Crazy in Sokolniki: tragedy, which appeared in the USSR Patriotic gum

The first half of the 70‑ies of the last Soviet schoolchildren under the sign of gum. Imported, of course, because domestic had not yet produced. Boys and girls went crazy for scarce colorful liners. Exchanged them, collected, invented the game. And the elastics used to chew the whole company at a time.

The craze for Western product, of course, was not encouraged. Those who abused the gum, called on the carpet to the school Director, was peachily at the pioneer meeting. Country quickly spread to the famous myth of the holes in the stomach. A paradox, but soon the state was required to establish production of the Soviet gum. By tragic events.

In March 1975 the Junior hockey team from Canada "Barry cap" flew to Moscow to play a few friendly matches with their peers. The sponsor of the trip was a world leader in the production of chewing gum Wrigley. Under the terms of the contract, the Canadians were sentenced to 15-pound box of chewing gum, which they were obliged to hand out free.

The third match of the series was held at the sports Palace "Sokolniki" in the presence of four thousand spectators. The stands were filled mostly students, who had heard about the generous foreigners came for their portion of delicacies. After the game, the Canadians went to his bus and from there began to throw gum on the balcony.

Palace of sports "Sokolniki"

Hundreds of is not reached people and fall to the ground. Fans decided to go down the stairs, not knowing that the South-East exit is closed. There was the so-called cumulative area. Formed a terrible crush. Charging from above youth urged to go further, but those who were already down, there was nowhere to go. Killing 21 people, including 13 children.

Director of the Palace and the chief of the local police Department and gave a real prison sentences for negligence. The media, of course, the tragedy of silence. However, the effect on the minds of the government she had. In order to repay the obsession with foreign chewing gum, it was decided to start production of their own.

The first batch of gum came off the Assembly line of the plant in Yerevan in 1976. Soon the necessary equipment installed at the pasta factory in Rostov-on-don. Initially, there were only two varieties: the "Chewing gum" flavor and "Nu, pogodi!" with mint.

In the 80 years through the efforts of the factory "rot Front", the range has expanded to five species: "Mint", "Orange", "strawberry", "Crimson" and "Coffee aroma". Initially, the gum was sold in batches of five plates each. Cost is such a pleasure to 60 cents. But for young people, this price was too high. So lowered the price and began to sell the records one by one.

And in April 2013 at the stadium Sokolniki hung a plaque in memory of the victims of the tragedy that caused the emergence of the Soviet gum.