# Hehmpf. I just learned the meaning behind Adiddas. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 20, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227 "2004-05-20T18:47:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/41 "2004-05-23T17:23:49Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > \*\*Wendy’s \*\* was named after Dave Thomas’ daughter Wendy, whom the image of the girl is taken from. Technically, “Wendy” is the nickname of Dave’s youngest daughter. Her given name is Melinda Sue. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/42 "2004-05-23T18:02:27Z")
**Binatone** The cheapo consumer electronics company was named after the founders daughter Bina **AMSTRAD** = Alan Michael Sugar Trading. Famous for making the PC into a home consumer product and for utilising GEM which was a predecssor of the graphical user interface, later hijacked by Billy. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/43 "2004-05-23T18:43:02Z")
[Armand Hammer](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_198.html) didn’t found the Arm & Hammer baking soda company, but it would be funny if he had. ---
**Author:** ![Thirty-Nine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/44 "2004-05-23T19:30:16Z")
> [@](#): > > McDonald’s was stared by Dick and Mac McDonald in 1948 in California. Then they made the right descision to use the latter name for the ‘Big Mac’ product. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/45 "2004-05-23T20:27:32Z")
It’s “adidas” not “Adidas” ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/46 "2004-05-24T11:56:43Z")
> [@ColonelDax](#): > > Oh, and the former Coleco Industries, which introduced Cabbage Patch dolls in 1985, was originally the Connecticut Leather Co. They also made a Personal Computer in the eighties called the “Adam”, and a video game system called ColecoVision. I wonder why a PC made by the Connecticut Leather Company never sold too well? 😉 The “Adam” first came out in 1983, and by January 1985 they stopped making them. The next product they made were the Cabbage Patch dolls. Then in 1988 they went bankrupt and were bought up by Hasbro. The company history is really interesting. They were founded in 1932 as the Connecticut Leather Company and sold leather products. In the sixties they were the worlds largest manufacturer of above groung swimming pools. Then they went to video games and PCs, and finally dolls. And they were successful at pools, video games and dolls, yet still went bankrupt! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/47 "2004-05-24T13:11:14Z")
> [@](#): > > You recall correctly. See Joel Glenn Brenner’s \*The Chocolate Wars: Inside the Secret Worlds of Mars and Hershey \* (an excellent read, IMHO) for more info. A most excellent book and read. Totally fascinating. Two thumbs up. ---
**Author:** ![WILLASS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/54ee81/32.png) [@WILLASS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WILLASS)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/48 "2004-05-24T14:00:22Z")
‘Richer Sounds’ is a nationwide chain of hi-fi equipment retailers that also has the distinction of being in the Guiness Book of Records for most sales per square foot of retail space (or something) was started by Julian Richer. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/49 "2004-05-24T17:06:12Z")
> [@Number](#): > > [Armand Hammer](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_198.html) didn’t found the Arm & Hammer baking soda company, but it would be funny if he had. IIRC, Mr. Hammer eventually bought some stock in the Arm & Hammer company because he was tired of explaining to people how it was he was _not_ the owner of the company. That way if anyone asked, he could say, yes, I am an owner. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/50 "2004-05-24T17:17:23Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > IIRC, Mr. Hammer eventually bought some stock in the Arm & Hammer company because he was tired of explaining to people how it was he was _not_ the owner of the company. That way if anyone asked, he could say, yes, I am an owner. I thought I’d read just about every [Straight Dope column](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_198.html) there was, but here we go: > [@](#): > > Whatever the truth of the matter, Hammer once painted an arm-and-hammer emblem on his yacht, giving rise to persistent speculation that he either was (a) the owner of Church & Dwight, makes of A&H baking soda, or (b) a Commie. Tired of explaining otherwise, Hammer tried to buy the company, but they didn’t want to sell. So in 1986 he settled for the next best thing, a partnership with Church & Dwight that netted Oxy Pete a sizable chunk of C&D stock and Hammer a seat on C&D’s board. For a time, then, Armand Hammer was a director and owner (if not THE owner) of Arm & Hammer. Occidental sold the stock shortly after Hammer’s death in 1990, apparently figuring a pun was not the best basis for a lasting business relationship. Freaking bean counters, they just have no sense of humor. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/51 "2004-05-24T17:21:19Z")
Of course, I realize now that the column had already been linked to… :smack: Carry on… ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227/52 "2004-05-24T17:47:06Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > Of course, I realize now that the column had already been linked to… :smack: Carry on… Double :smack: for me; I never followed that link in the first place, I thought it went to a bio. :wally I’m just gonna _read_ stuff for a while… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hehmpf-i-just-learned-the-meaning-behind-adiddas/246227.md?page=2)