Jerry Summers
The term “lemon” is often associated with a defective product such as an automobile. Most legislatures have adopted “Lemon Laws” designed to give consumers some protection.
But the origin of the term arose out of the practice of gambling.
In 1910, a rotating slot machine appeared as a device of dispensing chewing gum and the symbols used on slot machines today were created.
The original spinning flavors were cherry, orange, and plum with each wheel having a bar reading “1910 Fruit Gum.”
If you were successful in aligning three of the fruits in a row you would be paid off in a jackpot of gum. However, like the modern machines used today in Las Vegas, Reno, or Cherokee, if any row came up with a lemon or failed to match all the fruits there was no payout.
This result led to the adoption of the expression applying to the loser, “It's a Lemon.”
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(Excerpts from “The Little Book of Answers” – Author – Doug Lennox – (2003) – MJF Books – New York, NY 1001.)
Jerry Summers
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