How did soccer start?

Summary

Forever Ago Podcast: "How Did Soccer Start?"

Episode Date: May 13, 2026
Host: Joy Dolo | Co-host: Brooke (from Needham, Massachusetts)

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Episode Overview

This family-friendly episode of Forever Ago dives into the fascinating and sometimes wild history of soccer—how humans have kicked balls around for millennia, its formalization in England, how the word “soccer” came to be, and how the sport became the international sensation it is today. Joy and Brooke mix fun banter with real historical facts, covering everything from ancient Chinese “kickball” to the modern World Cup.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Connections to Soccer

• Brooke shares her soccer story:
  • Started playing at 3 or 4 years old; loves the team concept and strategy.
  • Likes that “sometimes my brain goes way too fast, and the strategy of it makes me slow down, like, think for a second” (04:05).
  • Favorite position: striker—"I just like to go at the goal” (05:07).
• Soccer fandom moments:
  • Brooke attended New England Revolution games and appeared on the Jumbotron (04:49).

2. The Ancient Roots of Soccer (06:10–07:46)

• Ancient China: Cuju ("kickball"):

  • Played 2,000+ years ago; players kicked a leather ball into a central goal.
  • Similar to modern soccer (no hands), but “unlike soccer, you couldn’t let the ball touch the ground—kind of like keepy uppy with only your feet” (06:28).

• Medieval Europe: Folk/Mob Football:

  • Huge town-wide games using an inflated pig bladder as a ball (07:07).
  • No player limits; gameplay was rough—"kicking, punching, even biting were fair play" (07:12).

3. Formalization in England (07:46–09:25)

• Mid-1800s—Birth of Modern Rules:
  • Different schools played their own forms of the game. To standardize, people from schools across London met in 1863 and established official rules.
  • Resulted in two sports:
    • Rugby Football: Could carry the ball with your hands.
    • Association Football: Only goalies could use hands.
    • "First official association football game was a year later, in 1864" (08:58).
  • Spread globally through sailors, railway workers, immigrants (09:07–09:14).

4. Soccer Goes Global (09:14–09:21)

• By 1908, association football was an official Olympic sport.
• Now, soccer is “the most popular sport on the planet” (22:00).

5. Soccer vs. Football: Names and Origins (14:54–18:16)

• Why the two names?

  • Many countries already had “football” (e.g., American and Canadian football, Australian football) (15:19).
  • “Soccer” is actually British slang, derived from “association football” by shortening to “assoc” + "er" suffix → "soccer" (16:40).
    • “The term soccer actually comes from England, which is kind of ironic because most everyone in England calls the sport football” (15:44, 18:10).
  • Both UK and US used "soccer" and "football" until around the 1980s (17:52).

• Memorable quote:

  • “So association football became known as soccer in England. And what’s even more confusing is people used both the name soccer and football at the same time.” —Joy (16:59)

6. The World Cup: Birth and Growth (19:48–21:00)

• First World Cup (1930, Uruguay):

  • 13 nations competed; unique moment where teams argued over whose ball to use.
  • "They decided to play half the game with Argentina’s ball and the second half with Uruguay’s ball" (20:47).

• Today:

  • The men’s tournament has expanded to 48 countries.
  • Acknowledgment of the Women’s World Cup, first held in 1995, next in 2027 (21:11).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Joy on mob football: "There was also hardly a limit on bad behavior...Kicking, punching, even biting were fair play. Ow. Did you just bite me?" (07:12)
• Brooke on strategy: "My brain goes way too fast and the strategy of [soccer]…makes me slow down, like, think for a second. So it’s also good for real life events." (04:05)
• On "soccer":
  • Joy: "The term 'soccer' actually comes from England, which is kind of ironic..." (15:44).
  • Brooke: "That is so confusing. How did that even start?" (15:52)
• First World Cup trivia: “Both Argentina and Uruguay insisted on playing with their own soccer ball...they decided to play half the game with Argentina’s ball and the second half with Uruguay’s ball.” (20:47)
• Fun banter on snack preferences:
  • Joy: "Do you have a favorite post-game snack that you like?"
  • Brooke: "I love Oreos after. Yeah, Oreos. I don't know why…win or loss, a sweet treat, honestly, is just all I need." (04:20–04:23)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------|------------| | Host Introductions & Cup Convention Gag | 01:29–03:11| | Brooke’s Soccer Story | 03:30–05:47| | Ancient Soccer Games | 06:10–07:46| | Origins of Modern Rules (England) | 07:46–09:25| | Soccer Goes Global | 09:14–09:21| | "Soccer" vs. "Football" Naming | 14:54–18:16| | The World Cup: First Tournament | 19:48–21:00| | Women’s World Cup Mention | 21:06–21:11| | Summary/Recap of Soccer’s Roots | 21:25–22:03|

