Pins From the Bag

I know that you all love Pins From the Bag, and anxiously await the next installment. Your anxiety and waiting have come to an end!

Did you know that 1961 was the year of Kansas' centennial? I sure didn't. I wasn't born yet, so I didn't get the memo. I also didn't know that Olney, England and Liberal, Kansas were rivals in Pancake Day Races (this would be the 12th International event), a sport that would soon eclipse the World Cup. 

I'm not a big fan of store-bought orange juice (though the frozen concentrate has its advantages). That's what I get for years of being spoiled by grandparents who had 40 citrus trees in their yard. Fresh-squeezed juice every morning, as much as you wanted! However, I like this button, with the charming character of "Tropic-Ana", girl from some sun-drenched island, carrying a banana leaf full of oranges on her head. The addition of that tiny dot representing a belly-button ("navel", get it?) was apparently a milestone.

I also love Reddy Kilowatt, the lightbulb-nosed mascot who was introduced in 1926 - 100 years ago! - he served as a corporate spokesman for electricity generation in the United States and other countries. This button was intended to have the name ("Hello My Name is Sherman") of a participant at some unknown event. There are some great RK advertising items that I covet, but they are very pricey. 

I thought that stale bread was great, until I tried Freihofer's fresh loaves! As you can see, there was a Code Cop to ensure that there was no funny-business going on. He'd hit each loaf with his billy club, and if it didn't spring right back, it went into the bin. Just grab a slice of Feirhofer's from the sanitary paper wrapper, and spread some soft butter on it. Delicious!

This one is not from THE BAG, but I included it because the Freihofer's name was familiar to me due to this Mickey Mouse Globe Trotters button (I do have one, but it was easier to just find a photo online). Various bakeries and dairies participated in the Mickey Mouse Globe Trotters promotion, I saw one collection of over 40 different varieties fetch over $1,800. The Freihofer's button seems to be among the most common.

Another pancake-related button! This time for Aunt Jemima's Pancake Club. Do people really need more encouragement to make pancakes? Try some with chocolate chips, you won't be sorry. Some like them with sliced bananas, but that's not my thing. My mom likes to put butter and raspberry jam on her pancakes, and I admit it's amazing. Pancake days are here again! 

And finally, another centennial celebration, this time for North English, Iowa. The town was named after the English river; Franklin Pierce was President at the time. As you can see, North English is in the southeastern corner of the state (about 20 miles southwest of Cedar Rapids), and in 2020 had a population of 1,065.  

I hope you have enjoyed today's Pins From the Bag!