By CHARLES FERRUZZA
Wilkerson may have secured the patent for the 52-year-old frozen novelty, but he didn’t invent it. That honor goes to the founder of Merritt Foods, James S. Merritt and his most legendary employee, D.S. “Doc” Abernathy who went on to create the Dole Frozen Dessert bars and the Mutant Ninja Turtles ice cream treats. Merritt died in 1970 at age 54; his namesake company closed in 1991 when its then-owner, Dallas-based Morningstar Group, Inc. decided to get out of the icy-treat business. Iowa-based Wells Dairy bought the Bomb Pop patent after the century-old Merritt plant (originally built as a brewery) on Guinotte Avenue was shut down.
The original six-finned Bom Pop was introduced during the height of Cold War paranoia and atomic bomb testing in the United States. (Another summer innovation inspired by the A-bomb was the bikini, named for the Bikini Atoll nuclear weapons test site.) The three-color -- red, white and blue, of course – popsicle was created in a three-stage process in a trademarked shape. It’s grown longer and thinner over the years, and added color and flavor combinations.
Currently Wells Dairy (which sells over a million of the frozen treats annually) offers ten
variations on the theme, including Fudge Bomb Pop, a Jolly Rancher Bomb Pop, a Sour Power Bomb Pop and a sugar-free version – all of which are wildly popular with a generation of tykes who have no concept of what it means to live in terror of a nuclear war. For those who do -- there's a different kind of treat: The Bomb Pop cocktail.Showing 1-1 of 1
Wanting to know how many other people tried to get into the recent Taste of KC event and couldn't? I was really disappointed that the Pitch didn't say in advertisement or on ticket purchase: this was an over 21 event or that you had to have an ID with you. What happened to people being able to buy tickets at the event? Brought with me my 17 year old daughter and a friend 38 years old who didn't have his ID on him. Daughter and several of us got in for a whole 30 min only to be told we had to leave because of her age. Rude Power and Light District Rep ( you know who you are short and full of yourself guy) Tried to accuse my daughter of having a fake ID. Yeah she always wanted a fake ID saying she's 17...get real! Other friend had been waiting at the gait for supposed approval from management to get in, which never came. I'm still waiting for my refund - Jason of the Pitch! I think I deserve that much since that night I didn't get to eat until I went to the 8-10 Zone on the Plaza... great place by the way! I'll take the Plaza over Power and Light District any day of the week now!! Pitch don't lose another reader to the INK!!!
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