Good Question: Reply All: Black Friday, Quarterbacks & Holidazzle Floats
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - James from Apple Valley and Anna from Sartell wanted to know: When did Black Friday start?
According to BlackFriday.com, the term "Black Friday" was coined back in the 1960s, but it was really 1924 - the first year of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - that the day after Thanksgiving became the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season.
Early on, when the term was coined in 1961, it had a negative connotation because Philadelphia Police used it to describe the traffic jams and clogged sidewalks of that day.
But, by the 1980s, the idea of the Friday after Thanksgiving putting the retailers back in the black (or profitable) started to take hold.
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Miranda, a 6 year old from Farmington, asked: Why are quarterbacks called quarterbacks?
The quarterback position was invented in 1880 by Yale University rugby player Walter Camp. During that time, Ivy League sports teams were looking for a game that incorporated some more strategy. So, given the rugby origins (a game that includes halfbacks and fullbacks), quarterback was born because that player's position is a quarter of the way behind the line.
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Knowing this will be the last official year for what we know as the Holidazzle parade, Julie from New Prague asked: What will happen to all of the floats?
According to Leah Wong with the Minneapolis Downtown Council - the group that runs the Holidazzle parade - they're not sure yet.
"All options are on the table as the Minneapolis Downtown Council begins the process of reimagining what the downtown experience will be in the years to come," Wong said. "Our main focus in the coming weeks will be on this season of Target Holidazzle, and then we will get deeper into what's next for the parade floats and costumes."
So, Julie, Good Question will be sure to get back to you on this one.
