Before "Monopoly" they played "The Office Boy" (1889)
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Before "Monopoly" they played "The Office Boy" (1889)
How a Board Game Captured the American Dream
If you ever dreamed of rising from humble beginnings to become a business success, you might have enjoyed playing The Office Boy, a board game published by Parker Brothers in 1889. The game was inspired by the popular novels of Horatio Alger, who wrote “rags to riches” stories of young men who achieved wealth and fame through hard work, honesty and luck.
Unlike earlier board games - like Mansion of Happiness (America's first mass-produced board game in 1843) - The Office Boy turned away from moralistic themes toward games promising a financial reward for the winner.
The game board depicts a spiral path that leads from the position of office boy to the head of the firm. Along the way, players encounter various opportunities and obstacles, such as promotions, demotions, bonuses, fines, accidents and lawsuits.
The first player to reach the center of the board wins the game and the admiration of his peers. The rules (in lower left) were simple:
Each player select one of the pieces or "Office Boys. "The piece first reaching the central space "HEAD OF THE FIRM" wins the game. Game begins at lower left-hand corner.
Each player spins tetotum in turn and moves piece ahead as many spaces as tetotum indicates.
When a piece stop on a space marked GO BACK or ADVANCE, piece must be moved as directed.
When TWO PERSONS only are playing a piece is taken up and begins over again, if opposing piece lands on the same space.
When three or more are playing, this rule does not apply unless desired.
The Office Boy was one of the earliest games produced by Parker Brothers, a company founded by George Parker in 1883. George was a 16-year-old who loved games but disliked the moralistic and boring ones that were common at the time.
He decided to create his own games that were fun, educational and appealing to a wide audience. He later invited his brothers Charles and Edward to join him as partners and expanded his business to manufacture and distribute games under their own roof.
Parker Brothers became one of the most successful game companies in America, publishing more than 1800 games over a century. Some of their best-known products include Monopoly, Clue, Risk, Trivial Pursuit and Ouija boards. The company was acquired by Hasbro in 1991 and continues to produce games for all ages and interests.
The Office Boy is a rare and valuable collector’s item today, as it reflects the social and cultural values of the late 19th century. It also shows the creativity and innovation of Parker Brothers, who changed the rules of the game industry with their vision and passion.
Interested in more early-American board games:
Title: The Office Boy.
Names: Parker Brothers, Inc.
Created / Published: Salem, Mass. : Parker Bros., c1889.
Library of Congress Control Number: 97196328
Before "Monopoly" they played "The Office Boy" (1889)
Tetotum. Now there’s an interesting word. At first I thought “spinner” but it turns out more likely a multi-faced die. Here’s Wikipedia’s definition:
“A six-sided Chinese teetotum. A teetotum (or T-totum) is a form of spinning top most commonly used for gambling games. It has a polygonal body marked with letters or numbers, which indicate the result of each spin. [1] [2] Usage goes back to (at least) ancient Greeks and Romans, with the popular put and take gambling version going back to ...”
What do hard work and honesty have to do with becoming the head of the firm?