Invented in the 1970s by Portland Mavericks minor league teammates Rob Nelson and Jim Bouton, Big League Chew was originally conceived as a fun alternative to chewing tobacco. Since its mass-market debut in 1980, though, this shredded bubble gum has taken on a life of its own; it survives on its own appeal.
After many years of production in Mexico, Big League Chew has returned to the USA: Ford Gum began manufacturing it in its Akron, New York factory in 2010.