In this Super Bowl edition of Through the Fence Baseball, as most of you are watching the game
between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers, you’re also watching thousands of people from
Wisconsin in the stands wearing those obnoxious cheesehead hats. The hats are a staple among the
Packers faithful, but its origins are not what you think.
I was listening to a local news station here in Southern California (weather currently sunny and in the
upper 60’s in case anyone from the Midwest or east coast were wondering), and the anchor told the
story about the original cheesehead hat. The first cheesehead hat was handmade by Ralph Bruno and
was first worn at a Major League Baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White
Sox in 1987. The hat was made popular by Brewers centerfielder Rick Manning. Bruno was smart enough
to start a business and sell bajillions of the foam cheese sliced hats. Foamation, Inc. of St. Francis,
Wisconsin owns the “Cheesehead” trademark and has been manufacturing the hats since 1987.
As most of you know, the term “Cheesehead” is sort of an insulting term making fun of the fine folks of
Wisconsin and the huge amounts of cheese it produces and consumes.
Enjoy the game!
