Final Note

The inventor of the red Solo cup dies at 84

Lizzie O'Leary Dec 29, 2016
HTML EMBED:
COPY
Courtesy of Solo Cup Co./Facebook
Final Note

The inventor of the red Solo cup dies at 84

Lizzie O'Leary Dec 29, 2016
Courtesy of Solo Cup Co./Facebook
HTML EMBED:
COPY

And now, an ode to a product you’ve probably used even if you hadn’t heard of its inventor: the red Solo cup.

The cup is a fixture at college parties, beer pong matches — pretty much anyplace with a keg. The cup’s inventor was Robert Leo Hulseman, and he died last week at age 84. His father started the Solo Cup Co., but Hulseman was the one who had the idea for the red plastic cup.

They stack, they come in sleeves. To be clear, they can hold things other than booze. They even inspired a Toby Keith song.

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.