Well well, at least toy trains made the list of toys of century

[FJ and G]

Story is a bit dated but thought you might like it anyway. I'm condensing the article cause it's so long. The criteria seems subjective, but nevertheless it is a bit interesting to find the toy of your birth year. Mine was the frisbee.

TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES ITS
"CENTURY OF TOYS LIST"

NEW YORK, January 20, 2003 - From Lionel® trains to Lite-Brite®, there's a toy on this list for everyone. Toy Industry Association (TIA™) has released a list of one hundred of the industry's most memorable and creative toys from the past century.

Selecting toys for the Century of Toys List involved a very stringent review process, which began with a list of criteria to establi***he benchmark. With an initial list in hand, a variety of veterans throughout the industry, including members of the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, toy design professionals, and the TIA Executive Committee were involved to narrow down the list of 100, and helping to ensure the integrity of the list.


* * *

TIA, formerly known as Toy Manufacturers of America (TMA®), was established in 1916 as the trade association for North American producers and importers of toys, games and entertainment products for children and families. TIA also owns and operates American International TOY FAIR™, a trade-only event, held each February at the Javits Convention Center and at showrooms in Manhattan's Toy District.

# # #

CENTURY OF TOYS LIST
Year Introduced Product Name Manufacturer at time of Introduction Current Manufacturer
1900 Lionel Trains Lionel LLC Lionel LLC
1903 Crayola Crayons Binney & Smith, Inc. Binney & Smith, Inc.
1903 Flinch Card Game Flinch Game Company Winning Moves, Inc. (license of Hasbro, Inc.)
1903 Teddy Bears Ideal Commonwealth, Gund, Russ Berrie and others
1906 Model T Ford diecast car Tootsietoy/Strombecker Corp. Tootsietoy/Strombecker Corp.
1913 Erector Sets A.C. Gilbert BRIO Corporation
1913 Tinkertoys Toy Tinkers Playskool, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1915 Raggedy Ann doll P.F. Volland Applause and Playskool, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1916 Lincoln Logs John Lloyd Wright, Inc. K'NEX Industries, Inc.
1917 Radio Flyer Wagon Radio Flyer, Inc. Radio Flyer, Inc.
1923 Madame Alexander collectible dolls Madame Alexander Madame Alexander
1929 Yo-Yo Duncan Toy Company Duncan Toy Company
1930 Mickey Mouse (and Minnie) plush dolls California Stuffed Toys Disney Consumer Products
1932 Tripoley Game Cadaco, Inc. Cadaco, Inc.
1934 Sorry Game Parker Brothers Hasbro, Inc.
1935 Monopoly Parker Brothers Hasbro, Inc.
1937 Betsy Wetsy doll Ideal Mattel, Inc.
1938 View-Master 3-D Viewer View-Master Fisher-Price, div. of Mattel, Inc.
1942 Nok-Hockey Carrom Games Carrom Games
1947 Tonka Trucks Tonka Hasbro, Inc.
1947 John Deere Die Cast Tractor The Ertl Company Racing Champions/The Ertl Company
1947 Magic 8 Ball Alabe Crafts Mattel, Inc.
1948 Cootie Schaper Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1948 Scrabble Game Selchow & Righter Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1948 Slinky James Industries James Industries
1949 Candy Land Milton Bradley Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1949 Clue Parker Brothers Hasbro, Inc.
1950 Silly Putty Peter Hodgson Binney & Smith, Inc.
1951 Ginny Dolls Vogue Doll Company Vogue Doll Company
1952 Mr. Potato Head Playskool Playskool, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1953 Colorforms Colorforms University Games
1954 Matchbox Cars Lesney Mattel, Inc.
1955 Wooly Willy Smethport Specialty Company Smethport Specialty Company
1956 Play-Doh Kenner Hasbro, Inc.
