents and he won the Gold medal in Pole Vaulting at the 1908 Olympics.


In 1908 he formed the Mysto Manufacturing Company in New Haven, Connecticut to produce apparatus for professional magicians and tricks for the general public as well as many educational toys.

TRIVIA QUESTION:

What famous toy did A.C. Gilbert introduce in 1913 that was sold for the next 75 years?

TRIVIA ANSWER:

The Erector Set.

A. C. Gilbert invented the Erector set in 1913. It was not the first metal construction toy, and arguably was not even the best construction toy. However, Gilbert was a master of marketing and sold the set as an educational toy. Engineers at the time earned more than doctors, parent’s were quick to snatch up the sets for their aspiring engineer(s).


Erector sets evolved through the years, new parts were added, old parts discontinued, packaging changed, and models added and/or revised. One consistent trait of Erector was a boy or girl using nuts and bolts to fasten pieces together. Simple machines could be built. The manuals left a lot to the imagination, either a case of saving print space with just a single picture or encouraging the "junior engineer" to use their creativity to figure out how it went together.

For more, visit the A.C. Gilbert Heritage Society Web Site.

Here's the list of folks who checked in to tonight's net and their answers to tonight's Trivia Question. Congratulations to all who got the answer right!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NET CHECK IN's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

WB6A - Pat - Jack in the Box
WB6ATV - Ron - Erector Set
KE6CZH - Robert - Kite
KG6DBL - Bill - Top
K6FCC - Khalil - Erector Set
KF6GKR - Terry - Erector Set
N6HY - Ernie - Erector Set
KB6IS - Madeline - Erector Set
N6KAS - Andy - Yo-Yo
KG6KTC - Leon - Yo-Yo
K6LMN - Roger - Erector Set
N6NGU - Lee - No Idea
W6NVY - Gary - Yo-Yo
KG6NWJ - Barry - Erector Set
KD6OBM - Jason - Too noisy to hear
KF6PIH - Scott - Clockwork Mouse (???)
K6QVZ - Joe - Erector Set
KG6RDA - Sidney - No Idea
AD6UP - Louie - Erector Set
KF6YBM - Henry - Train Set
KF6ZQM - Harry - Checked in by KG6RDA
N6ZZK - Theo - Slinky
KG6WXY - Ralph - Radio Flyer Wagon
AA6DW - Alan - Electric Train


73's and we'll see you next week.

de N6CIZ