Apples and Horses
Horses love apples. This was universally known in the early parts of this century, but it appears to be universally unknown today. I have to constantly explain horses and apples to almost everyone…
Bet a Big Apple
People began betting a big (red) apple since at least 1839. A "big apple" was a prized fruit and a popular non-monetary reward. Why didn't they bet a big banana? Why not a big…
Big Apples Are Top of the Barrel
The big apples, the best fruit, are "top of the barrel." This was well known by the late 19th century. It was speculated that farmers often placed the best apples on top of the barrel to…
Big Time and Big Town
"Big Time" and "Big Town" are important parts or precursors of the "Big Apple" nickname. The New York Morning Telegraph was a sports and entertainment newspaper, and…
Lands of the Big Red Apples
Several places in the United States and Canada, pre-1920, were known as the "Land of the Big (Red) Apple." Oregon was one of the first; others include Missouri, Colorado, Washington, and…