Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots

Factual Questions
1

(The tabletop game, not the Playstation stuff…)

When did they start selling Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots? I remember it from the early Seventies, but did they sell it in the Sixties?

Watching ESPN’s boxing classics tonight, I made the comment that George Foreman boxed like a Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot. After a moment, my wife replied the above question. So what are the chances that the game was modeled after him?

2

I was born in 1961, and had a Rock-em-Sock-em set when I was pretty young, probably like 7. So they definitely predate 1970.

3

Oh well. Maybe George had one when he was young…

4

this site says 1961.

5

Sony Playstation is planning to release a Rock em Sock Em Robots videogame later this year.