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Lighthearted Segments & Running Jokes

• Cup Convention Gag:
  • Joy surprises Brooke with "World Cup" tickets, but it's to a drinkware convention (02:07–02:23).
  • Extended jokes about types of cups (“cups for goop,” “What is a bucket but a giant cup?”) (02:34–03:03).
• "First Things First" history quiz:
  • Listeners try to order the invention of the chalice, the paper cup, and no-spill sippy cup (09:29–12:38).
• Signature catchphrase:
  • “Goop it up!”—used when things go right or when celebrating a correct answer (23:10).

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Final Recap

• Soccer (association football) evolved from ancient kicking games (Cuju, mob football) to a formal rules-based sport in 19th-century England.
• The name “soccer” comes from England, even though nearly the whole world now uses “football” instead.
• Today, soccer is the world's most popular sport by both player count and fan base.

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For more history-filled episodes and to share your own questions or ideas, listeners are encouraged to reach out via brainson.org/contact. New episodes return in August!

Transcript

[A]

Lemonada. At Great Wolf Lodge, there's adventure for the whole family. You and your pack can splash away in the indoor water park where it's always 84 degrees. There's a massive wave pool, a lazy river and tons of water slides for your pack to enjoy together. And the fun doesn't stop there. Get ready to explore and play at Adventure packed attractions. From Magiquest, a live action action game that takes place throughout the lodge to the Northern Lights Arcade. There's also a bunch of great dining options and complimentary daily events like nightly dance parties all under one roof. And the best part, with 22 lodges across the country, you're always only a short drive away from adventure. So bring your pack together at a lodge near you. Book your stay [e-mail] and strengthen the pack.

[B]

If you're looking for answers to all of your kids questions about puberty, just find our new show, Brains on Universe Presents Puberty the podcast. Designed for kids age 7 to 12, the show answers their questions in a straightforward and digestible way. The podcast is hosted by me, Molly Bloom of the award winning science podcast Brains on and co hosted by high schoolers who've just been through it. Experts are on hand to provide science filled explanations. Search for Brains on Universe Presents Puberty

[C]

the podcast Brains on Universe I can't wait to talk about soccer today. It's my favorite sport.

[A]

I'm excited too. I've been researching all week. And by researching, I mostly mean looking at pictures of David Beckham. That counts, right? Anywho, I got you a little surprise.

[C]

Is it another autographed picture of you?

[A]

Believe it or not, better than that.

[C]

A handmade greeting card.

[A]

Even better. Close your eyes and stick your hands out.

[C]

Ooh. What's it gonna be? It feels like a pair of tickets.

[A]

Open your eyes.

[C]

It is a pair of tickets. They say World Cup. Are you serious? We're going to the biggest international soccer tournament in the world.

[A]

Oh, not that World Cup. They're for the World cup convention. It's the biggest drinkware convention around.

[C]

You mean like cups you drink out of?

[A]

Exactly. So these tickets were surprisingly much more affordable than the World cup soccer tickets.

[C]

That would explain why the tickets are shaped like coffee cups.

[A]

Yep, this is the convention for cup lovers. You're going to see so many kinds of cups. Glass cups, plastic cups, compostable cups, cups with handles, cups with stems, cups with straws, cups for sipping, cups for dipping, cups for soup, cups for goop.

[C]

Cups for goop.

[A]

Yeah, where else are you supposed to keep your goop A bucket. That's hilarious. What is a bucket but a giant cup?

[C]

So true. One question. Are we still going to talk about soccer today?

[A]

Are cups the best vessel for goop?

[C]

Um, yes.

[A]

Then that's a yes. Yeah. Soccer episode, here we come. You're listening to Forever Ago, part of the brains on Universe. Universe. I'm your host, Joy Dolo, and I'm here today with my co host Brooke from Needham, Massachusetts. Hi, Brooke.

[C]

Hi, Joy.

[A]

Today we're kicking back and talking all about soccer. And Brooke, you wrote to us with a question about this. Do you remember your question?

[C]

Yeah, I wanted to know what's the history of soccer?

[A]

Well, what got you thinking about that?

[C]

So, like, soccer's been my favorite sport for like, as long as I can remember. And I've always, you know, just really loved it. But one day I was just like, I love soccer so much, but what's the history? Like, I want to know the history behind it.