1956 Original Ant Farm Uncle Milton Industries Uncle Milton Industries
1956 Yahtzee Game E.S. Lowe Company Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1957 Corn Popper pu***oy Fisher-Price Fisher-Price, div. of Mattel, Inc.
1957 Frisbee Wham-O Wham-O
1958 Hula Hoop Wham-O Wham-O
1958 LEGO Building Sets LEGO Systems, Inc. LEGO Systems, Inc.
1959 Barbie Mattel, Inc. Mattel, Inc.
1960 BRIO Classic Wooden Railway BRIO Corporation BRIO Corporation
1960 Etch-A-Sketch The Ohio Art Company The Ohio Art Company
1960 Game of Life Milton Bradley Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1961 Slip N' Slide Wham-O Wham-O
1961 Troll dolls Thomas Dam, Inc. Thomas Dam, Inc.
1962 Chatter Telephone Fisher-Price Fisher-Price, div. of Mattel, Inc.
1963 Easy Bake Oven Kenner Hasbro, Inc.
1964 G.I. Joe Hasbro, Inc. Hasbro, Inc.
1965 Creepy Crawlers Mattel, Inc. JAKKS Pacific
1965 Operation Milton Bradley Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1965 See 'n' Say Mattel, Inc. Fisher-Price, div. of Mattel, Inc.
1966 Twister Milton Bradley Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1967 Battleship Milton Bradley Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1967 Big Wheel ride-on Marx Toys Various manufacturers
1967 Ker Plunk Ideal Toy Company Mattel, Inc.
1967 Lite Brite Hasbro, Inc. Hasbro, Inc.
1968 Hot Wheels and Racing Sets Mattel, Inc. Mattel, Inc.
1970 Nerf Balls Parker Brothers Hasbro, Inc.
1971 Mastermind Invicta Plastics, Ltd. Pressman Toys
1972 Uno Card Game International Games Mattel, Inc.
1973 Shrinky Dinks K&B Innovations Spin Master Toys
1974 Dungeons and Dragons TSR, Inc. Wizards of the Coast, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1974 Playmobil people & playsets Playmobil Playmobil
1975 Othello Gabriel Industries, Inc. Mattel, Inc.
1977 Star Wars action figures Kenner Hasbro, Inc.
1978 Hungry Hungry Hippos Hasbro, Inc. Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1978 Magna Doodle Mego Toys Fisher-Price, div. of Mattel, Inc.
1978 Simon Electronic Game Milton Bradley Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1979 Cozy Coupe Ride-On Little Tikes Little Tikes
1979 Strawberry Shortcake Kenner Bandai
1980 Rubik's Cube Ideal Hasbro, Inc.
1982 Stompers die-cast vehicles Schaper None
1982 Trivial Pursuit Selchow & Righter Hasbro, Inc.
1983 Cabbage Patch Kids Coleco Mattel, Inc.
1983 Care Bears Kenner Play Along
1983 My Little Pony Hasbro, Inc. Hasbro, Inc.
1984 Transformers Hasbro, Inc. Hasbro, Inc.
1985 Scruples Game Henry Makow Hasbro, Inc.
1985 Teddy Ruxpin Worlds of Wonder Hasbro, Inc.
1986 Pound Puppies Tonka Mary Meyer
1987 Koosh Ball OddzOn Hasbro, Inc.
1987 Pictionary The Games Gang Hasbro, Inc.
1988 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Playmates Toys, Inc. Playmates Toys, Inc.
1989 Super Soaker Larami Hasbro, Inc.
1992 Barney the Dinosaur plu***he Lyons Group Fisher-Price, div. of Mattel, Inc.
1992 K'NEX Building Sets K'NEX Industries, Inc. K'NEX Industries, Inc.
1993 Magic: The Gathering collectible card game Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1993 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Bandai Bandai
1995 Lamaze Learning products Learning Curve International Learning Curve International
1996 Beanie Babies Ty Ty
1996 Tickle-Me Elmo Tyco Preschool Fisher-Price, div. of Mattel, Inc.
1997 Bass Fishin' Game Radica Games, Ltd. Radica Games, Ltd.
1997 Tamagotchi Bandai Bandai
1998 Furby Tiger Toys Tiger Toys, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1998 Groovy Girls Manhattan Toy Manhattan Toy
1998 Rescue Heroes Fisher-Price Fisher-Price, div. of Mattel, Inc.
1999 LeapPad LeapFrog LeapFrog
2000 Razor scooter Razor Razor
2001 Jumbo Music Block Neurosmith Neurosmith

