Mavericks left-handed pitcher Rob “Nellie” Nelson had a game-changing idea while sitting in the bullpen of Civic Stadium: a shredded bubble gum alternative to chewing tobacco, which was common among baseball players at the time and often emulated by kids, stuffing their cheeks like the pros.
Nellie tells teammate Jim Bouton about his idea, and Big League Chew is born. The two of them pitched the idea to a gum manufacturer, and got to work on the first-ever pouches.
Big League Chew officially launches in stores, with its iconic foil-and-paper pouch and cartoon ballplayer designs. It quickly becomes a dugout essential.
Big League Chew made it on the big screen,
with iconic commercials people still remember today.
Big League Chew became the “Hall of Fame Bubble Gum” in Cooperstown, NY.
By April 2023, over 1 billion pouches of Big League Chew had been sold worldwide.