[A]

So have you played soccer before?

[C]

Oh, yes. I've been playing soccer since I was like 3 or 4 years old.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[C]

Very long time. Yeah.

[A]

So what do you like about it?

[C]

I just really like the team concept and, well, obviously it's just really fun. But like, sometimes I think, like, my brain goes way too fast and the strategy of it, like, makes me slow down, like, think for a second. So it's also good for real life events.

[A]

Do you have a favorite post game snack that you like?

[C]

Yeah. So I was actually talking about this with my mom. I love Oreos after. Yeah, Oreos. I don't know why. They're just like, win or loss. A sweet treat, honestly, is just all I need.

[A]

Yeah? Yeah. Just a little bit of sugar. Sugar kick, you know?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Have you been to any professional soccer games?

[C]

Yes, I've been to two New England Revolutions games. It's a men's New England soccer team.

[A]

Okay. What was it like going into the arena and seeing everything?

[C]

It was really big. Like, the sheer size of it was like. I mean, like, it was wild and I really liked it. I was on the Jumbotron, like, oh, yeah, that was really fun.

[A]

Oh, wow. Just seeing your face and like the big audience, that's pretty cool. Oh, yeah, that sounds really fun. So when you play soccer, what's your favorite position?

[C]

Oh, I love striker. I mean, I just like to go at the goal. You know what I mean? Yeah.

[A]

The striker is mainly the one that's like going for the goal.

[C]

Yeah. And then there's like the wingers, which is like the kind of to the sides of the strikers and there's mid in the middle, but they're like in between the offense and the defense. Their midfield, they always like go up for attacking and down for defending, and then there's defense, and they're like kind of like stay back and like, protect the goal from like getting any shots.

[A]

Okay. I think with your description, Brooke, I think I'm ready to start playing professional wins soccer.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

I'm ready to go strike it out or, you know, defend the offense, score some goals. Yeah, you know me.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, ranking number one in most countries in Africa, Asia, South America and Europe.

[C]

It's estimated that there's over 240 million registered players across the globe.

[A]

With B b b B, billions of soccer fans to boot.

[C]

But there's nothing new about this, right?

[A]

For thousands of years, humans have kicked balls around for fun. Over 2000 years ago in China, there was called suju, which translates to kickball.

[C]

Players would try to kick a leather ball into one central goal that was in the middle of the field.

[A]

Like soccer, you weren't supposed to use

[C]

your hands, but unlike soccer, you couldn't let the ball touch the ground.

[A]

Kind of like playing keepy uppy with a balloon, but only using your feet. And instead of a balloon, it was a ball.

[C]

That sounds super tricky. I'm impressed.

[A]

Yeah, me too. So meanwhile, in medieval Europe, there was a game called folk football or mob football, which often involved the whole town.

[C]

Goal posts were placed on opposite ends of a town or village, sometimes miles apart.

[A]

Opposing teams would try to use any means necessary to get the ball to the goal posts. The so called ball was actually an inflated pig bladder.

[C]

There was no limit on the number of players, so it truly became a mob of people.

[A]

There was also hardly a limit on bad behavior during the game. Kicking, punching, even biting were fair play. Ow. Did you just bite me? Oh, come on. That's gotta be a foul. Hey, don't hate the player, hate the game. This here is mob football. What do you expect? So many different cultures throughout history have had games that involve kicking around a ball. But soccer, at least as we know it, really got its start in England in the mid-1800s.

[C]

Back in the mid-1800s, the light bulb hadn't even been invented yet.

[A]

Most people got around by walking train or horse and buggy.

[C]

It was also around the time of, you guessed it, the industrial revolution. Industrial revolution.

[A]

Back then, rugby and soccer were thought of as two different versions of the same game.

[C]

Like how we might think of softball and baseball.

[A]

Right. So at the time, rugby and soccer weren't considered two separate sports, just different ways to play the same sort of kicking ball game.

[C]

All versions of these ball games were becoming really popular, especially at schools.

[A]

And schools wanted to play against each other, but it was tough because everybody played the game a little differently. So in 1863, a bunch of people from schools across London came together to make some official rules.

[C]

In the end, they declared two different types of football.

[A]

There was rugby football, which meant you could carry the ball with your hands.

[C]

And then there was association football, which wouldn't let you touch the ball with your hands except for the goalies.

[A]

The first official association football game was a year later, in 1864, at a park in London. It soon spread to other parts of the uk.

