Summary

A LOOK AT A HOT NEW COLLECTOR’S ITEM FOR KIDS...POGS.

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 78988
Story Slug POG MANIA
Location HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA
Format PKG
Date 8/31/1994
Archive Time 27:05
TRT 2:03
Supers HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA JOE KAUFENBERG, MILK TOP MAKER ALAN RYPINSKI, MILK TOP MAKER MOS (KIDS) ALAN MENDELSON, REPORTING
Video Description MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF POGS, MANUFACTURE OF POGS, SOTS, KIDS PLAYING WITH POGS, POG WORLD FEDERATION HEADQUARTERS.
Description A LOOK AT A HOT NEW COLLECTOR’S ITEM FOR KIDS...POGS.
Script LEAD: A NEW COLLECTING CRAZE HAS HIT THE U.S. AND HAS ALSO STIRRED UP SOME CONTROVERSY IN COURT. ALAN MENDELSON HAS MORE. SCRIPT: THEIR CALLED MILK CAPS OR POGS AND MACHINES ARE WORKING 24 HOURS A DAY TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR THEM. IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS POGS SPREAD FROM HAWII TO CALIFORNIA TO AROUND THE WORLD. BIG MONEY IS INVOLVED FOR MILK CAP MAKERS LIKE JOE KAUFENBERG. SOTS KIDS PLAY WITH THEM AND COLLECT THEM THE WAY THEIR PARENTS PLAYED WITH MARBLES OR BASEBALL CARDS. TO WIN THE MILK CAP GAME YOU USE A SLAMMER TO FLIP THE POGS. THE NAME POG CAME FROM THE HAWIIAN DRINK MADE WITH PASSION, ORANGE AND GUAVA JUICE. THE ACRONYM STUCK. THE PAPER CAPS USED TO GO ON TOP OF JUICE AND MILK BOTTLES. NOW THERE'S TROUBLE IN POG HEAVEN, A COMPANY CALLED THE WORLD POG FEDERATION COSTA MESA HAS DECLARED POG WAR ON COMPETITORS WHO USED THE NAME POG. THE FEDERATION SAYS IT HAS A LICENSE ON THE POG NAME. COMPANY PRESIDENT ALAN RYPINSKI SAYS HE BOUGHT THE RIGHTS FROM THE HAWAIIAN DAIRY THAT MADE POG JUICE. SOT SOME COMPANIES LIKE DEL TACO LICENSE THE NAME FROM RYPINSKI. OTHER COMPANIES LIKE THE NFL AND LAS VEGAS CASINOS MAKE MILK CAPS BUT DON'T USE THE NAME POG. JOE KAUFENBERG'S COMPANY IS CALLED UNIVERSAL POG ASSOCIATION. HE SAYS POG IS A GENERIC NAME, ANYONE CAN USE. SOTS I GAVE SOME UNLICENSED MILK CAPS TO SOME KIDS AND I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY'RE CALLED. SOTS NEXT MONTH A COURT WILL DECIDE IF ALL MILK CAPS ARE EQUAL OR IF ONLY SOME CAN BE CALLED POGS.
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