The Toss
Sharing a few instances when the coin decided it all........
1. Irvine "Irv" Robbins (December 6, 1917 – May 5, 2008) was a Canadian born American businessman. Robbins was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His father, Aaron Robbins, owne
1. Irvine "Irv" Robbins (December 6, 1917 – May 5, 2008) was a Canadian born American businessman. Robbins was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His father, Aaron Robbins, owne
d a dairy and The Olympic Store ice cream business at 954 Court C in Tacoma, Washington, USA.
Robbins grew up scooping cones in his family's ice cream store for customers who always seemed to be having a good time. He recalled that he often "finished a day's work happy" and wanted that same feeling when he started his own business. Irv Robbins attended the University of Washington in Seattle, was a member of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, and graduated with a degree in Political Science. He served in the U.S. Army as a Staff Sergeant in California, during World War II and was discharged August 1945.After getting out of the Army in 1945, he soon opened the Snowbird Ice Cream store on December 7, 1945 in Glendale, California. Robbins cashed in a $6,000 insurance policy given him for his Bar Mitzvah to start the business.
Burt Baskin was born in Streator, Illinois on December 17, 1913, to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Baskin. The son of Harold Baskin, a Russian-Jewish immigrant who had arrived in the United States in 1925 and who owned a clothing store until his retirement in 1942. Burt and Irv first met in 1941 when Burt began courting Irv's sister, Shirley Robbins, whom he married in Tacoma, Washington in 1942. He served in South Pacific as a Lieutenant Commander of Naval Reserve in the South Pacific during World War II. Burt and Shirley had two children: Edie and Richard. Burt Baskin owned a men's store in the Palmer House in Chicago, and married Robbins' sister Shirley in 1942. He had enlisted in the Navy and was released from service early 1946 and came to California, where Robbins convinced him that selling ice cream was more fun than selling men's ties & shirts, and within a couple of months he opened Burton's Ice Cream at 561 So. Lake Pasadena, California.
By 1948, the five Snowbird and three Burton's shops had been combined into a single enterprise, and they had devised their 31st flavor—Chocolate Mint.[1] The partners came to the conclusion that because of the new stores they had opened, they were devoting less and less time to each individual store. "That's when we hit on selling our stores to our managers," Robbins said in the 1985 Los Angeles Times story. "Without realizing it at the time, we were in the franchise business before the word 'franchise' was fashionable. We opened another store and another and another. . . ."[1] They made an agreement with the new store owners, which became "franchise agreements" and they became the first food company ever to franchise their outlets. Little did the McDonald's and Burger Kings of the future know, but the idea took hold in other retail establishments, and the age of "franchising" was underway.
In 1953, they renamed the company Baskin-Robbins, deciding the order of their names with a COIN TOSS. The "31 flavors" concept was introduced that same year to bring attention to a deep menu that featured a flavor for every day of the month.
2. Mayor decision made by coin flip...
Councillor Jim Rodgers became Belfast's lord mayor for a second time, thanks to a flip of a coin.
Mr Rodgers had the same number of votes as his opponent Ulster Unionist colleague Bob Stoker, and it was the only way for the party to make the decision.
A philosophical Mr Stoker said: "We could have gone to penalty kicks or arm wrestled but we didn't have time."
3. Sholay........and Jai's coin flip
Basanti and Veeru are captured and Jai follows. The three escape, but Jai is wounded by a gunshot, and with the bandits still following, they hide behind a rock at the foot of a bridge, due to shortage of ammunition. Jai orders Veeru to go back to the village with Basanti, and then return with some ammunition. Veeru, even though unaware of Jai's wound, hesitates, insisting that Jai return to the village instead, upon which Jai suggests that they resolve the matter by tossing a coin. The toss, as always seems to happen, is in Jai's favor, and Veeru heads back to the village with Basanti. Jai, slowly dying with only a few bullets remaining, manages to fend off advances by the bandits, and kills most of Gabbar's men. After failing in most of their advances (and unaware that Jai is alone), in one last attempt, the bandits throw a stick of dynamite, which lands on the bridge near him. Realizing he has only one bullet remaining, Jai attempts to shoot the bomb off the bridge, but ends up hitting the bomb itself, causing it not only to explode and kill all remaining bandits, but also to injure himself. Veeru returns to find Jai dying, and immediately wants to take him back, but Jai refuses. He jokingly laments on missing Veeru's marriage, and telling stories to Basanti's and Veeru's children. Some of the villagers rush to the scene, including Radha, who once again has to endure the anguish of losing someone. Veeru then notices Jai's coin lying on the ground, and, upon examination, discovers that both sides of the coin are the same, and realizes that Jai had cheated him on every coin toss, including the one that resulted in his demise.
4. The Wright toss...
In 1903, the Wright brothers flipped a coin to see which one of them would take to the air in the first ever powered flight. Wilbur won the toss but his attempt was only partially successful. Orville's later flight was considered the first example of powered flight.
5. Portland...by a flip???
One of the most significant coin tosses in the United State's history involved the naming of the city of Portland, Oregon in 1845. Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove, who owned the claim to the land that would later become Portland, each wanted to name their new town after their respective hometowns of Boston, Massachusetts and Portland, Maine. Pettygrove prevailed in the coin flip, and the town was named Portland.