[Frank53]

of those, I have had many at various stages in my life, including:

1900 Lionel Trains Lionel LLC Lionel LLC
1903 Crayola Crayons Binney & Smith, Inc. Binney & Smith, Inc.
1913 Erector Sets A.C. Gilbert BRIO Corporation
1913 Tinkertoys Toy Tinkers Playskool, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1916 Lincoln Logs John Lloyd Wright, Inc. K'NEX Industries, Inc.
1917 Radio Flyer Wagon Radio Flyer, Inc. Radio Flyer, Inc.
1929 Yo-Yo Duncan Toy Company Duncan Toy Company
1935 Monopoly Parker Brothers Hasbro, Inc.
1938 View-Master 3-D Viewer View-Master Fisher-Price, div. of Mattel, Inc.
1947 Tonka Trucks Tonka Hasbro, Inc.
1948 Cootie Schaper Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1948 Scrabble Game Selchow & Righter Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1948 Slinky James Industries James Industries
1949 Candy Land Milton Bradley Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1949 Clue Parker Brothers Hasbro, Inc.
1950 Silly Putty Peter Hodgson Binney & Smith, Inc.
1952 Mr. Potato Head Playskool Playskool, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1953 Colorforms Colorforms University Games
1954 Matchbox Cars Lesney Mattel, Inc.
1956 Play-Doh Kenner Hasbro, Inc.
1956 Yahtzee Game E.S. Lowe Company Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1957 Frisbee Wham-O Wham-O
1958 Hula Hoop Wham-O Wham-O
1967 Battleship Milton Bradley Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1972 Uno Card Game International Games Mattel, Inc.
1978 Simon Electronic Game Milton Bradley Milton Bradley, div. of Hasbro, Inc.
1980 Rubik's Cube Ideal Hasbro, Inc.
1989 Super Soaker Larami Hasbro, Inc. Jr has a couple
1992 K'NEX Building Sets K'NEX Industries, Inc. K'NEX Industries, Inc. My son and I built a number of these when he was 4,5,6 - he has since lost interest
2000 Razor scooter Razor Razor - Jr managed to managle a few of these

[FJ and G]

Frank,

It esp. is interesting to note that the earliest items on the list, i.e., Lionel, Crayola, Erector, Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs, Flyer Wagon, Yo-Yo, monopoly, etc etc, are the most durable timewise, whereas Mr. Potato Head and some of the more recent "in" toys have the least staying power & IMO, are the least fulfilling and educational. It's sort of evolution in reverse (devolution?)

[cheese3]

I have played with just about every toy on the list.

[Anonymous]

One of my other hobbies is collecting View Master reels. Have thousands of the older ones, 1939-1970's. Joe

[3railguy]

My favorite of them all:

1950 Silly Putty Peter Hodgson Binney & Smith, Inc.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 3railguy

My favorite of them all:

1950 Silly Putty Peter Hodgson Binney & Smith, Inc.

Yeah, Silly Putty is great stuff!

Yo-yo's are great too, but I had forgotten about Silly Putty. I had also forgotten about slinkies (for some reason, it didn't like my stairs though [:)])!

Do bear in mind that the yo-yo was a favorite of the children of the French Nobility back in the 1700's--it's nothing new.

I was surprised that Candy Land made the list, and I was also surprised that the the toy of my year is the super soaker (who woulda thunk it???)!

I had a razor scooter, gave my left arm some nasty fractures on it (broken bones HURT!!!).

Sincerely,
Daniel Parks

[TrainFreak409]

Good old Brio, one of my favorite childhood toys.