ROCHESTER, NY, November 12, 2004 -Two of Hasbro, Inc.'s [NYSE: HAS] most treasured brands, G.I. JOE and SCRABBLE, are being recognized for their timeless appeal to kids and families with the coveted honor of induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame at Strong Museum here, today.
G.I. JOE and SCRABBLE were selected by an independent panel based on their iconic-status, longevity, influence in fostering learning and creativity through play, and innovation. They join many Hasbro brands previously inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, including TINKERTOY, TONKA TRUCKS, MR. POTATO HEAD, LINCOLN LOGS, PLAY-DOH and MONOPOLY.
"When you think of toys and games that have lasted for generations and have fostered innovation and creative play, it's hard to find two brands that fit the bill better than SCRABBLE and G.I. JOE," said Maria Weiskott, Editor-in-Chief of Playthings Magazine. "While there were many worthy contenders this year, the National Toy Hall of Fame made excellent selections in both of these classic brands that continue to be enjoyed by millions of kids, and kids at heart."
The G.I. JOE brand revolutionized the toy industry, and forever altered the way boys play with the advent of the action figure in 1964. G.I. JOE has been among the most popular boy brands of all time and has provided millions of boys with endless backyard adventures. Throughout its 40-year history, the G.I. JOE brand has constantly evolved, inspiring kids with representations of both military and civilian heroes. Hasbro has always kept the G.I. JOE brand relevant to new generations through new toy trends and innovations such as the Kung-Fu Grip of the 70s and today's G.I. JOE vs. COBRA line.
Throughout the summer, the G.I. JOE brand received overwhelming fan support during the nomination process as 40 years worth of fans sent in nominations to help ensure G.I. JOE action figures took its rightful place in the National Toy Hall of Fame. By the time the process closed, the brand received over 1,200 nominations from enthusiastic fans. The G.I. JOE brand overwhelmed the competition in a Playthings Magazine poll asking which nominated toy most deserved to be honored.
SCRABBLE Brand Crossword Game also exemplifies the values that the National Toy Hall of Fame seeks for its inductees as the first game that combined the vocabulary skills of crossword puzzles and anagrams with the additional element of chance. Developed by Alfred M. Butts in the 1930s as LEXIKO, then CRISS CROSS WORDS, the name was changed to SCRABBLE in 1948 and the game has been a hit since then. There are now an estimated 40 million SCRABBLE players in the United States and Canada, many of whom participate in more than 150 tournaments each year, sanctioned by the National SCRABBLE Association. In addition, more than one million students participate in the School SCRABBLE program. The School SCRABBLE program has earned praise from educators who cite improved vocabulary, spelling, dictionary and math skills among its benefits.
Every two years, a National SCRABBLE Championship is held in a different city in the United States. In 2004, New Orleans hosted the event in which 800 players competed for a $100,000 cash purse. A first place prize of $25,000 is awarded to the National SCRABBLE Champion.
For more information about G.I. JOE, visit
www.gijoe.com.
For more information about SCRABBLE, visit
www.scrabble.com. Hasbro (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.
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SCRABBLE is a trademark of Hasbro in the US and Canada.
