Parties and Barbecues Would Be Lame Without This Illinois Invention

Illinois has been the birthplace of many innovative and game-changing inventions. Besides the red solo cup, the state is also famous for producing some of the world's most innovative and beloved creations.

Some notable examples include the zipper, invented by Gideon Sundback in Illinois in the early 1900s. Then there is the cell phone, which Motorola first created in Chicago in 1973. The state is also home to the first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, which was built in Chicago in 1885.

And let's not forget about the invention of the delicious deep-dish pizza, which originated in Chicago in the 1940s. These are just a few examples of the many incredible inventions that have come out of Illinois, and they serve as a testament to the state's innovative spirit and ingenuity.

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But, despite the greatness of those inventions, one in Illinois was a game changer, literally. Imagine hosting a party and not having these classic cups on hand. You'd have to resort to using your regular glasses or paper cups, which just isn't as fun.

It's hard to imagine a world without the iconic red solo cup. But believe it or not, there was a time when parties and barbecues were not complete without these little red beauties. Thankfully, Leo Hulseman, a former employee of the Solo Cup Company, reinvented the classic party cup in 1936, and the world has never been the same since.

Red Solo Cups (and The Other Colors) Came Out of Highland Park, Illinois

Thank goodness for Leo Hulseman and his garage in Highland Park, Illinois. Without him, we might still be drinking out of boring, regular cups at our parties and missing out on all the fun that comes with using the red solo cup.

Can you imagine playing flippy cup or beer pong without the red solo cup? It's like trying to eat pizza without cheese, it's just not the same. Sure, you could use a regular cup, but where's the fun in that? The red solo cup is the perfect size and shape for flipping and bouncing ping pong balls off of, and it's become an essential part of any good game of beer pong.

Flippy Cup Wouldn't Be The Same

And it's not just the games that would suffer without the red solo cup. There's something about the red solo cup that adds an extra level of excitement to any gathering. Maybe it's the bright color or the fact that it's so lightweight and easy to hold, but whatever it is, it just works.

The next time you're playing a game of flippy cup or beer pong, take a moment to raise a drink for Leo Hulseman and the Solo Cup Company for their ingenious invention. Cheers to the red solo cup!