Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

"Can We Have Our Ball Back?"-76 Gas Ball Signs Going Away
BBC News(?) ^ | 02/21/06 | Chris Vallance

Posted on 02/23/2006 11:52:38 AM PST by kaktuskid

Can we have our balls back, please? By Chris Vallance BBC News

The 76 Union ball has become an American icon All over the west coast of America, giant orange balls have been disappearing.

The so-called "76 Balls" are the distinctive signs of Union 76 petrol stations, but the historic spheres are under threat, prompting a web-based plea for their preservation reminiscent of the effort to save London's double-decker Routemaster buses.

The www.savethe76ball.com campaign, brainchild of Los Angeles-based bloggers Kim Cooper and Nathan Marsak, criticises ConocoPhillips, the new Texan owners of the Union 76 gas stations, for removing the iconic spheres and replacing them with more conservative flat signs.

In spite of repeated requests, ConocoPhillips have not commented on the bloggers' campaign.

Now Kim and Nathan have appealed to consumers to boycott the chain in an effort to get the balls back.

"We want them to stop pulling down the balls and replace those that have been removed," Kim told the BBC News website.

"We would be mortified if by Halloween - when traditionally the station owners decorate their balls as smiling pumpkins - they're all gone."

West Coast favourite

The campaign has attracted at least one key supporter.

The designer of the 76 Ball, Ray Pedersen, has taken up the cause with a plea to "Save My Ball". Mr Pedersen created the design in 1955 for the Seattle World's fair.

His prototype ball was made out of hand-blown glass.

"He conceived of the 76 Ball and spent $50,000 to have one crafted, then hand-painted the numbers," Kim said.

"His boss fired him over the phone when he heard what he'd spent! But then the boss and Fred Hartley, the head of Union Oil, came up to have a look. Ray heard them coming up the fairgrounds and Fred yelling 'Goddammit, we're gonna put one on every station we own!'

"Needless to say, Ray was not really fired. And it's been a favourite of West Coast folks ever since."

Vintage Americana

Since then, the 76 Ball has become a key part of the American roadside.

The distinctive orange logo with bold blue numerals was a feature of Nascar races, which Union 76 formerly sponsored.

Smaller versions of the ball designed to adorn car aerials have sold in their millions, and the balls have even had cameo appearances in Hollywood movies: One was knocked down by a rampaging T. rex in the film Jurassic Park: The Lost World.

The spheres are being replaced by flat signs. Photo: FranklinAvenue.net

Yet one mystery remains: Where are the missing balls?

"I have a fantasy that there's some kind of ball repository," campaigner and neon sign historian Nathan Marsak said in an interview with BBC Radio Five Live.

Las Vegas already has a dump for old neon signs, the so-called Yesco graveyard.

But Nathan hopes that there won't be similar necropolis filled with 76 Balls, and he is clearly ready for a protracted battle.

"It's almost like you're carving out part of our body or soul. You've got to get on the battlements and fight the good fights."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; US: California
KEYWORDS: 76; california
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-33 last
To: commish
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
21 posted on 02/23/2006 1:13:26 PM PST by BW2221
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: GSWarrior

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.


22 posted on 02/23/2006 1:19:21 PM PST by Westlander (Unleash the Neutron Bomb)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

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

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

23 posted on 02/23/2006 1:23:12 PM PST by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government "job" attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Westlander

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


24 posted on 02/23/2006 1:23:49 PM PST by Safetgiver (Noone spoke when the levee done broke, Blanco cried and Nagin lied.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: kaktuskid
A number of Union 76 stations in the Southeast are converting (back) to the Pure logo, a throwback to an even earlier era.
25 posted on 02/23/2006 1:33:55 PM PST by riverdawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kaktuskid


OK...You can have your ball back.
26 posted on 02/23/2006 2:08:53 PM PST by Ghengis (Alexander was a wuss!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kaktuskid

BTW, What ever happened to the ESSO Bee?


27 posted on 02/23/2006 2:22:37 PM PST by oyez (Appeasement is insanity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alloysteel
"Humble Oil"

Named for Humble, TX, perhaps?

28 posted on 02/23/2006 2:25:39 PM PST by r9etb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

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

Nope. Not goin' there...

29 posted on 02/23/2006 2:27:54 PM PST by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kaktuskid

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.


30 posted on 02/23/2006 2:29:59 PM PST by bk1000 (A clear conscience is a sure sign of a poor memory)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: feinswinesuksass

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


31 posted on 02/23/2006 2:51:04 PM PST by Netheron
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: kaktuskid

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.


32 posted on 02/23/2006 5:49:11 PM PST by newzjunkey (Remembering Freeper "Maddogsmamma")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cagey

I always wanted one of those vintage Sinclair dinosaur things.


33 posted on 05/14/2020 3:40:12 PM PDT by Verbosus (/* No Comment */)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-33 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson