Facts About Milton Bradley

Milton Bradley was a pioneering game designer in the 19th century. The company which bears his name is credited with establishing the board game industry, and has a number of classic games to its credit.

The Man

Milton Bradley himself was born in 1836 and died in 1911. He created the game Life (then called "The Checkered Game of Life") in 1860, which proved to be an instant success.

The Company

Though the Milton Bradley Company was created in 1860, it truly hit its stride in 1920 after taking over the McLoughlin Brothers game manufacturing company.

The Games

Successful board games produced by the Milton Bradley Company include Battleship, Connect Four, Axis and Allies, Stratego and Operation.

Twister

Milton Bradley's game Twister gave the company an adult wrinkle after Johnny Carson and Eva Gabor engaged in a risqué session with it on "The Tonight Show" in 1966.

Hasbro

Milton Bradley was purchased by the Hasbro company in 1984. They retained the name and still use it to brand many of their board games.

References

• Board Game Geek: Milton Bradley
• Board Game Geek: Twister
• Hasbro