Wheaties - Wheaties Firsts and Records

Wheaties Firsts and Records

• 1926 - First ever singing radio commercial, using the jingle "Have you tried Wheaties?" (to the tune of Jazz Baby)
• 1934 - First athlete depicted on a Wheaties box - Baseball player Lou Gehrig
• 1934 - First woman depicted on a Wheaties box - Aviator Elinor Smith
• 1935 - First woman athlete depicted on a Wheaties box - Golfer and athlete Babe Zaharias
• 1936 - First African American athlete on a Wheaties box - Jesse Owens
• 1939 - First televised commercial sports broadcast sponsorship, of the 1939 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
• 1958 - First athlete depicted on the front of a Wheaties box - Pole vaulter Bob Richards
• 1969 - First golfer depicted on the front of a Wheaties box - Lee Trevino
• 1984 - First woman athlete depicted on the front of a Wheaties box - Gymnast Mary Lou Retton
• 1986 - First football player depicted on the front of a Wheaties box - Walter Payton
• 1987 - First team depicted on a Wheaties box - 1987 World Series Champion Minnesota Twins
• 1991 - First ice hockey team depicted on a Wheaties box - 1991 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins
• 1992 - First non-orange Wheaties box, colored red and black in honor of the Chicago Bulls
• 1997 - First automobile race driver depicted on the front of a Wheaties box - Dale Earnhardt
• 2001 - First sambo wrestler featured on Wheaties boxes (Wheaties Energy Crunch) - James Chico Hernandez
• 2002 - First university wrestler featured on Wheaties boxes - Cael Sanderson
• 2005 - First women professional sports team to appear on Wheaties box - Sacramento Monarchs
• 2006 - First college football rivalry to appear on Wheaties Box - State Farm Lone Star Showdown, the rivalry between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Texas Longhorns
• 2012 - 9-year-old Sam Gordon is the first female football player to be featured on a Wheaties box.
• Michael Jordan holds the record for most depictions on a Wheaties box, a total of 18 times, followed by Tiger Woods at 14 times.