SCRABBLE

The classic crossword game Scrabble has sold one-hundred million sets sold world-wide, and regularly sells between one and two million each year in North America. The game was invented by Alfred Mosher Butts, an out-of-work architect from Poughkeepsie, New York. The game was trademarked SCRABBLE in 1948. Today the game is found in one of every three American homes, ranging from a Junior game to a new CD-ROM. A special commemorative edition was created in 1998 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the SCRABBLE trademark. Hasbro sells 2 million copies annually of Scrabble. In addition to being played in homes around the world, Scrabble is a popular competitive game. Every other year a National Scrabble Championship is held in a major U.S. city, and on alternate years the World Scrabble Championship is hosted between the United States and London. The 1997 WSC in Washington, D.C. attracted players from 36 countries. In addition, the National Scrabble Association sanctions over 150 Scrabble tournaments and more than 200 clubs in the U.S. and Canada every year. In November of 2004, Scrabble was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame for its iconic-status, longevity, influence in fostering learning and creativity through play, and innovation.