The Gum That Stole Home

Few items in the world of sports memorabilia resonate with the same nostalgia and unique legacy as Big League Chew. This gum, which has become synonymous with American baseball culture, is a fun, memorable, and distinctly American product. What many people may not know, however, is that this beloved chewing gum traces its roots to Portland’s own baseball history, specifically the scrappy and iconic Portland Mavericks.

Big League Chew, with its signature shredded format and flashy, eye-catching packaging, has become a staple item for generations of baseball fans — both on the field and in the stands. What’s even more fascinating is how this gum, which has become synonymous with sports culture, came to be, and how its origins will forever be linked to a unique chapter in Portland’s baseball history.

The Birth of Big League Chew

The origins of Big League Chew trace back to 1977 and two baseball players — Rob Nelson and Jim Bouton (formerly of the New York Yankees). Also important to the story was 13-year old bat boy Todd Field. At the time, Nelson and Bouton both played for the Portland Mavericks, a minor league baseball team that had been formed just a few years earlier by the colorful and mercurial baseball mogul, Bing Russell.

Russell, a former actor best known for his role on the TV show “Bonanza” and father of actor Kurt Russell, became the owner and driving force behind the Mavericks. He envisioned a team that wasn’t about major league glamor, but about providing passionate and eccentric players a chance to play the game in their own unique way.

Unlike any other team in baseball, the Portland Mavericks were characterized by their quirky personalities, wild antics, and an underdog spirit that endeared them to Portland fans.

While in the clubhouse one day, Nelson noticed that the batboy Todd Field, who, in an attempt to emulate many of the players who chewed tobacco, had some shredded up black licorice. The idea stuck in his mind, and sometime later Nelson and Bouton were sitting in the dugout discussing the dangers of chewing tobacco, which although popular at the time among ballplayers carried serious health risks.

Nelson, with his creative mind and a passion for the game, came up with the idea for shredded bubblegum packed in a pouch, much like chewing tobacco. Nelson recalls saying to Bouton, “You know, if we shredded the bubblegum and put it in a pouch, we could look cool and have some fun with it. We’d look like tough guys, but wouldn’t make ourselves ill.” He and Bouton set about crafting their idea, and in 1977 Big League Chew was born.

The Portland Mavericks Connection

The Portland Mavericks, with their vibrant and offbeat reputation, were the backdrop from which Big League Chew sprung. The Mavericks’ atmosphere of irreverent and good-spirited fun seemed synonymous with the invention of a bold, unconventional concept like Big League Chew.

In 1977, Nelson and Bouton were part of a pivotal moment in the Mavericks’ history, as the team had become a favorite among Portland fans for their unpredictable and entertaining style. As the team’s season progressed, so did the development of Big League Chew. The venture was launched with $10,000 of Bouton’s own money.

After experimenting at home in the kitchen, the partners finally were able to convince Amurol Confections, a division of Wrigley, to give Big League Chew a try. Amurol gave them a three- year deal, thinking the gum would simply be a novelty, but to their surprise the company sold $18 million of gum in the first year. Big League Chew was off and running and quickly became a fun alternative to chewing tobacco.

Big League Chew’s shredded, pouch-packed design was also a hit as it could be shared between friends and teammates just like real pouches of chewing tobacco. However, the cartoon-like baseball player on the packaging — a caricature originally drawn by Bouton himself, but later rendered professionally by a commercial artist — was intended to appeal to kids from the very start.

A Wild Success

Big League Chew’s journey from a conversation piece in the Portland Mavericks’ dugout to a national sensation is one for the ages. By 1980 the gum could be found in stores across the country and rapidly became a hit with young baseball fans. Its popularity escalated when it became associated with professional baseball players such as Buster Posey and Corey Seager, who loved the gum and chewed it regularly.

Over time, the product has become a household name and is enjoyed by millions of people, from little league teams to Major League Baseball players themselves, who enjoy it as an alternative to chewing tobacco.

The Legacy of Big League Chew and the Portland Mavericks

Although the original Portland Mavericks were only active for a brief period — playing in the Class A Northwest League from 1973 to 1977 — their impact on baseball and association with the creation of Big League Chew lives on forever. The Mavericks’ rebellious and inventive spirit helped revolutionize baseball culture — blending sports, fun, marketing, and community in a successful package.

In many ways, Big League Chew embodies the very spirit of the Portland Mavericks: a little rough around the edges, but full of personality and heart. The gum became a piece of Americana, synonymous with the game of baseball but also with the culture of Portland and the city’s zany Mavericks.

For those Oregonians who grew up chomping on Big League Chew, there’s a nostalgia that instantly connects to the iconic days of the Portland Mavericks — a team that, for a short while, dazzled us not only with their irreverence and creativity, but their love for the game.

In 2021 the Portland Mavericks returned in a new league and under different ownership. Just like the Portland Mavericks, Big League Chew lives on: two historical icons of baseball born right here in the state of Oregon!