"Can We Have Our Ball Back?"-76 Gas Ball Signs Going Away

BBC News(?) ^ | 02/21/06 | Chris Vallance

[BW2221]

Think of how mergers have reduced competition in the petroleum industry:
Conoco + Philips + Union 76
Chevron + Texaco + ARCO (used to be Atlantic + Richfield + part of Sinclair)
Exxon + Mobil
BP + AMOCO

[Westlander]

In Michigan-Sinclair, Boron, U76, Standard, Clark, Pure, Texaco, are memories. There are no Exxon-Phillips-Chevron-Arco-Conoco-here. We have Mobil, BP, Sunoco, Shell, Marathon, and Speedway(owned by Marathon), and a plethora of Achmed's no-brand. I realize there were a lot of mergers/buyouts..check out what some of those old signs are going for on eBay.

[Hank Rearden]

"I have a fantasy that there's some kind of ball repository,"

Hillary's got this jar on "her" desk . . . . . . .

[Safetgiver]

In PA we used to have Wolfs Head. " Give me Head, or I'll walk!"

[riverdawg]

A number of Union 76 stations in the Southeast are converting (back) to the Pure logo, a throwback to an even earlier era.

[Ghengis]

OK...You can have your ball back.

[oyez]

BTW, What ever happened to the ESSO Bee?

[r9etb]

"Humble Oil"

Named for Humble, TX, perhaps?

[Billthedrill]

I have a fantasy that there's some kind of ball repository," campaigner and neon sign historian Nathan Marsak said

Nope. Not goin' there...

[bk1000]

Used to love the Sinclair dinosaur.(he eventually became BP) Gulf, Pure, and Standard Oil are no longer found in the south, but used to be everywhere.

[Netheron]

I'm sure you are just itching to tell us about them.

[newzjunkey]

How does something like this make the BBC news? Not that I mind. It's a nice story on Americana. I'll miss the old orange globes.

[Verbosus]

I always wanted one of those vintage Sinclair dinosaur things.