[C]

English sailors, railroad workers, and immigrants introduced football to other countries, from France to

[A]

Argentina to the USA.

[C]

By 1908, association football had become an official Olympic sport.

[A]

Association football came to be the soccer we know and love today.

[C]

But why do some people call it soccer, but others call it football?

[A]

That is a stupendous question and one we'll try to answer in a bit. But right now it's time for first things first. This is the game where we take three things from history and try to put them in order. Which came first, second, and most recent in time. And today's three things are three cups. Yeah, you guessed it. So we've got. We've got the no spill sippy cup, the disposable paper cup, and the chalice, which is kind of like a goblet, like a fancy cup with a stem and foot. So, Brooke, have you heard of these types of cups before?

[C]

Oh, yes. I actually remember I had a no spill sippy cup for a long time because I could not stop spilling all over myself. I had a problem with that. Yeah, yeah, but that's tricky.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, it is tricky. You know, I think they should have those no spill sippy cups for adults. Because if you ever see me in real life, look closely at my shirt. Because I tell you, there's always coffee. I am always covered in coffee. It just dribbles out of my mouth.

[C]

Like, I can relate. Like, at, like, lunch, I am, like, prone to, like, even if it's not a drink, like, yeah, I'm. I spill everything. Like, earlier today, I got, like, pasta sauce on my sweatshirt. I'm like, come on, man.

[A]

Maybe this could be. This should be, like, a reminder for everyone that, you know, just to look closely at everyone's shirts, Especially if They're over the age of 30. Because I'm telling you, your teachers have stuff. They have goop. Okay. Anyway. Anyway. Okay, so we have the no spill sippy cup, the disposable paper cup, and the chalice. So which do you think came first, second, and most recently in history?

[C]

Okay, so I'm definitely thinking that the chalice, like the goblet definitely came, like, first because in, like, all those, like, medieval, like, set movies, they always have, like, those goblets of, like, the fancy dinners with the royalty. Like, it's like, always had, like, the fancy encrusted stones on it, you know? Like, I always just like, when I think of that kind of cup, I always think of, like, the medieval, like, the royalty and the high.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like folklore and dragons and things like that. Yeah, yeah, totally. Okay. All right. That's a great guess. So number one is chalice.

[C]

Yeah. And number two. Okay, so this is kind of. This is really tricky. I remember learning in, like, fourth grade science, the plastic, it was kind of industrialized back in, like, the early, early 1900s. But also, I don't, like, I can't imagine, like, the old timey people with their carriages having their no spill sippy cups either.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

I just can't imagine that. But this is so tricky.

[A]

I know. It's tough.

[C]

So. So I'm gonna say the paper cups because it's not as, like, advanced. Cause, like, I don't know.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[C]

So I think it's gonna be paper cups and then the no spill sippy cup.

[A]

Okay. Okay. Those are really, really awesome. And educated guesses. We love that. So we have the chalice first and then the disposable paper cup, and then the no spill sippy cup.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Should we lock it in?

[C]

Let's pop it and lock it.

[A]

Let's pop it and lock it. Yeah. That's my girl, Brooke. So we'll hear the answers at the end of the EP right after the credits.

[C]

So stick around.

[A]

This is the last episode of the season. I know, but fret not, we'll be back in August with brand new shiny episodes.

[C]

Ooh, so shiny.

[A]

In the meantime, if you have a history question or an idea for an episode, send it our way. You can reach [e-mail] contact we also love getting compliments, pictures, videos, poems, and fan art. Maybe you've come up with your own personal anthem inspired by our national anthem episode. Or you drew a picture of my spa Serenity by Joy. Whatever you're dreaming of, I can't wait to see it or hear it or maybe, if I'm lucky, smell it. Huh? Who knows?

[C]

And keep listening.

[A]

At Great Wolf Lodge, there's adventure for the whole family. You and your pack can splash away in the indoor water park where it's always 84 degrees. There's a massive wave pool, a lazy river, and tons of water slides for your pack to enjoy together. And the fun doesn't stop there. Get ready to explore and play at adventure packed attractions from Magi Quest, a live action game that takes place throughout the lodge, to the Northern Lights Arcade. There's also a bunch of great dining options and complimentary daily events like nightly dance parties, all under one roof. And the best part, with 22 lodges across the country, you're always only a short drive away from adventure. So bring your pack together at a lodge near you. Book your stay [e-mail] and strengthen the pack. You're listening to Forever Ago. I'm Joy.

[C]

And I'm Brooke.

