Big League Chew

Big League Chew is a brand of shredded bubblegum, which until the end of 2010 was sold by the William Wrigley Jr. Company of Chicago. The gum is now owned by Rob Nelson. Big League Chew comes in a foil pouch and comes in four different flavors (original [traditional pink bubblegum], grape, apple and watermelon). The product was designed as an alternative to the tobacco-chewing habit common among ballplayers.

According to the Wrigley website, the product was introduced in 1980. Ballplayers Rob Nelson and Jim Bouton came up with the idea "for something different and fun to chew" while sitting in the bullpen one night. Bouton proposed the idea for shredded bubblegum in a pouch to the Amurol Confections Company, only to discover that they had already started development on such a product. Nelson suggested the name "Big League Chew".

During the 2006 season, Nate Robertson of the Detroit Tigers would chew a large wad of the product when his teammates were up to bat. This would be referred to as "Gum Time", and supposedly assisted in rallying the team on numerous occasions. According to Wrigley, the gum became the Tigers' "rally gum".

Big League Chew also celebrated Cal Ripken Jr.'s induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007 by launching the Big League Chew Live the Dream promotion. A one-of-a kind package featuring his likeness and signature was auctioned online for charity, and Wrigley gave away a trip for four to the Hall of Fame.

Sources: *Official Wrigley Company site

• Wikipedia Big League Chew article
• Jim Bouton's official website
• Interview with Nelson about the gum and leaving the Wrigley Company