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Who knew? Victoria is Popeye's hometown
By AprillBrandon in Pop Goes the Culture
January 19, 2010

Hey kids...pssst, kids. The next time you have to do a boring history report about a famous past Victorian, pick Popeye (the Sailor Man...not the chicken dude) and throw your teachers through a loop.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, through my impressive journalistic skills of being able to open an e-mail, I found out that Popeye got his start in the Victoria Advocate. Seriously. I have a link to prove it!

( Link to prove it ).

Created by cartoonist Elzie Crisler Segar (who was born in Illinois) Popeye wasn't officially "born" until the Advocate was the first newspaper to run Segar's comic strip on Jan. 17, 1929.

Image

Segar himself even acknowledged Victoria as Popeye's hometown in a special cartoon he drew for the paper for their 1934 anniversary edition.

According to the Handbook of Texas Online, Speaking to the newspaper's editor through Popeye, Segar wrote, "Please assept me hearties bes' wishes an' felitcitations on account of yer paper's 88th Anniversity....Victoria is me ol' home town on account of tha's where I got born'd at."

So happy belated birthday, sailor man! Your hometown salutes you!

(P.S. Unfortunately, we still hate spinach).

Comments


  • bangkokijerryy bangkokijerryy Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    whoa!

    September 16, 2010 at 3:08 a.m.

  • mell mell Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    whoa! that info is totally cool! from beginning to finich!

    February 6, 2010 at 12:31 p.m.

  • bevobliss bevobliss Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    Cool story Aprill!! I miss those cartoons, They don't show em up here in Alaska. I remember when I was a kid and going to the Stanleys in Cuero, pestering my Mom for popeyes spinach because the can had a picture of popeye on it. But when Mom served it, Forget it.....I wasn't eatin that mush if my life depended on it(come to think of it, My life did depend on it after making such a big deal about having to have it!!!!!

    January 27, 2010 at 5:02 p.m.

  • OLDRUSTYBUCKET1 OLDRUSTYBUCKET1 Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    When the Popeye cartoon first hit the public my dad drew the sailor's image on his baseball sweatshirt. In that locality he was Popeye to untold numbers of citizens until he died.

    January 19, 2010 at 10:37 p.m.