6. And they won by the toss of a coin
In the 1968 European Football Championship the semi-final between Italy and the Soviet Union finished 0-0 after extra-time. Penalty shoot-outs had not been invented and it was decided to toss a coin to see who reached the final, rather than play a replay. Italy won, and went on to become European champions.
Robbins grew up scooping cones in his family's ice cream store for customers who always seemed to be having a good time. He recalled that he often "finished a day's work happy" and wanted that same feeling when he started his own business. Irv Robbins attended the University of Washington in Seattle, was a member of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, and graduated with a degree in Political Science. He served in the U.S. Army as a Staff Sergeant in California, during World War II and was discharged August 1945.After getting out of the Army in 1945, he soon opened the Snowbird Ice Cream store on December 7, 1945 in Glendale, California. Robbins cashed in a $6,000 insurance policy given him for his Bar Mitzvah to start the business.
Burt Baskin was born in Streator, Illinois on December 17, 1913, to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Baskin. The son of Harold Baskin, a Russian-Jewish immigrant who had arrived in the United States in 1925 and who owned a clothing store until his retirement in 1942. Burt and Irv first met in 1941 when Burt began courting Irv's sister, Shirley Robbins, whom he married in Tacoma, Washington in 1942. He served in South Pacific as a Lieutenant Commander of Naval Reserve in the South Pacific during World War II. Burt and Shirley had two children: Edie and Richard. Burt Baskin owned a men's store in the Palmer House in Chicago, and married Robbins' sister Shirley in 1942. He had enlisted in the Navy and was released from service early 1946 and came to California, where Robbins convinced him that selling ice cream was more fun than selling men's ties & shirts, and within a couple of months he opened Burton's Ice Cream at 561 So. Lake Pasadena, California.
By 1948, the five Snowbird and three Burton's shops had been combined into a single enterprise, and they had devised their 31st flavor—Chocolate Mint.[1] The partners came to the conclusion that because of the new stores they had opened, they were devoting less and less time to each individual store. "That's when we hit on selling our stores to our managers," Robbins said in the 1985 Los Angeles Times story. "Without realizing it at the time, we were in the franchise business before the word 'franchise' was fashionable. We opened another store and another and another. . . ."[1] They made an agreement with the new store owners, which became "franchise agreements" and they became the first food company ever to franchise their outlets. Little did the McDonald's and Burger Kings of the future know, but the idea took hold in other retail establishments, and the age of "franchising" was underway.
In 1953, they renamed the company Baskin-Robbins, deciding the order of their names with a COIN TOSS. The "31 flavors" concept was introduced that same year to bring attention to a deep menu that featured a flavor for every day of the month.
2. Mayor decision made by coin flip...
Councillor Jim Rodgers became Belfast's lord mayor for a second time, thanks to a flip of a coin.
Mr Rodgers had the same number of votes as his opponent Ulster Unionist colleague Bob Stoker, and it was the only way for the party to make the decision.
A philosophical Mr Stoker said: "We could have gone to penalty kicks or arm wrestled but we didn't have time."
3. Sholay........and Jai's coin flip
Basanti and Veeru are captured and Jai follows. The three escape, but Jai is wounded by a gunshot, and with the bandits still following, they hide behind a rock at the foot of a bridge, due to shortage of ammunition. Jai orders Veeru to go back to the village with Basanti, and then return with some ammunition. Veeru, even though unaware of Jai's wound, hesitates, insisting that Jai return to the village instead, upon which Jai suggests that they resolve the matter by tossing a coin. The toss, as always seems to happen, is in Jai's favor, and Veeru heads back to the village with Basanti. Jai, slowly dying with only a few bullets remaining, manages to fend off advances by the bandits, and kills most of Gabbar's men. After failing in most of their advances (and unaware that Jai is alone), in one last attempt, the bandits throw a stick of dynamite, which lands on the bridge near him. Realizing he has only one bullet remaining, Jai attempts to shoot the bomb off the bridge, but ends up hitting the bomb itself, causing it not only to explode and kill all remaining bandits, but also to injure himself. Veeru returns to find Jai dying, and immediately wants to take him back, but Jai refuses. He jokingly laments on missing Veeru's marriage, and telling stories to Basanti's and Veeru's children. Some of the villagers rush to the scene, including Radha, who once again has to endure the anguish of losing someone. Veeru then notices Jai's coin lying on the ground, and, upon examination, discovers that both sides of the coin are the same, and realizes that Jai had cheated him on every coin toss, including the one that resulted in his demise.
4. The Wright toss...
In 1903, the Wright brothers flipped a coin to see which one of them would take to the air in the first ever powered flight. Wilbur won the toss but his attempt was only partially successful. Orville's later flight was considered the first example of powered flight.
5. Portland...by a flip???
One of the most significant coin tosses in the United State's history involved the naming of the city of Portland, Oregon in 1845. Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove, who owned the claim to the land that would later become Portland, each wanted to name their new town after their respective hometowns of Boston, Massachusetts and Portland, Maine. Pettygrove prevailed in the coin flip, and the town was named Portland.
6. And they won by the toss of a coin
In the 1968 European Football Championship the semi-final between Italy and the Soviet Union finished 0-0 after extra-time. Penalty shoot-outs had not been invented and it was decided to toss a coin to see who reached the final, rather than play a replay. Italy won, and went on to become European champions.
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