A Salute to Schaper
from Robbinsdale Revisited Hosted by robbinsdalehistoricalsociety
Episode 51: Explore the history of the iconic "Cootie" toy and its inventor, William Herbert "Herb" Schaper, who launched his toy empire from his Robbinsdale home. Created in the late 1940s after Schaper whittled a wooden fishing lure into a bug-like creature, The Game of Cootie grew from a basement operation assembled by neighborhood women into an international classic that sold over 50 million copies. We highlight Schaper Manufacturing's legacy—including memorable games like Stadium Checkers and Skunk, the infamous 1963 "Great Toy Warehouse Heist," and the city's steel Cootie statue celebrating its local heritage.
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