New York City, a global hub of culture, finance, and innovation, is known by many names, but perhaps none is as iconic and enduring as “The Big Apple.” This catchy moniker is recognized worldwide, but the story behind why New York City earned this fruity nickname is less widely known. It’s a tale that stretches back to the early 20th century and involves horse racing, jazz music, and a clever tourism campaign. Let’s delve into the history and uncover the reasons why New York City is called the Big Apple.
The origins of the Big Apple nickname can be traced to the world of horse racing in the early 1900s. In the 1920s, a New York Morning Telegraph sportswriter named John Fitz Gerald wrote a column about horse racing titled “Around the Big Apple.” Fitz Gerald explained that he had overheard stable hands in New Orleans using the term “big apple” to refer to New York City. For these stable workers, the “big apple” represented the biggest and most prestigious horseracing circuits. Winning in New York meant reaching the pinnacle of their profession.
Fitz Gerald, captivated by the term, adopted “Big Apple” in his column, popularizing it among his readership, who were primarily sports enthusiasts. Through his sports reporting, he began to associate New York City with this vibrant and evocative nickname.
The Big Apple moniker then branched out beyond horse racing circles. In the 1930s, it was enthusiastically embraced by jazz musicians. For them, New York City was the ultimate destination, home to the biggest and best jazz clubs in the nation. Similar to the horse racing world, landing gigs and succeeding in New York City’s jazz scene signified reaching the “big time.” Jazz musicians spread the term within their community, further cementing “The Big Apple” as a hip and resonant nickname for the city that never sleeps.
However, the nickname’s popularity waned for a period after its initial surge. It wasn’t until the early 1970s that “The Big Apple” experienced a significant revival. New York City was facing economic challenges and grappling with a rising crime rate. To combat this negative image and boost tourism, Charles Gillett, the president of the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau, spearheaded a marketing campaign to revitalize the city’s image.
Gillett, aware of the historical significance and catchy nature of “The Big Apple” nickname, chose it as the central theme of the campaign. He launched a widespread promotional effort, featuring apples on pins, t-shirts, and advertisements. The campaign encouraged tourists to “Take a bite out of the Big Apple,” inviting them to experience all that New York City had to offer.
This tourism campaign proved incredibly successful. It reintroduced “The Big Apple” to a new generation and solidified its place in the global lexicon as a beloved nickname for New York City. This time, the name truly stuck, becoming an integral part of the city’s identity and branding.
Interestingly, before it was known as the Big Apple, New York City briefly carried another fruit-related name: New Orange. In 1673, the Dutch briefly recaptured New York from the English and renamed it New Orange in honor of William III of Orange. However, this name was short-lived, as the city reverted to English control and its original name of New York just a year later.
In conclusion, the story of how New York City became the Big Apple is a fascinating journey through sports, music, and marketing ingenuity. From its humble beginnings in horse racing slang to its triumphant revival as a tourism slogan, “The Big Apple” has become more than just a nickname; it’s a symbol of New York City’s ambition, energy, and its enduring allure as a global metropolis.
