Hobbies And Interests
The Landlord's Game
The earliest version of Monopoly appeared in 1904, when Elizabeth Magie Phillips created The Landlord's Game. A zealous supporter of Henry George and his views on tax reform, Phillips developed her game to illustrate the economic struggle between tenants and monopolizing land owners. It quickly spread through communities and college campuses, and home-made variations proliferated. Phillips incorporated some of these adaptations into her own work and re-patented The Landlord's Game in 1924.
Enter Parker Brothers
Inventor and salesman Charles Darrow sold his version of the game, which he called Monopoly, to Parker Brothers in 1935. Set in Darrow's favorite vacation spot, Atlantic City, Monopoly sold by the tens of thousands within its first few weeks of production. Darrow claimed the invention was his own; however, from the onset it was clear Monopoly borrowed heavily from Phillips' work. To avoid lawsuits and ensure market domination, Parker Brothers bought The Landlord's Game outright for $500.
Litigation
Up until 1974, Parker Brothers had successfully maintained the story that Charles Darrow was the original and sole inventor of Monopoly. In that same year economics professor Ralph Anspach marketed a parody of the game called Anti-Monopoly. General Mills, who had acquired Parker Brothers in 1963, sued Anspach for trademark violation. During the trial, Anspach proved the link between Monopoly and The Landlord's Game; and after two appeals, in 1984 the United States Supreme Court ruled in his favor.
Hasbro
In 1991 Hasbro, Inc. purchased Tonka, which had acquired Parker Brothers from General Mills in 1987 and now owned Monopoly. About that time Hasbro struck a deal with retail chains Kmart and Toys 'R' Us to sell Hasbro products exclusively in their stores, effectively eliminating competition. Anspach filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission but was turned down. He then filed an antitrust lawsuit against Hasbro and the two retailers, but the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence.
Monopoly Today
Monopoly has been translated into 37 languages, including Braille, and sales have topped a quarter-billion units. Many versions are available, including Monopoly Junior, Monopoly Express and a card game called Monopoly Deal. There are specialty editions, such as a set made entirely of chocolate sold by the Neiman Marcus Company in 1978. Ironically, though Ralph Anspach still markets Anti-Monopoly, the name is now a licensed trademark of Hasbro.