[A]

So, earlier we learned about some ancient games that involved kicking a ball around, like cuju from China or mob football from medieval Europe.

[C]

But soccer as we know it didn't become a thing until the late 1800s in England.

[A]

Eventually, soccer spread to more and more places. Now it's the most popular sport on the planet.

[C]

Here in America, we usually call it soccer.

[A]

But not everyone calls soccer soccer. In fact, most people in the world call the sport football.

[C]

So why do some people call it soccer while others call it football?

[A]

That is an excellent question and one with a couple of different theories. So, for starters, some countries already have a sport called football.

[C]

Like in America and Canada, football is the sport we associate. Associate with touchdowns and the Super Bowl.

[A]

And in Australia, there's Australian football, which they also call footy. But in most countries in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, the sport us Americans know as soccer is called football.

[C]

So if we call it soccer in America, Canada, and Australia, did the name come from any of those places?

[A]

The term soccer actually comes from England, which is kind of ironic because most everyone in England calls the sport for football.

[C]

That is so confusing. How did that even start?

[A]

Well, remember how back in the 1800s, the schools in England were trying to differentiate rugby football from association football? They actually came up with nicknames to separate the two.

[C]

I love a nickname. Let me guess. Did they name it Ruggie and Associ?

[A]

Honestly, not far off. At the time, it was really popular to add an er to the end of a word to make it sound

[C]

like cool slang, like Brooker or Joy. Er.

[A]

I want to Be called Joyer for the rest of my life. Exactly. So people started calling rugby football, rugger and association football soccer.

[C]

Okay, I can understand how rugger is short for rugby, but how exactly is soccer short for association?

[A]

So the theory is they shortened association to the first five letters to make assoc. So A, S, S, O, C. Then added the trendy er at the end to make a soccer. Eventually, they dropped the A and it just became soccer.

[C]

That's quite the evolution.

[A]

Yeah. So association football became known as soccer in England. And what's even more confusing is people used both the name soccer and football at the same time. Check out this New York times article from 1905. English soccer team, one football match. A clean, well played contest, bristling with clever passing, intricate dribbling, capital dodging, and exceptionally hard kicking. What a review.

[C]

Whoa. They used both names in the same sentence. Soccer and football.

[A]

Right. Meanwhile, in the US they were also using both names. The United States Soccer Federation used to be called the United States Soccer Football Federation, and before that, just the United States Football Federation.

[C]

So what changed? Why does the US Mostly just say soccer now?

[A]

It's hard to pinpoint exactly why or when this shift happened, especially because both the US and the UK use the terms soccer and football interchangeably well into the 1980s. Eventually, the term football won out in the UK as the sport gained more and more traction.

[C]

So soccer is a British term, even though the majority of people there now prefer the word football.

[A]

And there's more information for that football after we check the mailbag. Let's see what we got. Oh, it's a note from a parent named Kelly about her kid, Addie. Kelly says the episode on mayonnaise lives rent free in my kid's head. I don't know why, but she's always ready with mayo facts when it comes up. Yesterday she wanted a grilled cheese, and I got out the butter, and she said, no, use mayo, it makes it crispier. It was in the podcast, so she wanted Joy Dolo to see the crispy, golden result. Oh, wow. That is actually a beautiful sandwich. You can see the golden. The golden layer on there from the disgusting mayo, but I'm sure it tastes pretty good. And there's ketchup too, which is one of my favorite condiments. Awesome. Thanks so much for sharing. And thanks for that mayo report. If you want to send us something, do it. I love mail. Go to brainson.org contact. Thank you so much, Addy.

[C]

I'm Brooke.

[A]

I'm Joy. And we're still talking all Things soccer, also known as football.

[C]

And we can't do an episode about soccer without mentioning the World Cup.

[A]

It's a huge international soccer tournament that happens every four years. Not to be confused with the World Cup. I was thinking of the cup convention showcasing all the drinkware of my dreams.

[C]

An easy mistake.

[A]

Yep. So this year, the World cup is being hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

[C]

The first World cup was almost a hundred years ago, back in 1930 in Uruguay.

[A]

Thirteen different nations competed, including Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, France, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, usa, Uruguay, and Yugoslavia.

[C]

Final match was between Argentina and Uruguay.

[A]

So here's a cool bit of trivia. Before the whole tournament even started, both Argentina and Uruguay insisted on playing with their own soccer ball. So when the two countries went up against each other in the final match, there was a fierce debate over which ball they would use.

[C]

Ultimately, they decided to play half the game with Argentina's ball and the second

[A]

half with Uruguay's ball.

