DAILY DIRT: These companies are still proud to be American

If my math is correct, and using a five-day workweek as a model, Wilson makes 1.04 million footballs a year … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,062 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Way too many one-time U.S-owned companies now are under foreign ownership, but not all.

Here are my choices for five of the most iconic items that are still made in the U.S.A. by companies that are still owned by U.S.A. interests — and hopefully always will be.

• Wilson footballs: Every NFL touchdown ever scored has been with a Wilson football, which are made in Ada, Ohio. The Wilson factory employs 120 people who make 4,000 footballs per day.
• Crayola crayons: The company makes more than 400 different-colored crayons at its plant in Easton, Pa. Crayola normally produces more than 13.5 million crayons each day. The company also makes more than 600 million colored pencils each year.
• Hershey’s chocolate: The town of Hershey, Pa., has actually grown up around the world-famous chocolate factory. There are two factories in the town, plus a Hershey-themed amusement park.
• Post-It Notes: The 3M Company makes all Post-Its for the U.S. and Japan, all in one place at Cynthiana, Ky. The factory used to make copy machines, but switched to Post-Its in 1985.
• Harley-Davidson motorcycles: A truly iconic American Brand headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., since 1903. All American models of the brand are produced there, although the company now has plants around the globe.

2. Did you know (Part 125)

• That Pizza Hut was the first food company to offer online ordering in 1994.
• That the first McDonald’s “happy meal” was introduced in 1979 — 45 years ago.
• That Ronald McDonald was not the first “mascot” of McDonald’s. It was a chef named Speedee, who was a man with a chef’s hat on top of a hamburger-shaped head. Speedee was also used as the first McDonald’s logo before the Golden Arches were introduced in 1962. Ronald has been the official “face” of McDonald’s since 1967.

• That Burger King released a cologne in 2008 named “Flame” that smelled like a Whopper.
• That Burger King was originally named Insta-Burger King when it was founded in 1953 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Whopper was introduced four years later and sold for 37 cents.

3. There’s roughly two weeks before the start of the MLB playoffs.

Here are my top five World Series favorites at the moment:

• 1. Philadelphia: The Phillies have the deepest rotation — by far — of the contenders, and have somehow managed to avoid the injuries that hat have ravaged some of the other contending staffs. Ace Zack Wheeler has had a marvelous season and shows no signs of letting up as the postseason approaches.
• 2. San Diego: I’m a pitching guy, and only the Phillies have a better front four than the Friars. Dylan Cease is a bona fide ace, Yu Darvish has returned from personal matters, Joe Musgrove appears healthy again and Michael King has been one of the best-kept secrets in all of MLB.
• 3. Los Angeles: Sometimes, however, you just have to go with the sheer offensive strength of talent like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez. No contender’s pitching staff, however, has been devastated by injuries like the Dodgers. I can see them winning enough 10-8 games to get through a round or two, but there’s no way Los Angeles wins the World Series. 
• 4. New York Mets: Shortstop Francisco Lindor, who just might be the National League MVP, has gotten most of the second-half publicity, but remember these two pitchers once the postseason begins: Sean Manaea and David Peterson.
• 5. New York Yankees: If, and this is a big if … the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Luis Gil are at their absolute best in the playoffs, this could be your American League representative in the World Series. But … Cole has been inconsistent since returning around midseason from injury, Rodon has been up and down all year and Gil is likely way too inexperienced to be counted upon come October.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — There are actual signs posted in various U.S. parks and other sites where skunks might be prevalent that read: “Please Don’t Pet The Fart Squirrels”. Is this a great country or what?

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. I’m thinking that Whopper-esque fragrances should have been called “Steve”.