Questions and Answers (Q&A) Forgotten Chicago Forum
Have a question about a specific element in Chicago's history? Ask Away!
TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: March 21, 2015 11:15PM
Anyone remember the Bazooka rifle that shot ping pong balls? You would place the ping pong ball into the head and push the handles together. How about electric football and electric baseball? How about the spring loaded table top basketball game that shot ping pong balls into the hoops? How about the glidder planes made of balsa wood or the little cardboard man hanging from the parachute that you would throw into the air. Best of all everyone played with yoyo's.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
Jeff_Weiner
()
Date: March 21, 2015 11:19PM
I never got the hang of yoyo's.
You can still get those ping-pong bazookas at American Science and Surplus:
http://www.sciplus.com/p/BURP-PISTOL-PLASTIC-BALL-SHOOTER_142
You can still get those ping-pong bazookas at American Science and Surplus:
http://www.sciplus.com/p/BURP-PISTOL-PLASTIC-BALL-SHOOTER_142
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
b.a.hoarder
()
Date: March 22, 2015 12:58AM
Don't remember the bazooka, but we always had a Whamo slingshot back then. Balsa gliders were a dime and even now you can get one for under $2.00. Don't recall what it was called but how about the thing made from pot metal that you put caps in and tossed it in the air. It came down with a bang. I don't think you can even buy caps anymore. Rubber balls were pretty cheap too and always good for a game of "stoop ball". Best thing was hitting the sweet spot on the second stair, man that ball would fly! Simple pleasures for cheap money.
You guys ever take a bike apart, strip off the fenders and chain guard, the horn box if it had one, repaint it and oh yeah, turn the handle bars over because it looked cool? I did. That bike would likely be worth $600-700 today if I hadn't ruined it.
You guys ever take a bike apart, strip off the fenders and chain guard, the horn box if it had one, repaint it and oh yeah, turn the handle bars over because it looked cool? I did. That bike would likely be worth $600-700 today if I hadn't ruined it.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: March 22, 2015 01:02PM
My brother and I had Monarch bikes with all the chrome, horn box, head lights and after a few years it sure looked good stripped down, just like you said. That pot metal cap holder was like a torpedo. How about the bean shooters? What about the jumping beans?
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
b.a.hoarder
()
Date: March 22, 2015 01:48PM
Small world Swede, I had a Monarch too. Maroon in color and it had some other color trim, maybe red or black? It was a 26" boys bike and dad had actually bought it much too early for me but he had a reason. With two older sisters and a tight budget only one bike was bought, they rode it a little but I beat the wheels off that thing! There wasn't a sidewalk, street or alley around for miles the guys and I hadn't been on. I must have been about eleven or so when we rode from Archer and Oak Park (6800W) to Midway airport and all around the field. Today parents would freak at the thought of a child so young doing that.
We used to go to the Brighton Theater for the Saturday matinee, 25 cents to get in. One time we spent all our money on candy and popcorn so we had to walk home. Now a days young kids can't even ride the bus alone safely.
We used to go to the Brighton Theater for the Saturday matinee, 25 cents to get in. One time we spent all our money on candy and popcorn so we had to walk home. Now a days young kids can't even ride the bus alone safely.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: March 22, 2015 11:56PM
Our Monarchs were red and cream. The guys in the neighborhood would ride our bikes from 50th and Oakley to Midway Cicero and 59th St. and stop in all the terminals and pick up badges and stickers. It was an all day trip. Your right we use to go to the "DUMPS" Cornell show on a quarter and watch 20 cartoons and buy a bag of popcorn out of a popcorn dispenser. Those were the days.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
Dunning1
()
Date: March 23, 2015 06:24PM
My favorite toys were Jo-Han scale model cars, and Block City and Plasticville plastic model building sets. I would build empires with these blocks, skyscrapers, etc. My grandparents thought I would wind up as an architect.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
HOLTANEK
()
Date: March 25, 2015 10:23AM
Remco Movieland drive In playset
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
EricV
()
Date: March 25, 2015 11:33AM
It's from 1962 but the Mattel Vac-U-Form was pretty cool. It molded plastic sheets into various things. When you plugged it in the lights in the room dimmed. As I recall it was about the size of a car battery and weighed almost as much.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: March 25, 2015 01:17PM
How about the erector set. We use to make carnival sets. It had a little motor with reverse capabilities that we would set up a pulley with a string and send messages down to the basement.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
Cragin Spring
()
Date: March 27, 2015 09:59PM
If you consider baseball cards toys, I don't know? I was always a big baseball fan and watched the White Sox & Cubs on television. I knew almost every player on each team. But years back baseball cards were sold in grocery stores by the checkout where the candy was. National & A&P stores would have a box of Topp's baseball cards and my mom if in a good mood would buy me one pack. The pack of cards back then were 20 cents. After collecting many I had 2 shoe boxes full of baseball cards. When getting to my teen years my mom cleaned out my closet and my cards went in the trash without me knowing it. Now I hardly see baseball cards sold anywhere except Target.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: March 27, 2015 10:45PM
Cragin,
I know what you are saying. My brother & I had a nice collection of baseball cards in the 50's. When we got alittle older my mom said maybe you would like to give your cards, bikes and my scouting equipment to our younger cousins. We did. I know that those cards are worth something today.
I know what you are saying. My brother & I had a nice collection of baseball cards in the 50's. When we got alittle older my mom said maybe you would like to give your cards, bikes and my scouting equipment to our younger cousins. We did. I know that those cards are worth something today.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
southwestsiderlaredo
()
Date: April 17, 2015 08:07AM
A couple weeks ago I dragged out the block city blocks with one of the grand kids and it was a huge hit, with the green little doors, windows and all the various shapes and sizes of white plastic blocks! Thanks for the memories!
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: April 18, 2015 10:58PM
My brother and I use to set up our Lincoln Logs back in the 50's and set up our soldiers or cowboy and indians and shoot them down with our rubber band guns.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: April 26, 2015 11:59PM
How about electric football and electric baseball games from the 50's. I still have them. Hate to use them, don't want the vibrators to burn out.
Re: TOYS FROM THE 1950's
Posted by:
the_mogra
()
Date: April 27, 2015 01:13PM
the late '50s saw the start of the immensely popular Kenner's Girder & Panel / Bridge & Turnpike Construction sets, which came in several sizes.
A couple years into production, responding to customer complaints about beam breakage, Kenner's changed plastic material from polystyrene to polypropylene. Breakage issues ceased, however the beams no longer fit together with the precise snap joint that they used to
A couple years into production, responding to customer complaints about beam breakage, Kenner's changed plastic material from polystyrene to polypropylene. Breakage issues ceased, however the beams no longer fit together with the precise snap joint that they used to
