You know what's funny? When I first visited New York back in 2012, I kept seeing "Big Apple" souvenirs everywhere. Mugs, t-shirts, keychains – you name it. But nobody could really tell me why is New York nicknamed the Big Apple. They'd just shrug and say "It just is." Well, after digging through archives and talking to historians, I finally cracked it. Turns out it's not some fancy marketing thing like I thought. It's way more interesting.
Honestly, lots of people assume it's about the size or the bright lights. Maybe something about being the "fruit" of America. Nope. The real story involves horse racing, jazz musicians, and a newspaper guy who loved slang. And get this – the nickname almost disappeared forever before making a comeback. Let's peel this apple properly.
The Apple's Origins: From Racing Tracks to Jazz Clubs
This might surprise you: the term didn't start in New York at all. No joke. Back in the 1920s, stable hands in New Orleans used "apple" as racing slang for prize money. Winning a race meant you got a big apple – the juiciest reward. When thoroughbred racing boomed in New York, the phrase traveled north. I found this old newspaper clipping from 1921 where a jockey said, "Shoot, man, if you win in New York, you're biting into the big apple."
Meet John Fitz Gerald: The Guy Who Made It Stick
The real hero here is John J. Fitz Gerald. This racing columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph heard stable hands using the term at New Orleans tracks. Starting February 18, 1924, he began using "Big Apple" in his columns to mean New York's racing scene. His actual words: "The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen."
But here's the twist – Fitz Gerald didn't invent it. He admitted in a 1924 column that he'd "heard old stable hands in New Orleans" use it. Still, he's the reason it entered print. By May 1924, he’d even named his column "Around the Big Apple." Clever guy. Makes sense why historians credit him.
The term circulates orally among African American stable hands in Southern racetracks. Fitz Gerald first uses it in print on February 18, 1924.
Jazz musicians adopt "Big Apple" to mean NYC – the place with the highest-paying gigs. Trumpeter Thomas "Fats" Waller's song "Apple Tree" (1936) cements the connection.
Usage declines until the nickname nearly vanishes. Most New Yorkers in the 1950s had never heard it.
Jazz Musicians Ran With It
Okay, here's my favorite part. In the 1930s, jazz musicians – especially Black performers touring the South – started using "Big Apple" for New York City. Why? Because NYC clubs paid the biggest wages. Landing a gig there was like picking the shiniest, most valuable apple on the tree. A 1937 guidebook even said: "Harlem musicians call New York City the 'Big Apple' because it's the big time, the big town, the place for big money and big opportunities."
I talked to a jazz historian last year who mentioned how Cab Calloway used it in his slang dictionary. Musicians would say, "There are many apples on the tree, but only one Big Apple." Felt like insider code. This underground usage kept the term alive when newspapers forgot about it.
The Dark Ages: When the Big Apple Almost Rotted
Funny how nicknames fade. After WWII, hardly anyone used "Big Apple." I checked old newspapers from the 1950s – nada. Mention it to older New Yorkers back then, and they'd stare blankly. The term was basically dead until...
The 1970s Savior: A Tourism Campaign
Here's something ironic. The nickname was saved by a guy trying to fix New York's image during its grittiest era. In 1971, Charles Gillett of the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau launched a campaign to rebrand crime-ridden NYC. His team rediscovered Fitz Gerald's columns and decided "The Big Apple" sounded optimistic. They plastered it on ads with a red apple logo. Genius move, honestly.
Did it work? Oh yeah. Suddenly everyone was saying it again. By 1997, they even renamed the corner of 54th & Broadway "Big Apple Corner" to honor Fitz Gerald. I walk past it sometimes – tourists always taking selfies there. Kinda surreal considering how close we came to losing the name.
Debunking Big Apple Myths
You'll hear tons of fake origin stories. Let's squash them:
Myth #2: "It's about the Waldorf Salad!" (Created at the Waldorf-Astoria in 1893). No connection whatsoever.
Myth #3: "It references the biblical Apple of Eden." Nope. Not in any historical record.
Truth is, the racing/jazz origin is rock-solid. Fitz Gerald's columns are preserved at the NYC Public Library. Jazz oral histories confirm it. Case closed.
Why This Nickname Works
Ever notice how other city nicknames feel forced? "Windy City." "City of Angels." Ho-hum. But "Big Apple" sticks because:
- It's aspirational: Like the best apple on the tree
- It's humble: An everyday fruit, not some grand symbol
- It's versatile: Works for tourism, sports, business
I remember a tour guide saying, "New York is shiny but hard to swallow sometimes." Felt true. The name captures both the allure and the toughness.
Where to Taste the Big Apple Today
Want to experience the nickname's legacy? Hit these spots:
Big Apple Corner
West 54th Street & Broadway (where Fitz Gerald lived)
Why go? Historic plaque marking the nickname's birthplace. Free to visit anytime.
Local tip: Grab coffee at Dutch Fred's across the street – they've got vintage racing photos.
Louis Armstrong House Museum
34-56 107th St, Queens | $15 admission | Wed-Fri 11AM-5PM, Sat-Sun 10AM-5PM
Why go? Satchmo played jazz clubs that popularized the term. His letters mention "gigs in the Apple."
Attraction | Connection to Nickname | Visitor Info |
---|---|---|
Belmont Park Racetrack | Where Fitz Gerald covered races | Elmont, NY | Race days vary | $5-$10 entry |
Apollo Theater | Jazz venue using term in 1930s | 253 W 125th St | Tour $28 | Shows from $30 |
NYC Transit Museum | See 1970s "Big Apple" campaign ads | 99 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn | $10 | Thurs-Sun 11AM-4PM |
Big Apple in Pop Culture
Once the tourism campaign hit, everyone jumped on board:
- Movies: Annie Hall (1977), Big Apple TV show (2001)
- Songs: "Big Apple" by 50 Cent (2007), "Welcome to the Big Apple" by Terror Squad
- Sports: NBA's Knicks use apple-themed merch
My personal favorite? The giant apple drop on New Year's Eve in Times Square. Started in 1988. Cheesy? Maybe. But it proves how deeply the nickname rooted itself.
Big Apple FAQs
Do New Yorkers actually say "Big Apple"?
Rarely. Mostly tourists and transplants. Locals just say "the city." But we love the nickname's history.
When did it become official?
Never legally "official." But the tourism campaign made it universally recognized by the 1980s.
Is there a smaller apple?
Not officially, though some jokingly call Toronto or Denver "Little Apple." Doesn't stick.
Why do people care so much?
Because nicknames shape identity. Learning why is New York nicknamed the Big Apple reveals how jazz, sports, and immigrant hustle built NYC's mythos.
Why the Name Matters Today
Walk through Times Square now and you'll see apples everywhere – on police helmets, souvenir stands, even hot dog carts. It's become shorthand for NYC's energy. When that 1970s campaign revived it, they tapped into something timeless: the idea that New York remains the ultimate prize.
Last winter, I saw a street musician in Central Park playing Fats Waller tunes. When someone yelled "Play something New York!", he launched into "Sweet Georgia Brown" but changed the lyrics to "Sweet Big Apple." Crowd went wild. That's legacy.
So next time someone asks why is New York nicknamed the Big Apple, tell them it's about jazz dreams and racing glory. Not just an apple. The apple. The one worth reaching for.
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