I was told as a kid that a Magic 8 Ball could predict the future. I bought it hook line and sinker…I was also told by my older sister (8 years older) that snakes bite the second person in a line while I was merrily leading the way hiking in the woods as a 5-year-old…so I caught on pretty quick after I stepped on a snake…didn’t get bit though…but I never let her forget it.
I bugged my mom till she got me the mysterious Magic 8 Ball. I was amazed at this toy…well it wasn’t a toy to me. I thought this was great. So being 5-6 years old I thought I would put it to use… Oh, Magic 8 Ball should I color in the encyclopedias with my crayons? I shook it up and waited for the triangle to give me the answer… “signs point to yes”…those signs must have pointed in a different direction than my Mom… she wasn’t a fan of the Magic 8 ball after that.
Abe Bookman invented the Magic 8 Ball, a fortune-telling toy currently manufactured by Mattel.
During World War II, a man named Alfred Carter in Cincinnati created a tube-like fortune-telling toy. To help him he got his brother-in-law to help…that would be Abe Bookman. they created a 7″ tube device with glass on both ends with a pair of floating dice with responses. It was sold as the “Syco-Seer: The Miracle Home Fortune Teller.” Their company was called Alabe Crafts.
Carter died in 1948 and Bookman revised it into a crystal ball but it still didn’t sell really well. Then the Brunswick Billiards company commissioned Bookman to make them one shaped like an 8 ball as a promotional giveaway.
After the giveaway was finished Bookman kept producing them shaped like an 8 ball.
The Magic 8 Ball that we have known since then has contained a 20-sided polygon inside a hollow plastic ball, floating in a liquid-filled, 3-inch diameter tube. The liquid largely consists of dark blue ink and alcohol. The predictions, yes, no, or non-committal, appear on each triangular face of the polygon.
Bookman marketed it as a conversation piece, a paperweight and then a toy.
Ideal Toys bought Alabe Crafts in 1971. Next, Tyco Toys bought the ball in ’87. Mattel owns it today and sells one million units a year.
Here are the magical statements of the Magic 8 Ball
- As I see it, yes
- Ask again later
- Better not tell you now
- Cannot predict now
- Concentrate and ask again
- Don’t count on it
- It is certain
- It is decidedly so
- Most likely
- My reply is no
- My sources say no
- Outlook good
- Outlook not so good
- Reply hazy, try again
- Signs point to yes
- Very doubtful
- Without a doubt
- Yes
- Yes, definitely
- You may rely on it.
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I never had one but as friend. We would freak each other out with this thing, and the ouija board!
Oh yea…the ouija board…even then it gave me the creeps lol.
😂
The Magic 8 Ball was very popular back in the day, but I don’t think anyone took it seriously.
I had one not long ago…just to have it.
I have a Magic 8 Ball app on my iPhone. I rarely use it.
never had one (I did have a keychain once which had an 8-ball about a half-inch across on it though) but it’s certainly one of the most iconic of toys of the 20th Century
When I was a kid…I thought it was true…lol. I wish it were that easy
An icosahedron inside!
YES! I remember looking down that dark liquid wondering what it was and what that thing was spinning around.
I had one of those, and believed everything it said. I saw one in an antique store a while back and should have bought it. Great words to live by.
I always wanted one and my mom wouldn’t allow it, or discouraged it at least. But I just bought myself one for Christmas this year. Dec 2024. I ask it questions then use my dowsing rods! Ha!
Oh they are a lot of fun…the really are
Never had one, Max, but of course I remember them. There’s a hilarious SpongeBob SquarePants magic eight ball episode parody about the magic conch. It’s a must see…Lol!
Oh yes! I remember the magic conch. We watched some of these the other day. I haven’t seen them since the early 2000s.
My best friend’s older sister had one.It was our period of Ouija Boards, seances and “Levitation” at slumber parties.
Levitation….now that would be different.
Yeah, it was pretty fake. The only reason I got levitated was because I was so small and about 10 people were holding me up by two fingers on each hand. They raised me way up, and then started screaming and let me fall on my back!
lol… well I’m glad you are alright! We tried to hypnotise each other
I’d never heard of ‘the magic 8-ball’ until now. Which is a shame!
Never too late!
I had no idea there were 20 possible answers! The one I always remember is ‘signs point to yes’.
Oh you are a positive one!
Lol I probably kept shaking it until i got what I wanted
Thanks for the intro, including the clip. The Magic 8 Ball was entirely new to me. I have to believe it wasn’t a thing in Germany.
It was popular over here and you can still get them at toy shops now…I think Bailey had one.
I loved mine!
I have no recollection of the magic 8 ball Max…haha…trying to think If I knew someone that did… Great retro post..
Actually just asked Sue and she remembers it totally….she’s reading your post about it…can’t believe I missed this growing up haha
Wow…you are strange! lol…..no dude they must have not been popular there.
I had one of these! I had no idea they were still selling them!
Yes they do…my son has a newer one