Retton, Jenner, Ali back on Wheaties boxes
February 20, 2012
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General Mills Corporate Communications |
Three of the more recognizable gold medal winners in U.S. history are back on Wheaties boxes, and two of them talked about the obstacles they overcame to first get on that box during a media event Wednesday in Los Angeles.
Mary Lou Retton, 44, overcame congenital hip dysplasia to become the first female outside of Eastern Europe to win the all-around gymnastics gold medal during the 1984 Summer Games. That year, she also became the first woman to appear on the front of the Wheaties box.
Retton talked about pushing past discouraging words, saying that most would scoff when she would talk of her gymnastic aspirations because a girl from a small town in West Virginia had no chance of competing on the international stage.
Wheaties helped Jenner's career
Also on hand was decathlete Bruce Jenner, 62, who won a gold medal in 1976, but said he had struggled in grade school because of dyslexia. He lacked confidence until he won a track and field competition in fifth grade.
Holding his retro edition box, Jenner said, "Young kids look at that and ask, 'can I be on that?' Then they think no, I can never be on a Wheaties box. Well, you know what? Yes. It can happen."
Jenner said he is happy that the retro boxes are in stores this month because he continually gets requests, including from charitable events, for his signed Wheaties box - a commodity that is now difficult to find.
The third retro box features former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, 70. Ali, who was not at the media event, won a gold medal in the light heavyweight boxing competition in 1960.
Retton and Jenner are two of only seven people to be an official Wheaties spokesperson.
Trio resonates with sports fans
"Wheaties fans have long asked for these three particular icons to be featured on our boxes again and we are very excited to bring them back," says Jenny Foster, promotion coordinator for the brand.
"All three athletes were champions in their sports and understood the role that nutrition played in their performances. Each continues to inspire people today," Foster says.
Retton voiced that at the media event, saying that nutrition was important to her as an athlete, but now that she is a mother it's even more important to her.
Long association with sports
The iconic brand has been around for nearly 90 years and is noted for its association with sports dating to 1933, when its "Breakfast of Champions" slogan appeared on the left field wall of baseball's Nicollet Park in Minneapolis.
The list of athletes who provided testimonials for Wheaties is a "Who's Who" of sports and includes Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jack Dempsey, Patty Berg, Bronko Nagurski, George Mikan and Babe Didrikson.
Baseball Hall of Famer Gehrig was the first athlete to appear on a Wheaties box - albeit on the back - in 1934.
