Cracker Jack

Author: Ralph Roggenbuck

Cracker Jack was my favorite red, white and blue box for at least 2 decades. In the 1950’s Cracker Jack was a full nickel! Even five pennies could get you a box of it. Now the best that I have seen is 3 for a GEORGE! The boxes don’t even have the same neat look.

These were at least 1/2 again as large as today’s boxes of it are. The actual boxes were a waxed cardboard. When you opened the box the whole room could enjoy the great smell. I don’t remember a handful then without great tasting peanuts in it.

The standard the fifties Cracker Jack put into my mind is used to measure every caramel corn I taste. The only ones that have been close in the last several years have been the home-made ones. Even modern “Cracker Jack” doesn’t even come close.

Some of the prizes they used to get were very entertaining. There were metal stands with a flag painted on them, plastic animals on bases, tops of several types and some sports cards, magnifying glasses, and I am sure all sorts of other things that I don’t remember. Some of the sports cards and other things have become semi-valuable. I wonder what became of the shoe box of those prizes that I used to have.

Status Jackets

During the fifties “Status Jackets” were worn even when no jackets were needed!
They were the emblem of the teenagers; back in ancient times, when I was one of them!
There were actually 3 different groups.

The largest group wore expensive, dull, boring cloth jackets. One of the other groups wore the leather sleeved letter jackets. The non-letter jacket crowd referred to them as “brag rags”.

The members of the next group more were social outcasts, like me. I think the term they referred to us as was; ”Hoods” We were the full leather jacket crowd. This group actually had 3 distinct parts also.

The largest part wore the “Nostalgia Look”, fake fur collared, brown with 2 flap pockets and the shoulder straps that buttoned to the edge of the collar for no known reason. I had seen gloves stuck in the strap and some carried the obligatory pack of weeds there. These were the replica bomber jackets reminiscent of the air force leather jackets from the 40’s.

The next part of this group wore the full motorcycle jacket although 75% of them were actually afraid to even get on a motorcycle on a gravel road. These were the famous “Fonzzie” type jacket. They had many pockets, many zippers and some of the more elaborate ones had chains hung on them for no known reason either! They were usually a heavy, rather stiff leather. Scratches and small abrasions were sometimes bragged about (Sometimes it could have even been TRUE); as motorcycle mishaps! There was only ONE COLOR for these---BLACK!

The next group wore leather also. Some of these jackets didn’t even look like leather until you were close. There were no chains and only a front zipper and it had a flap over it; like any other jacket. They sometimes had only 2 pockets and some had four. They were always plain and actually part of the jacket design; not looking like they were thrown on later! There were many colors although; blacks, browns, and grays of many different shades were the most common.

Mine had been purchased from Diamond’s Department Store in Minot, ND. Diamond’s evolved into the “Young America” chain of today. I had paid $16 plus tax for it. It was a charcoal gray, horsehide, and very plain. It had a heavy quilted lining and was very warm when zipped. It was a rather heavy jacket, fit well, and was comfortable. I had worn it for about 5 years before my brothers managed to get it when I wasn’t home and spill used oil all over it! Needless to say it could not be removed after soaking into the lining!

I seem to have had a few leather jackets since; but, none I have liked as well. Not even the velvet sheen, glove leather, super plain black one I wear now!