I happened to see where the Astros listed some stuff they are having shipped to Spring Training.
One of the staples was 300 cartons of bubble gum. Bubble gum is in a fight for it's life with sunflower seeds. The new Prez hasn't gotten to this issue yet but I AM SURE he will. I believe the locals are chewing Double Bubble again this season. There are about 100 brands world wide and that includes KILL YOUR HEROES, a gum from India. I don't think they have a solid marketing plan. Walt Diemer invented Double Bubble in 1928. It was pink because that was the only dye color he had. It has survived being flatened and put in baseball card packs BY TOPPS starting in 1933. Walt did something he never should have done. In 1953 to make room in a warehouse he dumped his inventory of 1952 TOPPS cards AND GUM into the Atlantic. That was the MICK'S rookie season. The ocean got lots of money that day.
I remember peeling that slab of pink off a card time and time again. There's no tellling how nasty that was but I survived. Bubble gum is basically latex and other crud with all kinds of tooth decay throw in for good measure. I still chew it from time to time since I could never stand chewing tobacco. I tried it once or twice while playing H.S. and Legion Baseball. I was the kid on the mound with the green face. The word GUM comes from loggers chewing pieces of Spruce Gum. The word PUKE comes from kids trying to chew tobacco. I hope the Astros 300 cartons keep them in good spirits for the coming adventure. Go Astros. Chew up the AL West.