Rock’Em Sock’Em Robots, the Game That Ushered in Generation X
Rock’em Sock’em Robots gives the weakest of boys a spike in self-confidence by winning a round in the ring.
Rock’Em Sock’Em Robots. Who remembers this classic toy from the Marx toy company?
The robots were unleashed on the world in 1964, on the cusp of the generational change from the Baby Boomers to Generation X.
The game was invented by Marvin Glass and Burt Meyer, who—on a trip to Chicago—stepped into an amusement arcade. They experienced a boxing-themed game that piqued their interest and the rest is history.
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots feature two duelling robot boxers, the Red Rocker—no relation to Sammy Hagar—against the Blue Bomber. The game is won when one player knocks the head off the opponent.
There is a backstory to this pair of robots. The red boxer is "the rollicking Red Rocker" from Soltarus II, and weighs in at 375 pounds. The blue opponent, the "beautiful Blue Bomber, pride of Umgluck", weighs in at 382 pounds.
There could never be a game like this in today’s society.
Of course, we can’t have a popular toy without an academic or a so-called health specialist chiming in. Sociologist R.W. Connell has pointed out, “sporting prowess is a test of masculinity even for boys who detest the locker room.”
Rock’em Sock’em Robots gives the weakest of boys a spike in self-confidence by winning a round in the ring.
We can trace boxing toys back to the late 19th century to the toy company Ives, Blakeslee & Williams Company. Ives produced what may be the first American mechanical boxing toy: the Mechanical Boxers.
What made this game appealing to boys?
Lessons on competition and dominance by physical aggression have been taught to boys in the form of boxing in one shape or another for over a century.
Boxing is closely associated with manliness so naturally, this game would be popular with young boys. Even Marx used the tagline “the world’s only boxing robots” to describe the Rock’em Sock’em Robots toy.
As society progresses, does it really progress? Games and institutions meant to turn boys into men are being destroyed. All one has to do is look around to see this phenomenon; the military is failing not only our country but our men, the Boy Scouts are now called “Scouts,” and a good portion of American families are fatherless.
2023© ElbyJames
Lorie Shaull, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons