Cracker Jack, based in Plano at PepsiCo/Frito-Lay, is teaming up with the National Baseball Hall of Fame in New York with a “Cracker Jack at the Ballpark” exhibit opening today.
“No trip to the ballpark is complete without a visit to the concession stands, where Cracker Jack has reigned as one of baseball’s most popular snacks since the early 1900s,” said National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum President Josh Rawitch. “This exhibit honors the rich history and connection Cracker Jack has to the game and the heartfelt, nostalgic memories it evokes among baseball fans.”
The exhibit features artifacts from the Cracker Jack archives like baseball cards, collectibles, signed memorabilia and a replica of the original hand-written lyrics to Take Me Out of the Ball Game, curated by 2001 Hall of Fame inductee Dave Winfield.
“When I look back at my career, I’ll always cherish the energy that fills the stadium when fans take to their feet and sing out for Cracker Jack during the seventh-inning stretch,” said Winfield. “As an honorary curator, it is important to make sure that the exhibit reflects how special going to a game and enjoying Cracker Jack is to baseball fans.”
The Cracker Jack brand debuted their signature molasses-flavored, caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts in the late 1800s. In 1907, the song Take Me Out to the Ball Game cemented the snack’s ties to baseball and increased its popularity. By 1997, Cracker Jack was part of the Frito-Lay portfolio, based right here in Plano, Texas.
“Whether linking arms and singing during the seventh-inning stretch, flagging down vendors walking down the aisles or smiling ear-to-ear as you pull out the prize inside of our packaging, fans have felt the joy that Cracker Jack brings to baseball for decades,” said Leslie Vesper, vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay North America. “‘Cracker Jack at the Ballpark’ allows visitors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum to once again experience those cheerful moments associated with both the brand and the sport.”
To celebrate the grand opening, Cracker Jack is leveling up its prize by giving one winning baseball fan and three of their friends a VIP experience to visit the experience during Hall of Fame Induction Weekend. Participants can enter to win at CrackerJackHallOfFame.com.
