In our youth, beating the heat and entertaining oneself on a Chicago summer day required some creativity. Playing tag, long bicycle rides, softball in the alley, would just have to wait until cooler weather, so the answer was squirt guns and water balloon fights. Not only were they such fun, but they kept us cool.
Squirt guns have been around since J.W. Wolff’s with a June 30, 1896 patent.
And on Aug 20, 1897 Russell Parker, a business man in Brooklyn New York, with his business, PARKER STEARNS & SUTTON at 230 South St, , New York. He applied for and received a patent for the U.S.A. Liquid Pistol dated march 15 1898 and again dec 17 1901 to squirt water, ammonia, or any liquid.
The patent documents reveal that it was made of nickel and contained a refillable bulb within the handle and, when compressed by the trigger, pushed air into the bulb, forcing the liquid through the discharge tube. Parker sold these for 40 cents apiece, and advertised it as protection for cyclists.
The first known earliest reference of a squirt gun was by General William Tecumseh Sherman who was quoted arguing with President Lincoln before the Civil War, “You might as well attempt to put out the flames of a burning house with a squirt gun.”
In our day, squirt guns became popular toys mostly made out of hollow molded plastic with a finger trigger which pumped water out of the barrel and into your friends’ faces .
They were bright colors, green, yellow, or orange squirt guns and were readily available at your local dime store or drugstore. In my neighborhood they rarely cost more than 49 cents, more typically 29 cents. . Three of the larger manufacturers were Park plastics, Kilgore and Knickerbocker plastics company. Nowadays they mostly all come from China like everything else.
People also found practical uses for squirt guns over the years. Pet owners use them to curb unwanted behavior. Bicyclists use them to shoo away dogs, Gardeners use them to scare away pests. Practical jokesters brought them to family events, the office, and even weddings.
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Water gun technology went high-tech in 1989 when former NASA jet propulsion scientist Lonnie Johnson was attempting to invent a new kind of water pump. During one of his early tests, water shot in a perfect stream across his bathroom . In 1989 he originally called it the Power Drencher, but rebranded it to the Super Soaker in 1991. Over 2 million were sold.
There are now many newer high tech models
During covid , A Michigan priest, Father Tim Pelc, at the St. Ambrose parish, was pictured on Easter weekend making quite the adjustment to adhere to social distancing guidelines using a squirt gun full of holy water to bless churchgoers.
Water Balloons were a fine alternative to squirt guns. A water balloon fight, fairly harmless, upped the ante on a hot summer day. Now you are sending a larger explosion of water onto your victim or victims. The balloons, made of latex rubber,and bought cheap by the bag. You either fill them at the kitchen sink or at a garden faucet at home or a neighbors. Good technique dictated that you filled many at the same time creating a mini arsenal. Water balloon technique requires that you do not overfill the balloon, lest it break before you can enter battle. Also, tying a knot in the balloon was a bit tricky especially with wet fingers.
Regardless of whether you preferred the squirt gun or the water balloons, chasing your neighbor kids around the alley or through gangways was great fun. Some of us coupled water fights with the old game of hide and seek, making a water fight last the whole afternoon.
If you have enjoyed this story or admit to a hot summer water fight or two, please leave a comment below.
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