American’s love to celebrate Independence Day ~ whether watching a hometown parade, enjoying fireworks or wrestling with a greased watermelon.  And who hasn’t heard the phrase “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet” many times when describing American culture?  And where did this well-known phrase originate?

For those old enough to remember, it started with a very memorable marketing campaign featuring three TV ads, produced by Chevrolet back in 1974.  The catchy phrase definitely caught on and is now a part of our vernacular.  Recently, General Motors revived their “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet” theme and produced a new series of commercials; one of which featured Virginia’s own Justin Verlander – 2011 Cy Young Award Winner for the Detroit Tigers. 

Here are some other fun facts about this wholesome combination of sports, food and an American-made car:

·         About baseball… Minor League Baseball is alive and well in Virginia where there are four leagues: International (AAA), Eastern (AA), Carolina (A) and Appalachian. 

·         About hot dogs…did you know Americans consume an average of 60 hot dogs a year!

·         About baseball AND hot dogs…the story goes that Babe Ruth once ate 24 hot dogs in between a double-header.

·         About apple pie…American’s favorite dessert was added to the McDonald’s menu in 1968. 

·         About Chevrolet… the car maker’s iconic emblem may have been inspired by piece of Parisian wallpaper.

Make your summer an All-American one by hopping in your Chevy to catch a ball game, downing a few dogs then savoring a slice of homemade apple pie when you get home!