I invented Connect Four in 1973. Milton Bradley licensed it and Hasbro later bought the company (1984). The game was made and introduced to the public in 1974. In the beginning there was no TV advertising, and the company viewed the game as simply a vertical checker game where it was placed in back of their catalog along with checkers and school supplies.
It was not until 1979 when sales really began to climb. The first television commercial featured a boy playing his sister. She beats him with four of her checkers in a diagonal row, after which he declares, “Pretty sneaky, Sis,” which has been immortalized as a catchphrase.
The name of the game was originally spelled out as Connect Four and now is shortened with the numeral 4. There are millions sold around the world.
For more stories regarding my inventions and Connect 4 in particular, see VIDEO.