Star Wars Action Figures, Dominoes Inducted into National Toy Hall of Fame

The Toy Industry Association has unveiled the top toys for the prestigious 2013 Toy of the Year Awards  – read all about the TOTY finalists here.
November 16, 2012 | Classic toys and games beloved by generations of children had their moment in the spotlight on Thursday, November 15th when the latest inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame were announced by The Strong in Rochester, NY. Star Wars Action Figures and Dominoes joined 49 celebrated toys previously inducted into the Hall of Fame, including Big Wheel, rocking horse, jump rope, LEGO, The Game of Life and kite.

Thousands of nominations were submitted by toy lovers of all ages; an internal museum advisory committee comprised of curators, educators and historians determined which toys met the criteria for selection before a national selection committee reviewed and voted for their top picks. Star Wars Action Figures and Dominoes beat out 10 other finalists: Clue, Fisher-Price Corn Popper push toy, Lite-Brite, little green army men, Magic 8 Ball, pogo stick, sidewalk chalk, Simon, tea set and Twister.

About Star Wars action figures

When 20th Century Fox released the first Star Wars movie in May 1977, no one imagined it would change the toy industry and popular entertainment so dramatically. The film spawned five more episodes of a sprawling space opera that also generated sales of millions of action figures of the saga’s characters. The 3.75-inch figures—including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2-D2, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and more than 100 others—were sold from 1978 to 1985 and again from the mid-1990s to the present day. Their phenomenal popularity with movie fans revolutionized the toy industry, leading other toy makers to tie their toys to movies, television series, and other entertainment properties. For more than 30 years, kids and collectors have used Star Wars action figures to role play their favorite storylines.

About Dominoes
Dominoes, cousins of playing cards and dice, are one of the oldest known tools for game play. Originating in China in the 1300s, the game later appeared in Europe in a slightly different form. The earliest official written mention of this game came during the Yuan Dynasty in China sometime after 1270 AD. Some believe Italian missionaries brought the game back to Europe, where it became one of the most popular games of the mid-18th century. The game’s name originates from the French domino, a priest’s winter hood, which was white on the inside and black on the outside. A standard set of 28 dominoes represents all possible results when rolling a pair of six-sided dice—with the addition of two blank sides. From professional domino game competitions to setting them up and then knocking them over, dominoes allow for a variety of games as well as tests of skill and patience.

For more information, visit ToyHallofFame.org.

Established in 1998, the National Toy Hall of Fame annually recognizes toys that have inspired creative play and enjoyed popularity over a sustained period of time. The classic toys of the National Toy Hall of Fame sit alongside the collections of The Strong's National Museum of Play. The Strong is also home to the Toy Industry Association’s (TIA) annual ToyDesignCon for TIA’s inventor and designer community. ToyDesignCon 2013 will be held in June of next year.