[C]

In the end, Uruguay won, and the country that was hosting the games was also crowned the champions. How cool.

[A]

13 different nations competed in the first World Cup. This year, it's up to 48 different countries.

[C]

Don't forget, there's also the Women's World Cup. The first one was back in 1995,

[A]

and the next one will be in 2027. Wow. All this cup talk has got me thirsty. What do you say we celebrate with a nice cold cup of goop?

[C]

If we can drink it out of curly straws, I'm in.

[A]

That's what I like to hear. Get your favorite goop cup and meet me in the kitchen. We're gonna goop it up. Some of the earliest kicking ball games were played hundreds, even thousands of years ago. Like mob football in medieval Europe or cuju from ancient China.

[C]

But soccer as we know it started in the late 1800s in England. It was called association football.

[A]

Association football was likely shortened to the nickname soccer. Depending on where you live, you might call it soccer, or you might call it football.

[C]

Today, soccer is the most popular sport on the planet.

[A]

This episode was written and produced by Ruby Guthrie. It was also produced by Mark Sanchez. It's edited and fact checked by Sandon Totten Engineering help from Rafi Sofer with sound design by Rachel Breeze, original theme music by Mark Sanchez.

[C]

And if you want access to ad free episodes and special bonus content, subscribe to our Smarty pass.

[A]

Okay, Brooke, are you ready to hear the answers for first things first?

[C]

I'm so ready, Joy.

[A]

Oh, yes, I'm ready to goop it up. I don't think that's how you use that term. It's okay. No, it's our new slang word.

[C]

Take two. Take two.

[A]

Yeah. Liberty Gym. Let's. So, like, just as a reminder, we had the three different kinds of cups, and you said chalice was first, then the disposable paper cup, and then most recently was the no spill sippy cup.

[C]

Yeah. I have a bad feeling about this for some reason.

[A]

No, I believe in you, Brooke. I believe in you, you know?

[C]

Yep. Everyone should believe in me. Yeah, like that.

[A]

Is everybody listening? Everybody listening? Yeah. Brooke, are you listening? Because you got it. All right.

[C]

Actually.

[A]

Yeah. For real?

[C]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

[A]

Goop it up. So, yeah, you're absolutely right. The chalice or the goblet was from the. The Bronze Age. And that's a period between 3300 and 1200 BC when humans were first starting to work with metal. And so chalices or goblets can be traced back to the Bronze Age, a period between 3300 and 1200 BCE when humans first started to work with metal. One of the earliest goblets discovered was the silver Ein Samiya cup in Palestine, which dates back over 4,000 years ago.

[C]

Oh, that's. That's a very long time.

[A]

Yeah, that's wild. It's wild. So that was a long time ago in the Bronze Age. And then next up, the disposable paper cup was from 1908.

[C]

Oh, yeah. You know, I thought it was something of like the O's, you know, like the 0807, you know.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, totally. But the first disposable paper cup was invented by Boston inventor Lawrence Llewellyn in 1908. So right by you out there in Massachusetts.

[C]

Okay, Boston.

[A]

Yeah. Come through Boston. Yeah. A few years later, Lawrence teamed up with another man, Hugh Moore, and started marketing the cup as a health cup with a K. At the time, public water stations used communal cups called dippers, which looked like metal ladles. You. So the team marketed their disposable paper cup as a life saving drinking technology that would help stop the spread of diseases. So the cup was later renamed the Dixie cup after a brand of dolls by the same name. So you've heard of the Dixie Cup?

[C]

Yeah, oh, yeah. I've also heard of like the Dixie paper plates, you know.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's where it all started, 1908.

[C]

The generations of the paper plates.

[A]

Yes, yes. And so last and certainly not least is the no spill sippy cup, which was invented in 1988. So that's really recent.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. So it was invented by parents and mechanical engineer Richard Belanger in the late 1980s. And Richard was growing tired of cleaning after his son kept spilling his drink time and time again. So, you know, we know that story.

[C]

Yeah, I think my parents can relate.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. So Richard wanted to make a solution, and he had worked with glue guns as a mechanical engineer, so he knew how nozzles worked. And he experimented putting different mouthpieces on Tupperware until eventually the sippy cup was born. And also, congratulations by getting them all right.

[C]

Woo. Thank you.

[A]

This is the last episode of our season. I know. Thank you so much for tuning in. And we'll be back with new episodes this August. If you have an idea for an episode, you can let us [e-mail] contact.

[C]

Thanks for listening.